Football: 5 storylines to watch in the Daily Chronicle area in 2024

Practices kicked off in all sports on Monday, with football no exception.

So as teams get ready for Week 1 of the 2024 season starting Aug. 30, here are five key storylines for each Daily Chronicle area football program.

[ Photos: DeKalb football holds first regular season practice ]

Who gets back to the playoffs?

In 2022, DeKalb, Sycamore, Genoa-Kingston, Kaneland and Hiawatha all made the postseason, with the Spartans reaching the 5A semifinals and the Cogs and Knights reaching the second round.

Last season, the Barbs and Cogs missed the postseason and no one got past the second round.

But on average the five schools bring back many key pieces, and there were no coaching changes in the offseason to keep up continuity. It’ll be interesting to see if all five schools can make the playoffs again in the same year.

[ Photos: Sycamore football begins regular season practices ]

What does a reloaded Kaneland squad look like?

While DeKalb and Sycamore bring back a lot of pieces to the puzzle from last year, the Knights lost a lot to graduation, including four-year starting quarterback and multiple school record holder Troyer Carlson. Aric Johnson and Dom DeBlasio were dynamic receiving threats who also graduated.

And as if just having a handful of starters back wasn’t hard enough, the Knights have a ridiculously tough schedule - if last year’s records are any indication. They open the year against Washington (11-2 last year) and Wauconda (8-3) then end the season against Belleville Althoff (10-2). The other nonconference game is Week 3 against former conference rival DeKalb, which is expected to have improved a lot from last year.

The Knights, of course, have a track record of winning games and making the playoffs year in and year out. Kaneland last missed a postseason in 2016 and have only missed three postseasons this century.

How does DeKalb fare in a new conference?

The Southwest Suburban and DuPage Valley merged in football, forming three divisions as a way to help fill out schedules.

A mixture of enrollment numbers and a success formula was used to create the divisions and the Barbs ended up in the Southwest Valley Green with former DVC foe Waubonsie Valley along with Bradley-Bourbonnais, Lincoln-Way Central and Stagg.

The Barbs made two of the four postseasons as members of the DVC after six straight playoff berths out of the Northern Illinois Big 12 before it dissolved.

The Barbs will play three schools with smaller enrollments than them, the first time that’s happened since 2018 as a member of the NIB 12, when their schedule featured seven schools with smaller enrollments. The only school they’ve played with a smaller enrollment since joining the DVC is their annual rivalry game against Sycamore.

How does a whole conference respond to a wild Week 9?

Even without knowing how the Interstate 8 will shake out this year, we do that Week 9 will be more than unique.

Five of the six teams are playing schools at least 216 miles apart. Ottawa will host Peru St. Bede, just 23 miles away. But every other I8 school will play teams ridiculously far away.

Sycamore at least gets a home game, as Cahokia will make the 287-mile trek to battle the Spartans. Coincidentally according to Google Maps, Kaneland will also play a school 287 miles from its campus, making the trip to Althoff Catholic.

The Interstate 8 and Kishwaukee River Conference were in a cooperative football-only arrangement that ended this season, leaving just six schools in the I8 and a new scheduling challenge for all six.

The longest trip belongs to Rochelle, who will travel 291 miles to Missouri to battle Windsor. Morris also heads out of state, heading to Byron Center, Michigan.

How will a pair of high-profile recruits fair this year?

There’s no shortage of NCAA Division I talent in DeKalb County this year. Sycamore receiver Carter York has an offer from Illinois and expects more on the way. His teammate, Spartans kicker Thatcher Friedrichs, has an offer from Western Illinois under his belt.

But there’s also Daily Chronicle 2023 Football Player of the Year Burke Gautcher of Sycamore and 2023-24 Boys Athlete of the Year Davon Grant of DeKalb.

Gautcher locked up his commitment to Iowa and is heading into his senior year. It’ll be his third varsity season and second at quarterback. He’s played defensive back all three years.

Grant, a junior, has at least seven DI offers and last month took an unofficial visit to Michigan State. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and NIU are among his offers. He splashed onto the scene with a touchdown in his first varsity game against Sycamore last year, a Sycamore win.

The two face in Week 1 again this year, and both are the frontrunners to be football player of the year.