Marquette doesn’t have to pass, but this year’s Crusaders are pretty good at it when they do

Marquette's Alex Graham delivers a pass during the 7-on-7 meet on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at Princeton High School.

When thinking about the Marquette Academy offensive attack, likely the first few things to come to mind are, in this order: big, beefy linemen pushing opposing defenders up the field; a stable of running backs firing off in all directions; and veteran head coach Tom Jobst’s repeatedly calling for run plays out of his tried-and-true wing-T.

Further down the list comes the Marquette passing game.

Fans and especially opponents may want to rethink those rankings, however, as the start of the 2022 season inches closer.

Led by senior quarterback Alex Graham, the Crusaders emerged into a somewhat more balanced attack in 2021, and all early indications are there will be more of an aerial assault this fall for the perennial Class 1A powerhouse. The Crusaders will tackle an independent schedule that includes Aurora Christian in Week 1, Wethersfield/Annawan in Week 4, Chicago Hope Academy in Week 5 and Heart of Illinois Conference teams in Weeks 3 (Deer Creek-Mackinaw), 6 (LeRoy) and 9 (Fisher).

“Nobody really noticed it,” Jobst said last week during the Crusaders’ visit to Streator last week for a friendly 7-on-7, “but we threw a lot last year. We threw for over 1,200 yards, threw about 15 times a game. Of course the nice thing about that is, [with our running game] we can do it when we want to.

“If we get a good running game going, I think we’ll be in good shape.”

It’s a scary prospect.

Indeed, Graham threw for 1,290 yards and 17 touchdowns last fall on 61-of-112 passing during Marquette’s 9-2 season. Thus far this spring, he looks even more in step with a receiving corps that features the likes of tight end Charlie Mullen, speedster Caden Eller and dual-threat running backs Tom Durdan and Jurnee Reed.

After an impressive showing at the joint practice down Route 23 in Streator, Graham and the Crusaders closed out last week with a 5-0 record at the 16-team Princeton 7-on-7/Linemen Challenge.

“I think we showed today that we can do [the passing] stuff too; we’re not just a running team,” Graham said after the visit to Streator. “It’s good to get out here. I feel like we’re getting better doing this stuff, getting ready for the season.

“Maybe we can do some passing this season, more than usual.”

Graham admits he mentions the prospect to his run-minded head coach “all the time.” Jobst, for his part, increasingly has come to trust his quarterback to do more than hand off the football.

“He doesn’t make mistakes,” Jobst said of Graham. “He’s very calm back there and does a nice job.”

Don’t go expecting the Crusaders to go five-wide anytime soon, though.

The threat of Marquette’s powerful rushing game is another big reason why the Marquette passing game found so much success. Also, dual-threat running backs Durdan and Reed return behind an offensive line with three returning starters after a season in which they teamed up to rush for 2,050 yards in addition to their combined 623 yards receiving.

That nearly unstoppable running game isn’t going anywhere anytime soon ... but neither is the big-play potential the Marquette passing game has been showing off this summer.

Be warned.