Team: Oakland-Craig
Mascot: Knights
Colors: Orange and White
Class: C-2
Head Coach: Joe Anderson (7th season) (47-17 record)
2015 record: 11-2 (lost to David City Aquinas in C-2 State Championship Game)
Returning Starters: 5 offense 7 defense
Overview:
The Oakland-Craig Knights are hoping and expecting to be really good again after making it to Memorial Stadium a year ago.
Head Coach Joe Anderson returns 5 offensive starters and 7 defensive starters from last year's squad.
Back on offense is All-State running back Hoss Smith, wide receiver Garrett Seagren, OL Josh Dixon, TE Zach Arens, running back Ben Ward, and OL Marcos Quintero.
All six return on defense as well as does Isaiah Larson.
The QB battle is between Junior Evan Reinert, and sophomores Robby Mayberry and Jared Mulder. All three are expected to play regardless though.
Other players who expect to see playing time for Oakland-Craig this season include Ben Smith, Cole Bures, Tyson Harney, Wyatt Uhing, Jefferson McNeill, John Werner, Zakk Lierman, and Kobe Benne.
The Knights lost three all-state players from a year ago in Cole Mitchell QB/S, Cody Mace WR/C, and Conner Thiele LB/OL.
Replacing them won't be easy, but I fully expect other players to step in and fill the void.
Oakland-Craig had to break in new starters last year too, and went on to have a very fine season. This year should be no different.
Anderson says last year's underclassmen learned a lot from last year's run, but duplicating last year's success is going to be difficult. "Our younger kids really enjoyed the experience from last year. They got to see what playoff football is all about. They definitely are hungry to try to do that again, but we not it will not be easy. The kids also had a great off-season and really made good strides in the weightroom."
There's no doubt player development is critical to the long term success of any program, and the Knights have done a good job of developing players over the years.
Anderson says this year's team will be relatively young, but expectations don't change. "We always have pretty high expectations here at Oakland-Craig as there has always been a pretty good football tradition. We are going to be relying on a lot more younger kids this year, so how fast they develop will tell a lot."
It's awesome to hear Oakland-Craig had a great offseason and did work in the weightroom.
I don't think there's any doubt this team is ready to go and prepared to have another fine season.
It may take a half or a game or two for everyone to adapt to their new roles, but once the Knights get things figured out I expect them to roll the rest of the season.
With David City Aquinas back in C-1, I think Oakland-Craig has a legitimate shot to win the Class C-2 state title this year.
The schedule isn't easy, but the Knights found a way to win the big games last year, and if they can do that again this year, don't be surprised to see Oakland-Craig in the thick of things once again this season.
2016 has the potential to be successful and magical for the Knights, just like 2015 was, so we will see how they fare.
Season Outlook:
The Oakland-Craig Knights expect to be really good again in 2016, just like they were in 2015.
Anderson says goals include getting better as the season progresses and competing for a championship. "Our goal is to make sure we improve each week, so we are playing our best football at the end of the season. Our non-district games are really challenging so we will see what we are made of right away. Our goal is to keep improving so we give ourselves a chance when we get to the district games, and hopefully compete for a district title."
Oakland-Craig's district includes Fremont Bergan, BRLD, Wisner-Pilger, and Tekamah-Herman.
No game is a gimme, and you can bet the Knights will get every team's best shot.
Oakland-Craig begins the season at Malcolm, and then returns home for a difficult matchup with Battle Creek. You can bet the Braves will have payback on their minds after last year's state semifinal game.
The Knights are at Crofton the following week before returning home to play Ponca the next week.
Oakland-Craig begins district play at BRLD and Wisner-Pilger before hosting Logan View.
A trip to Tekamah is in the cards the second to last week of the regular season before OC hosts Fremont Bergan to end the regular season.
I think the Bergan game could decide who wins District C2-3.
Anderson feels the strength of this team is defense, but the offense has potential too. "Must find a replacement at QB. Competition between Reinert, Mayberry and Mulder. None of them have any varstiy experience, but are improving throughout camp. I feel our defense is something we can hang our hat on, especially early in the year as our offense tries to gel. We return 7 starters there. Offensively we have some weapons. Smith is a bruiser at FB, and Seagren and Ahrens give us some good weapons on the edge to throw to."
I think it may take some time for the Knights to get things figured out offensively, but once the offense gets going, I look for this team to take off.
Oakland-Craig will really be tested by Battle Creek, in my opinion.
The Knights are going to have to play exceptionally well to beat the Braves.
Oakland-Craig needs to play well at Malcolm the first week of the regular season. The Knights can't afford to not play well in that game.
I think Oakland-Craig is a team that will get better as the season goes along, and will hit its stride sometime in the middle to later part of the regular season.
2016 Oakland-Craig Knights Football Schedule:
08/26/16 @ Malcolm
09/02/16 Battle Creek
09/09/16 @ Crofton
09/16/16 Ponca
09/23/16 @ BRLD
09/30/16 @ Wisner-Pilger
10/07/16 Logan View
10/14/16 @ Tekamah-Herman
10/21/16 Archbishop Bergan
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