Scribner-Snyder hoping to be competitive this season

Team: Scribner-Snyder

Mascot: Trojans

Colors: Red and White

Class: D-2

Head Coach: Anthony Ruzicka (7th season) (19-31 career record)

2016 record: 1-7

Returning Starters: 3 offense 5 defense

Overview:

Scribner-Snyder returns 3 offensive and 5 defensive starters from last year's 1-7 team. Head Coach Anthony Ruzicka tells KTIC Sports who the starting quarterback and fullback will be. "Quarterback we're going to try Austin Peters (6'0, 160). He started at tight end for us last year. He's a Junior. Very football smart. Good athlete. Has improved his running form very much. And he'll do well there. And Sebastian Arnold (6'0, 190) will step in at fullback. Probably will do a very large portion of the ball carrying for us I would think. He's about 190 pounds. And runs well. He's a hard runner. Goes downhill, nothing fancy. And he likes to hit and likes contact."

Ruzicka adds the Trojans have some size. "Strengths as far as offense we're going to be very big across the front line. If we played tonight from end to end we would be 265, 300-315 somewhere in there, 300 at the center, 180 at the guard, and 195 at the other tight end."

Ruzicka says the linemen are big and athletic too, not just big. They include Harrison Riggle (6'5, 300 SR), Hunter Adams (5'10, 185 SR), and Victor Zamora (5'10, 310 SR).

Another running back that returns is Josh McMillen (5'10, 145 SR).

15 kids are out for the team this year, and Ruzicka says 9-10 kids will be relied upon to play most of the time.

There are 4 freshmen and a sophomore out for the team.

He adds his squad won't have a lot of speed.

Ruzicka expects his team to win at least a couple of games with a chance to win 4.

I think a couple of wins is a definite for this team, and I think the Trojans can make the playoffs.

Scribner-Snyder has a tough schedule, but I see the size of Scribner-Snyder being able to wear down some opponents.

The Trojans must tackle well in space, and not allow big plays given the fact they don't have a lot of speed.

You can bet teams will try and run to the outside against Scribner-Snyder as opposed to the interior of their defense.

I'd say the Trojans' best bet is to spread out some guys on defense and rely on their big defensive linemen to control things in the trenches.

It's important for the Trojans to avoid injuries and stay healthy given their lack of depth and how many kids are out for the team.

Season Outlook:

Scribner-Snyder gets their season started on Friday at Mead. Ruzicka says the Raiders will be short on numbers and young for the most part. "Looking at what they return...I know they're going to be a little shorter on numbers again. I mean they had a really good senior class last year. They graduated a boatload of production. But I know Quinn, very very good player, gave us a lot of fits on running some of the jet sweep type stuff. He's fast, he's got good vision, he's a good athlete, he's going to be tough. But they're going to have to rely on a lot of the younger kids I think, and yeah on paper it looks like it should be a good game, and I think we'll be competitive with them. And so hopefully it's one we can get back this year."

Mead shutout Scribner-Snyder 63-0 in Scribner last year.

I definitely think Friday's game, and most of the Trojans' other games this year for that matter, will be closer than they were last year.

Scribner-Snyder got off to a slow start last year, and was inconsistent to say the least you could say.

I think the Trojans got better as the year went on though, and so I think Scribner-Snyder should be ready and firing on all cylinders to start this season.

I would expect the Trojans to have a strong showing in all of their games this year.

Scribner-Snyder is in District D2-3 with Humphrey St. Francis, Osceola, Cedar Bluffs, and Fullerton.

You can bet no district game will be easy, but I fully expect the Trojans to compete and give all four of those teams everything they have.

I think everyone on the Trojans' schedule will get Scribner-Snyder's best shot.

The Trojans ought to be able to smack and rough up some of their opponents at the very least.

I think the playoffs are a very likely possibility for Scribner-Snyder. Losing Jadyn Smeal to GACC definitely hurts, but if Peters and Arnold can run behind that big offensive line, and take care of the ball, the Trojans should go on to have a good season.

Scribner-Snyder has to execute, not commit silly penalties, and not turn the ball over though. The Trojans also must force turnovers themselves.

Scribner-Snyder is no doubt relying heavily on their top guys to produce, but if all 15 guys can find a way to make some sort of contribution every game and throughout the season...then the Trojans should be a tough out.

2017 Scribner-Snyder Trojans Football Schedule:

08/25/17 @ Mead
08/31/17 @ Bloomfield
09/08/17 Emerson-Hubbard
09/15/17 Winside
09/22/17 @ Fullerton
09/29/17 @ Humphrey St. Francis
10/13/17 Osceola
10/20/17 Cedar Bluffs