BANDON — If anyone can turn around the underachieving Bandon football program after last year’s dismal 0-6 showing in the Sunset Conference (2-7 overall), it’s new coach Motts Thomas.

At least that’s what players and other coaches were saying after a little more than a week of practice under Motts, who came equipped with a playbook thicker than some textbooks and a minute-by-minute practice schedule.

“We make fun of him. We call him the ‘Paper Machine,’” said assistant coach Dewey Kiefer of Thomas. “He’s a professional coach, no doubt about it.”

Thomas certainly has the pedigree.

The former California man has coached at every level of the game, helming high school squads and college programs — heading up programs at Pomona College, Bowie State and Morgan State — and even serving as a coaching intern for the then-Los Angeles Raiders. He’s also an educator, having served as associate dean of students at Pomona.

Coming into a program that struggled last year after veteran coach Perry Herbst left for a job in Washington, Thomas decided the team just needed a fresh start.

“We’re trying to change the culture of Bandon football,” said Thomas at practice last week. “These kids have had some really bad experiences here. They were emotionally exhausted. I don’t want that to happen this year.”

Thomas has his work cut out for him. This year’s squad is young and inexperienced, having lost 12 seniors from last season. Three starters are returning: Fullback/linebacker Cody Carney, wide receiver/defensive back Buster Webb and running back/defensive back Derrick Burman, all seniors.  The team’s other two seniors are Max DeVillers, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound wide receiver whom Kiefer described as “the real deal,” but who hasn’t played since the eighth grade and lineman Jace Pouncey, in his first year of football.

Rounding out the team are eight juniors and 10 sophomores.

Motts likes multiple-option packages, heavy on running the fullback, with some wing-T components.

To run the option, Motts has his eye on a couple of quick, smart quarterbacks with a bit of size: Junior Connor Jackson, at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and 6-foot-2, 185-pound sophomore Mike Bennett.

“We have good skill players and good speed,” said Jackson. “If we can execute (the option), it’ll be hard to stop.”

“I like the option,” added Bennett. “People aren’t going to know what’s coming.”

Sophomore running back Jimmy Mack is poised to have a strong season, likely as the squad’s leading rusher. He said he thinks the team can go at least .500, probably much better.

“We’ve got a bunch of talent,” said Mack. “If we can bring it all together, we’ll be good.”

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Carney will add some muscle at fullback.

Defensively, Thomas runs a 30-stack formation to focus on quickness rather than size.

Watching Thomas work the team out, it’s obvious he values speed and repetition — during a Thomas workout, the team is in constant motion, as is the coach’s mouth. He’s endlessly positive, with high expectations for the effort level of his players.

But Thomas is cautious about predicting success for the team in the win-loss column this season. Last week he said he’s first just trying to get kids to buy in to his system and him as a coach and teacher.

“I have a sense of guarded optimism,” said Thomas. “What I do feel in the bottom of my bones is we’re coaching them to perform at a level untouched by these kids.”

From the mood of practice last week, one thing is clear — the players and coaches believe in Thomas.

“Everything’s a strong point with him,” said Carney about Thomas. “He’s one of the best coaches ever.”

The positivity of Thomas — and the buying in of the players — was on display in the team’s first outing, where the Tigers defeated Valley Catholic on the road 28-14.

In the first quarter of that game, Bandon’s secondary was burned for a 31-yard touchdown pass. The players came over, dejected, expecting to get chewed out because that’s what has happened in the past.

But that’s not what Thomas did.

“I just told them this stuff happens. Defensive backs get beat for touchdowns, and you just try and do better,” said Thomas. “They just paused for a moment, like ‘that’s it?’ I think that really set the tone for the rest of the game and they really, really performed.”

It’s tough to argue with a coach’s style when it leads to a win. And when the players say they’re starting to believe they can be successful.

“Coach Motts, he’s brilliant,” said Burman. “I don’t see why we can’t have high expectations with (coach Thomas) here. If coach says it’s going to work, it’s going to work.”