Photo By Tim Wetherbee - $23 Seth Knothe
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Bishop Kelly
2. Middleton
3. Emmett
4. Vallivue
5. Nampa
6. Columbia
7. Ridgevue
8. Caldwell
Written by: Adam Bridges
After a devastating loss to Century last year in the 4A quarterfinals, the Bishop Kelly Knights are back stronger than ever and seeking revenge in 2021.
Nobody wants to end their season off with a loss in the playoffs, but Bishop Kelly still has a lot to be proud of from last season including a record of 7-2 and the sixth seed in the playoffs.
Like every year, teams lose key players and are left with a voids to fill. For Bishop Kelly, quarterback/defensive back/punter/return specialist Keegan Croteau, center Jack Schalfer, and defensive tackle/defensive end Manu Lete are the players that will definitely be missed this upcoming season.
Luckily, there are still key players returning this year for Bishop Kelly, including tailback Seth Knothe, offensive tackle Marcus McFadden, defensive end/tight end Rowan Hynes, and wide receiver/defensive backs Jack Heffner and Jason Buss.
The biggest strength that the Knights have offensively is their depth. Their offensive depth will be very valuable near the middle and the end of the season when injuries become more likely and frequent.
“We will have 60+ juniors and senior out for football (this year),” said Bishop Kelly Head Coach Tim Brennan.
The biggest thing to look out for this season is the Knights quarterback play. As of now, there is a position battle between senior Colin Dempsey and junior Hadley Smith, as both players look to outplay the other and win the starting quarterback spot. No matter who wins though, both players will likely see playing time as Brennan stated that both quarterbacks will have a role in the offense this upcoming season.
Just like the offense, the biggest strength for this Knights defense is their depth. Their defensive depth will allow them to give their star players more rest. This also allows them to bring in different players with unique skill sets giving Bishop Kelly various defensive looks. Like most defensive units, Bishop Kelly wants to force more turnovers this year and give their offense more opportunities to score.
Bishop Kelly’s biggest key for success lies in their ability to play for one another. The biggest threat to a talented team like Bishop Kelly is their star players thinking that they are better than everyone else on the team and becoming selfish. If the Knights can play for each other and not for their own individual success, then this team will go very far this year.
“We need to come together as a team. Players need to understand that it’s not about them as an individual, but about us as a team,” said Brennan.