Tuesday, August 21, 2018
For St. Vincent football, the 2018 season is looking the same, but different.
The same in that the Indians graduated just four seniors from a year ago and return a big chunk of their starting lineup, but different in that the man at the helm has changed.
Nathan Rowland stepped down after four years as head coach, and Tim Schumer has moved into the role. Schumer is a 2012 St. Vincent graduate who played quarterback for three seasons for the Indians. He has spent the last four seasons on Rowland's staff.
His approach will also be the same, but different. Schumer plans on maintaining a lot of continuity with schemes and has kept some of the staff intact.
"I would say it's one of the most important thing going for us," Schumer said of the familiarity. "We do have such a good relationship with the players returning. ... Just having the players and knowing what they're capable of and having a good relationship with them, we can keep this going forward."
But he may shift some concepts a bit, stating his goal is to try to run the ball a little more often than the team has in recent years.
There's the matter of on-field success, which the Indians hope will be different. After a successful season in 2016, major graduation losses sent St. Vincent sliding to 2-8 last year. The Indians believe that some of the lumps they took a year ago will begin to pay off this fall.
"I think the strengths (of the team) are they have a lot of playing experience because last year we were so young with only having four seniors," Schumer said. "We were given the opportunity to get some freshmen and sophomores some playing time. I think that will play to our strengths (this year)."
That is what the program hopes will help it begin building toward bigger and better things.
"I would say the main goal is just to improve on last year's record," Schumer said. "They put a lot of work in the offseason to try to be better than before. ... Build to success in years coming."
Offense
St. Vincent should have upside at the quarterback position, where junior Garrett Dobbelare now has a year of varsity football under his belt. He should also hit the ground running after missing the first three weeks of last year due to a bout with mononucleosis.
The Indians have always included a good amount of passing in their offensive game plan, so Dobbelare's time in the program should help.
"I would definitely say Garrett has put a lot of work in the weight room, and also taken more of a leadership role ... being a voice in the huddle," Schumer said.
When Dobbelare throws, he'll have an experienced target in returning starter Tyler Wibbenmeyer, a senior who will have to pick up some of the slack left by the graduation of near-1,000 yard receiver Austin Dauster. Wibbenmeyer is joined at wideout by senior Jonathan Hotop and sophomore duo Jesse Robinson and Owen Light.
Schumer is preaching physicality as a key to improvement, and on offense that manifests itself in having an effective ground game. Expect some rotation at the running back position, especially early in the season, with sophomore Blake Schnurbusch gaining experience last year and senior Will Schabbing and junior Nick Lappe in the mix.
"With that physicality, (we want to) try to run the ball more than we have in the past, and hopefully that opens things up down the field when we pass," Schumer said. "... I want to make more of an effort to establish the run."
Up front, center Caleb Kurtz and tackle Nick DeRousse lead the line as they enter their third year as starters. Junior Dane Thurau and sophomore Shawn Koishor are expected to take big roles.
Defense
The key to improvement for the Indians will likely come on defense, where they allowed 38.9 points per game a year ago.
"Team speed, getting out there and not thinking as much," Schumer said of the keys. "Getting out there and rallying to the ball when you can get the runner down."
DeRousse, Kurtz and Thurau are expected to hold down the inside of the defensive line along with junior Jacob Strattman. At defensive end, look for Koishor, Charlie Sauer and Luke Brickhaus to rush the passer in a four down-lineman setup.
The stopping unit will miss the 134 tackles Dauster provided as a hybrid safety/linebacker, and Wibbenmeyer will try to fill in the void in that hybrid role. Other linebackers will include Luke Unterreiner and Lappe on the inside and Light on the outside.
In the secondary, junior Kale Whistler has impressed the coaching staff and Robinson will play a role.
Wibbenmeyer returns at punter while Schumer likes the work he's seen from sophomore Brendon Moonier, who is taking over at kicker.
