A week after picking up its first win of the season — a 30-24 win over Van-Far — the Wright City football team took two steps back in a 46-7 homecoming loss to North Callaway last week.

The Wildcat offense failed to score double digits for the third time in six games, prompting changes by Head Coach Jeff Sargent.

Junior Trevon Holmes will replace junior Sean McDonald at quarterback this week against Clopton.

Holmes, a wide receiver and defensive back, has five catches for 47 yards this season while adding 12 tackles.

“We’ve been developing him as a backup, but he’s progressed to where I think he can fill in a little bit and be successful,” Sargent said of Holmes. “That’s not to say Sean will never play quarterback, but Trevon is going to start for us.”

McDonald will continue to start at linebacker while battling a sore knee.

McDonald is sixth on the team with 17 tackles this season, but his demotion won’t take him away from the offense completely.

“I want to see what he’ll do as a running back, as well,” Sargent said, noting that he expects McDonald to start at running back against Clopton.

“We probably should have made the move earlier in the year. His knee is pretty beat up, so we need to take that into consideration and try to get him less reps on offense so he can get his knee healthier.”

Sargent hopes the move will energize a team that has struggled most of the season.

Those struggles have opened up opportunities for younger players to earn playing time in 2016 and beyond.

“By the end of the year we’re going to have six or seven freshmen with varsity experience,” Sargent said. “It’s not my first choice, but it’s not the worst thing in the world, either.”

Freshmen Jeremy Cundiff, Will Janowski and J.J. McRoberts have stood out to Sargent recently on defense.

The trio has combined for 40 tackles this season.

Janowski has accounted for 28 of those, which puts him fourth on the team.

“That,” Sargent said, “mixed in with good sophomores like Jayden Mahaney and Romeo Cotton, have been positives.”

The Wildcats host Montgomery County Oct. 7 and finish the regular season at Bowling Green Oct. 14 before the district tournament Oct. 21.

“We have a chance to do some good things the last few weeks, but they have to buy in and do what I’m asking,” Sargent said. “It’s not hard. I tell them to do their job. Don’t do other people’s job because you don’t trust them. Just do yours.”