Preview: Glenbard South
Last year Glenbard South's football team rolled to a seven-win season with a powerful running game.
This season quarterback Kevin Marshall and the passing game take center stage. Of course, the Raiders won't complain if they also end up rushing for another 1,800 yards.
"This could be one of the best passing games we've had in a long time," coach Dan Starkey said. "But we still need to find someone who will deliver the mail in the running game."
Stopping the mail is a defensive issue for the Raiders.
While they return eight players who started at times on offense last season, only four starters return to the inexperienced defense. Thankfully, though, all four - linebackers Austin Teitsma and Louis Erkins, safety Ryan McKean and cornerback Kyle Stott - were all-Western Sun Conference picks as juniors.
With an offense that appears explosive, the Raiders plan to challenge for the Western Sun Conference title against a strong field led by Geneva, which went 11-1 last year.
Marshall had a nice junior season, throwing for 1,400 yards and rushing for 500 while accounting for 19 touchdowns. Junior Trace Wanless is another talented quarterback who will be on the field as a potent receiver along with returning starter Jon Holland.
If running backs Curtis Ford and Mike Williams can be effective on the ground in the spread zone option, the offense - deep and dangerous - will be tough to stop behind a line that returns four starters in Paul Andrzejewski, Billy Trakas, Kevin O'Brien and Alex Pulos.
"We've got a lot of diversity in our offense," Starkey said. "Even though we're a spread team, we're still going to run the ball."
All four of the Raiders' returning defensive starters were named to the all-Western Sun Conference team last season.
Head coach: Dan Starkey (fifth year, 19-20).
2007 record: 7-4, 4-3 Western Sun Conference.
Offense (Spread zone option)
Pos. Name Ht./Wt. Yr.
QB Kevin Marshall 6-3/205 Sr.*
RB Curtis Ford 5-11/185 Sr.
WR Trace Wanless 5-10/175 Jr.
WR Jon Holland 5-11/165 Sr.*
WR Sterling Smith 5-9/165 Sr.
TE Austin Teitsma 6-2/220 Jr.
LT Rutger Glocker 5-10/185 Sr.
LG Billy Trakas 5-10/220 Sr.*
C Paul Andrzejewski 6-1/225 Sr.*
RG Chester Naleway 6-0/240 Sr.
RT Kevin O'Brien 6-1/220 Sr.*
Defense (50)
Pos. Name Ht./Wt. Yr.
N Rutger Glocker 5-9/185 Sr.
DT Billy Trakas 5-10/220 Sr.
DT Branden Shustar 6-1/220 Sr.
OLB Austin Teitsma 6-2/220 Jr.*
OLB Brian Duffy 6-1/185 Jr.
ILB Louis Erkins 6-2/200 Sr.*
ILB Nick Slezak 6-1/185 Jr.
CB Kyle Slott 5-9/160 Sr.*
CB Connor Douglas 5-10/160 Jr.
SS Ryan McKean 5-11/165 Sr.*
FS Trace Wanless 5-10/175 Jr.
* denotes returning starters