IHSA football preview: Deep and solid, Marquette seeking 12th straight playoff berth

The beauty of the wing-T offense is that it can be adapted to whatever personnel you have on hand, whatever strengths and experience level those players might have, whatever weaknesses you’d like to try to cover up.

That’s why Tom Jobst runs it at Marquette and why the Crusaders have been to the playoffs for the last 11 seasons.

It works.

The Cru are shooting for an even dozen straight postseasons, and while they’ve lost some considerable talent from last year’s 7-3 club that went 6-1 for second behind powerhouse Seneca in the Chicagoland Prairie Conference, there’s enough quality back – and coming up – to make it a real possibility.

“Any personnel we have is a good fit for the wing-T, which is more a system than an offense,” said Jobst, who has posted a 107-39 mark in 14 seasons at the MA helm. “That’s why we run it, because you can adapt to various strengths and weaknesses. It may look like we’re doing the same thing every year, but we’re not.

“I like what I’ve seen from this group. This group is pretty intelligent, they pick things up quickly, and they all get along well together – you have to have that – and they’re hard workers. … Unlike some years, we have options. We have some depth, with some good young kids coming up.

“I’m really optimistic.”

Graduated are four Times All-Area first teamers – Pete McGrath, Charlie Mullen, Jacob Smith and Stefen Swords. But the good news is there are four all-area second team choices returning – seniors Peyton Gutierrez and Sam Mitre and juniors Anthony Couch and Marcus Baker.

Couch returns under center after going 31 of 61 passing for 508 yards, five TDs and two interceptions as a sophomore. That year of experience should make him a more reliable, confident thrower.

Leading the rushers is Gutierrez (90 rushes, 652 yards, six TDs), last year’s No. 2 rusher behind Smith, who will now figure more prominently in the passing game. He will be joined by junior Grant Dose (46-336-5), who could see time at fullback or halfback. When he’s at the former, it will likely be senior Rush Keefer or junior Jaxsen Higgins at half. When it’s the latter, Baker will step in at fullback.

The offensive line will be anchored by three-year starter Mitre. Classmates Jaxon Rix and Tommy Walsh, both noticeably larger for their work in the weight room, will man the tackles. Battling for left guard are senior Sean Kath and junior Austin Ferracuti. Sophomore Alex Schaefer will handle snaps at center, while classmates Caden Shreve and Jerrick Maher seem certain to find time in either the offensive or defensive lines.

The tight ends will be senior Keaton Davis and improving junior Matt Graham. Top candidates at split end are 6-4 sophomore Lucas Craig and 6-5, 235-pound freshman Blayden Cassel.

“I don’t know that anything is really settled on positions, especially in the line,” Jobst said. “In fact, we have a number of guys who could step up. … I think we’ll have a solid running game this year, and with Anthony being a year older, our passing game should perk up a little more too as he becomes more confident. We’re learning more about what we think he can do well.”

The depth continues on the defensive side, giving Jobst the chance play fewer players both ways, or at least rotate others in for them for a series or two. Shreve, Maher, Rix, and Baker will handle the trench work, along with Ferracuti and senior Adrian Schaefer when they’re not needed at linebacker. Mitre, Walsh and freshman Cassel will also see time inside.

The linebackers should be a foursome from Davis, Dose, Ferracuti, Schafer, Couch, senior Sean Kath and sophomore Lucas Craig. Projected starters in the defensive backfield are Gutierrez, Higgins and Keefer. Seniors Nolan DeMink and Tommy Stafford and junior Billy Galyen will fill in wherever they can.

“We stress being aggressive a lot, tackling and doing your job on both sides of the ball,” Jobst said. “Speed-wise, I think we’re quicker than we have been in a while. We’re not small, but we’re not as big as we have been in other years, so we should come off the ball a little quicker and do that aggressively, in blocking, tackling and running. We’ll have a little more spit.”

They’ll need spit, as the schedule will be just as tough as a year ago, this time with two games slated against both Seneca and Dwight. They’ll see Aurora Christian, a 42-0 winner over the Cru last fall, in Week 1 again, this time in Ottawa.

“That’s two tough teams we play twice, large 2A/small 3A teams, so this schedule is no picnic ... but that’s the hand we’ve been dealt,” Jobst said. “They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so I guess we’ll find out. Until then, we’ll just take it as it comes, see where we’re at and try to get better each week.”