The 2020 edition of the Guerin Catholic football team will be a decidedly young one.
There are only 11 seniors on the Golden Eagles’ roster this year, while the majority of the players are juniors and sophomores. But those young players are bringing the enthusiasm, as Guerin Catholic coach Tom Dilley is happy with the team’s effort and attitude.
“I think that practices have been going well, and all of our players and coaches are thrilled to be back to football,” said Dilley. “The attitude of our team has been outstanding. I am proud of the effort that our players have been giving on a daily basis. Execution is improving every day.”
The Golden Eagles finished last season 6-5 with an experienced and talented group of seniors leading the way. There will be some familiar players on the field at the Eagles Nest tonight when GC welcomes McCutcheon for its season-opener, however.
Senior linebacker Jagger Albert will be a key returner on defense; he had 98 tackles for Guerin last season, including 5.5 for a loss. Two more seniors, defensive back Danny Rhoad and defensive lineman Nathan Fancher, also return with some varsity experience.
On offense, senior tight end Max McGreal is the top returning receiver; he totaled 10 catches last year, including two for a touchdown. Two more seniors, halfback Elijah Edwards and fullback Brayden Hall, will add varsity experience. Two juniors are among the quarterbacks listed, Sam Miller and Luke Scariano.
“I think the strength of our team will be our younger players stepping into prominent and different roles on our team,” said Dilley. “Each day has been a great learning experience, and our players have been eager to improve and learn each day.
“While we must replace a large number of starters from last year’s team, our players are hungry to take advantage of their opportunities. Our defensive front seven returns some critical experience, and our secondary is solid in spite of replacing three positions from last year. Offensively, we return some experience at receiver and starters at tight end and fullback. Our offensive line, quarterback, and tailback will be all new starters this year.”
The Golden Eagles have a change for their Week 2 game: They will play at Decatur Central. After that, Guerin Catholic returns home for two weeks to take on Heritage Christian and Circle City Conference opponent Brebeuf Jesuit. As of right now, the Golden Eagles have Week 8 open after their original opponent, Brother Rice (Mich.) had to cancel due to changes in the Michigan high school sports season.