Class 1 District 1
I-55 Conference
Head Coach
Tim Schumer, 1st year
Assistant coaches
Taylor Sauer
Joe Whistler
Garrett Leible
Kirk Hadler
Derek Triller
2018 St. Vincent roster
No. | Name | Year | Wt. | Pos. |
2 | Alex Buerck | 10 | 145 | WR/LB |
3 | Carter Schemel | 12 | 155 | WR/DB |
4 | Garrett Dobbelare | 11 | 170 | QB/DB |
5 | John Wibbenmeyer | 10 | 155 | QB/DB |
6 | Nathan Dauster | 11 | 120 | WR/DB |
8 | Luke Unterreiner | 11 | 180 | RB/LB |
10 | Tyler Roth | 12 | 150 | WR/DB |
11 | Jacob Kapp | 9 | 160 | QB/DB |
13 | Sean Harold | 11 | 150 | WR/DB |
15 | Tyler Wibbenmeyer | 12 | 180 | WR/DB |
17 | Jett Reitzel | 9 | 145 | WR/DB |
19 | Will Schabbing | 12 | 160 | WR/LB |
20 | Lucas Schilling | 9 | 130 | RB/LB |
21 | Nick Lappe | 11 | 165 | RB/LB |
22 | Carson Leible | 9 | 120 | RB/DB |
26 | Travis Wheeler | 9 | 120 | WR/DB |
28 | Dylan Grim | 12 | 170 | WR/LB |
29 | Dalton Schamburg | 10 | 140 | WR/LB |
30 | Evan Dewilde | 9 | 160 | RB/LB |
32 | Blake Schnurbusch | 10 | 140 | RB/DB |
36 | Christian Layton | 9 | 165 | WR/LB |
39 | Jesse Robinson | 10 | 150 | RB/DB |
48 | Owen Light | 10 | 180 | WR/LB |
51 | Luke Brickhaus | 10 | 175 | OL/DL |
53 | Evan Hayden | 12 | 235 | OL/DL |
54 | Tyler Callier | 12 | 170 | OL/DL |
55 | Nick DeRousse | 12 | 240 | OL/DL |
56 | Nathan Callier | 10 | 220 | OL/DL |
57 | Owen Versheldon | 11 | 220 | OL/DL |
58 | Charles Sauer | 11 | 175 | OL/DL |
60 | Caleb Kertz | 12 | 210 | OL/DL |
63 | Colton Davis | 9 | 190 | OL/DL |
64 | Matthew Myers | 9 | 205 | OL/DL |
67 | Mitchell Hurst | 12 | 240 | OL/DL |
70 | Dane Thurau | 11 | 240 | OL/DL |
71 | Ben Guyot | 11 | 170 | OL/DL |
78 | Shawn Koishor | 10 | 200 | OL/DL |
79 | Jacob Strattman | 11 | 190 | OL/DL |
83 | Isaac Ernst | 12 | 180 | WR/DL |
85 | Jonathan Hotop | 12 | 150 | WR/DB |
86 | Kaleb Whistler | 11 | 150 | WR/DB |
88 | Brendon Moonier | 10 | 140 | WR/DB |
2018 schedule
8.24 | at Valle Catholic | 7 p.m. |
8.31 | SCOTT CITY | 7 p.m. |
9.7 | at Kelly | 7 p.m. |
9.14 | HERCULANEUM | 7 p.m. |
9.21 | at Perryville | 7 p.m. |
9.28 | CRYSTAL CITY | 7 p.m. |
10.5 | at St. Pius X | 7 p.m. |
10.12 | GRANDVIEW | 7:30 p.m. |
10.19 | at Jefferson | 7 p.m. |
2017 at a glance
Record: 2-8
Playoff result: Lost to Chaffee 39-27 in district quarterfinal
Points for: 22.3 ppg
Points against: 38.9 ppg
Key returners
OFFENSE
Passing: n/a
Rushing: n/a
Receiving: n/a
DEFENSE
Tackles: n/a
Sacks: n/a
Interceptions: n/a