Prep Football Preview: New Facilities and New Faces At Priory

No matter who they have or don't have, members of the football team come into 2011 with the bar elevated higher than most. There's certainly pressure to succeed but it's something the Rebels have been able to handle.

Priory is coming off an 8-3 season (3-2 in the ABC League) that saw an end with an opening round playoff loss against Cardinal Ritter (18-10). In 2009, the Rebels were state semifinalists. Winning seems to be addictive these days.

But the Rebels lost 23 seniors and return only eight this fall, so the challenge is a little more daunting.

"It's probably been since the early 1990's that we've had this few seniors," said Priory coach Marty Combs, beginning his ninth season. "It goes in cycles. You get a class where they're not all football players. They play other sports.

"Making the playoffs is the ultimate goal, so getting better each day is what we're trying to do. All of these young guys are going to get a lot of playing time, so those juniors seven games in should be seniors. That's the way I look at it. We're hoping some sophomores step up to make it a group effort."

Offense

It will be a challenge for the Rebels, who lost a plethora of talent a year ago, including running back/linebacker Colin Bruns, who rushed for 1,441 yards and 16 touchdowns. Bruns totaled 1,565 yards altogether offensively last season.

"That's going to be a team effort," Combs said about replacing Bruns' production. "(Junior) Thomas Raybuck right now is our starting running back. He's going to have to carry a load."

Also, quarterback/defensive back David Taiclet graduated after completing 108 of 202 passes for 1,347 yards with 16 TDs and only three interceptions. Also gone is leading receiver Nick Thompson, who only caught 14 balls for 246 yards, but he made the catches count. Seven of them resulted in touchdowns.

Top returnees include 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior wide receiver/free safety Seve Esparrago, who caught 23 passes for 267 yards and three TDs offensively. Junior David Nogalski (6-2, 150) will take over under center, but will also split time with newcomer Daniel Watson. Nogalski only attempted one pass last season and had one carry for 17 yards.

"Right now, Nogalski's got (the starting spot)," Combs said. "Whether we go two quarterbacks, one quarterback...you always look at it like everyone's one play away from being a starter. Depth is good, versatility is good.

"We're going to spread the ball out. We're kind of reverting back to what we did a couple years ago when we'd run the gun, spread people out. You've got to be able to run to pass and pass to run. One kid's not going to have great numbers. Hopefully we have a lot of guys with good numbers."

Defense

The Rebels must reload after losing leading tackler Colin Linkul to graduation. Linkul is now a freshman at West Point, N.Y. playing for the Army Black Knights.

Esparrago returns with the top numbers a year ago for the Rebels, recording 67 total tackles (46 solo) and two interceptions as an all-state free safety.

"He's kind of our all-everything guy," Combs said of Esparrago, who is expected to anchor an experienced secondary. "We put him at the H-back, put him in the backfield, receiver, safety...he's a football player. He's got a big heart, a high motor guy."

The Rebels will get a boost with the return of senior defensive lineman Andrew Wright (6-2, 180), who was a sophomore starter but missed his junior season with a torn ACL.

Coach

Combs is 51-39 with one league title and the state runner-up finish in 2009. He was an assistant the previous 13 seasons and comes in with the expectation that this season will be like the previous four, where the Rebels went 32-15.

"We want the opportunity to play after the 10th game," Combs said. "Everything's geared towards that. It's however the chips fall."

Priory, which opens its season on Aug. 26 at Windsor, will look to compete in the conference with the likes of MICDS and John Burroughs. Burroughs' new coach is former St. Louis Rams QB Gus Frerotte, who took over for current Rebels assistant Todd Small.

The team's "home opener" will be held at CBC September 9 while construction on school's athletic sports complex wraps up. It will be dedicated Sept. 17 when the Rebels host Lutheran North.

"We're so blessed with the facilities that we've got," Combs said. "It's good to recognize the people that are behind the scenes. It'll be a good day for Priory."

Week One: At Windsor