If offense does its part, Elgin has a shot at playoffs
This could be an interesting season for Elgin football, particularly if the offense is more effective than a year ago.
The Maroons did most of their offensive damage last season behind all-area running back Jordan Dean (5-foot-11, 180 pounds), who returns for his senior season. The game-breaker rushed for 734 yards and 9 touchdowns despite near constant attention from defenses.
The opposition was able to key on Dean because the rest of the Elgin offense managed only 673 total yards and 2 touchdowns combined. The team finished 3-6.
Third-year coach Dave Bierman's team returns nine of 11 starters on a defense bound to improve. He believes the offense can improve enough for the Maroons to make a run at their first postseason appearance since 2001.
"The goal every year is to make the playoffs win the conference championship, but I think if this team doesn't make the playoffs, it will be a very disappointing year," Bierman said. "I think we've got a little more maturity this year. They'll be able to shrug a bad play off or a bad game off and respond."
The Elgin passing game can only get better. The Maroons threw for just 391 yards last season. Senior Jake Meyer was inserted as the starting quarterback for the last few games of the season and completed 19-of-63 passes for 191 yards and a score.
Meyer has had an off-season of work to find his comfort zone, and the addition of senior defensive backs Earl Holloway and Will Wood as wide receivers gives him two good athletes to target.
"I think a key for us is the to keep people honest with the ability to throw the ball," Bierman said. "We'll see how much, but that will be based more on what they're giving us than us going in saying 'this is what we're going to do.'"
Look for the Maroons to find ways to get the ball to senior Dan Muenzer (6-0, 192) and junior Dennis Moore (5-10, 175), among others. Muenzer played outside linebacker last season and will again this year, but his strength and speed also provide an offensive threat as a running back.
Moore could see time as a back and a receiver. He demonstrated his quickness last year as a sophomore guard for the varsity basketball team.
The offensive line will be anchored by returning senior left tackle Toby Schimel (6-2, 217) and junior right tackle Travon Hall (6-0, 210), who started as a sophomore. Senior Adrian Martinez (5-11, 210) will also see time on the offensive line in addition to his role as an inside linebacker, the position he started at last season.
Joining Martinez and Muenzer as a returning linebacker is senior DJ Riggio (6-1, 185), who could become a down lineman depending on the situation. Returning linemen include Hall and nose tackle Tyler Lake (5-11, 160), a wrestler with good quickness.
The defensive front and linebackers must make more tackles this season. Elgin was led in tackles last season by two members of its secondary: Wood at cornerback (89 solo, 6 assists) and Holloway at safety (39-8).
"Holloway had a great year last year at safety and Will Wood does a great job at the corner," Bierman said. "There were games where some teams didn't throw to his side. That's a lot of respect. That shows his ability.
"We're expecting great things defensively. We're really not doing a whole lot different. It's amazing, with nine of them back we don't spend as much time on certain things because they already know it."