Eagles full of youth and look to improve on consecutive 4-4 seasons……..
Eagles full of youth and look to improve on consecutive 4-4 seasons……..
The 2016 version of Allen Eagle football will be in search of returning to the playoff picture after just missing in a 4-4 campaign in 2015. The Eagles have been absent in the post season for the past six years. The Eagles will be returning five offensive starters and five defensive starters. The team totals 19 in number. That is up from16 for the 2015 season.
The Eagles, although returning five starters on both sides of the football, several who played, were injured, and missed parts of the season, leaving them short of actual game experience. Jelling as a unit will be paramount for the team to be successful. Staying healthy the entire season will be important to develop continuity.
The seniors will be leaned upon heavily in helping the Eagles’ quest to return to the playoffs. Seniors, Cody Thomas, Garrett Brentlinger, Chase Johnson and Tayler Kumm will be asked to lead the small aggressive group.
Senior, Cody Thomas is a returning all district first team defensive starter and played extensively as a defensive nose guard while splitting time in the backfield and offensive line on offense. Garrett Brentlinger will return at end on offense and a corner on defense. Chase Johnson returns as a starter at guard on the offensive side of the ball. Tayler Kumm, will be back to start his fourth season at quarterback.
The junior class is headed by Jacob Williams. Williams is a two year starter at defensive end and offensive end. Owen Pedersen and Blake McCorkindale have experience, but will need to provide the muscle needed on the offensive line and also to shore up the defensive unit. Levi Woodward gives depth to the team at the quarterback position. Newcomer, Bud Kneifl, could impact the offensive line and defensive line backing corps if he has a good preseason.
Two sophomores started for the Eagles in 2015. Kyle Smith will play fullback and linebacker, and Isaac Verzani at center and linebacker. Smith missed 3 games in 2015 with injuries, while Verzani is fully recovered from a broken leg suffered in the fifth game of the 2015 season.
Potential starters could also come from the sophomore class, as Devin Twohig, looks to play at the end position on both sides of the ball. Oscar Roth, could find some time in the backfield both ways, and Jarod Lund as a special teams player and defensive back.
Freshmen impact players are seen as a real possibility, as Brogan Jones, Josh Grone, Steven Cooks, who all could and probably will see the field on a given Friday night. Jones will compete for offensive line time and linebacker time, while Grone and Cooks will via for offensive and defensive line time. Noah Carr and Lukas Oswald will see spot action allowing for depth.
Preseason practices will help better determine who is going to play where on both sides of the ball, and at this point, things are not definite. The preseason will sort out and set the squad in a more definite mold as time unfolds. Athletes are going to have to be willing to be molded into position and role players, as the Eagle talents are relatively even across the board.
The Eagles will be under the direction of head coach, Dave Uldrich, and assistants will be Marc Bathke and Zach Wemhoff. Jason Olesen will be a volunteer assistant as well.
The Eagles open non-district with a home game against O’Neill St.Mary’s on Friday, August 26th, at 7:00 p.m. St. Mary’s edged the Eagles 24-20 last season, by stopping a late game drive by the Eagles to win the game.
Randolph, Wausa, Winside, Wynot, and Emerson-Hubbard are the Class D-2 district opponents. Elkhorn Valley and Cedar Bluffs are the two remaining non-district teams on the Eagles schedule before entering district play. Five opponents the Eagles face in 2016 were playoff qualifiers in 2015 with good returning experience, so the schedule is not easy.
Coaches Comments:
“We look to get better with each practice. We have things to get done and little time to do it. Hopefully, we will jell quickly, play hard and smart, and have a very enjoyable season. We have the ability to be a fairly competitive squad, but what we do with those opportunities will be up to the team to accomplish. The old saying, “You are as good as your seniors”, will be the challenge to our squad leadership. We had a positive football camp experience and hope to keep that momentum alive. If we play hard, we could be a fairly good squad, and if we do not, it will not be pretty to watch. We hope to be playing as a confident team in November as a goal.”