Depth at QB buoys Palatine
If this was the NFL, teams would likely be approaching Palatine about its quarterback situation.
Instead, high school defenses will have to approach a bit cautiously as the Pirates will have three legitimate quarterbacks in seniors Cody Bobbit and Jim Smearman and sophomore John Serio starting on offense. And junior starting safety Kurt Becker was last year's sophomore team starting quarterback.
"We're happy about the depth at that position," said Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly. "All four could probably legitimately start at most schools."
They will all start for Palatine as it tries to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Bobbit (1,371 yards passing, 12 TDs, 4 INTs; 359 yards rushing, 8 TDs) will be the main guy at quarterback but will also move around to run and catch the ball and play safety when he's 100 percent recovered from a summer groin injury.
Smearman (350 yards rushing, 8 TDs), the middle linebacker-tailback, did a solid job at quarterback last year (477 yards passing, 6 TDs, 3 INTs) when Bobbit was out with a shoulder injury. Serio, who will miss two to three weeks with an injured shoulder, will play fullback this year and is part of a talented sophomore class.
There are also solid targets in Dan Haze (22 catches, 378 yards, 4 TDs), Nick McHugh (27 for 213, 3 TDs), Egan Malley and sophomores Jesse Bobbit, who started at safety last year and had 4 interceptions, and Taylor Hall. A dislocated elbow will probably keep McHugh out the first three weeks.
"We have a lot of talented skill kids with experience," Donnelly said, "and the most important one being the quarterback (Bobbit)."
Tackles Joe Landeck and Tyler Farris have 10 games apiece of varsity experience.
"We're a lot more athletic up front and they can run," Donnelly said.
The same is true on defense with Prentiss Brooks at the nose, Julian Turner at an end and Joe Froelich back at tackle. Sophomore Lucas Rago will be at a linebacker with Smearman and the Bobbits will be big parts of the secondary with Becker.
"I'm pretty happy so far with everything," Donnelly said. "We're much taller and more athletic than we've been since I've been here."
And now it's getting to the point it was in the late 1980s and for most of the 1990s when all anyone with the Palatine football program knew was winning and making annual postseason trips.
"We've challenged them that it's not going to come easy and you have to fight for it," Donnelly said. "You can't rest on what the teams before you did."
Pirates at a glance
Coach: Tyler Donnelly (27-22, sixth year)
Last year: 7-3, 3-2 (3rd West, 8A first round)
Probable starters
OFFENSE
Pos. Name Ht/Wt Yr.
QB Cody Bobbit 5-11/173 Sr.
FB Jim Smearman 6-0/182 Sr.
TB Terry Halloran 5-6/154 Sr.
or Will Stein 6-0/183 Sr.
LT Joe Landeck 6-5/257 Sr.
LG Layne Kirch 5-8/237 Jr.
C Josh Baldus 6-5/227 So.
RG Nate Gerdes 6-0/249 Jr.
RT Tyler Farris 6-3/302 Sr.
WR Dan Haze 6-2/188 Sr.
WR Taylor Hall 6-1/153 So.
WR Jesse Bobbit 6-2/166 So.
DEFENSE
Pos. Name Ht/Wt Yr.
DE Egan Malley 5-11/178 Sr.
NT Prentiss Brooks 6-1/229 Jr.
DT Joe Froelich 6-0/215 Sr.
DE Julian Turner 6-3/190 Jr.
OLB Lucas Rago 6-2/168 So.
MLB Jim Smearman 6-0/182 Sr.
OLB Rory Fritz 5-9/184 Sr.
CB Dan Riddle 6-1/165 So.
CB Trevor Walzak 5-7/150 Sr.
or Jake Demars 5-7/157 Jr.
S Kurt Becker 6-0/172 Jr.
S Jesse Bobbit 6-2/166 So.