2025 Outlook

Head Coach: Greg Youngblood

Career Record: 0-0

Conference: Chicagoland Christian

Last Playoff: Class 2A Quarterfinalist, 2021

Best Playoff: Class 3A State Champs, 2015

2024 Record: 4-5

This fall will feature plenty of new around Bishop McNamara’s football program. The original Rich Zinanni Stadium was torn down after 65 years and replaced with a physical representation of the new era of the program’s storied history. Since Zinanni, a five-time state champion coach, retired after the 2021 season, the Fightin’ Irish have suffered a three-year playoff skid, the longest in school history. Last year’s defensive coordinator, former Olivet Nazarene University assistant Greg Youngblood, was named the 17th coach in program history and fourth head coach since Zinanni’s retirement.

Youngblood, his staff and his team are eagerly excited about the program’s rejuvenation. But excitement alone won’t win football games, and they’ll have to take things one day at a time.

“I’m very excited with what the guys have shown and the potential,” Youngblood said. “There are a lot of new things - new coaching staff, new schemes, new stadium. There’s a lot of excitement and that’s great, but the important thing I told them is to focus on what they can control, which is going 1-0 and winning the day. Win today, win tomorrow. We have a lot of stuff that’s exciting and fun, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We’ve gotta focus on the task at hand.”

While they do have a new coach and clean slate, the familiarity Youngblood and his players have with one another from last season helped them start the summer a step or two ahead of most programs undergoing a coaching change. While there’s still plenty to learn, that baseline understanding of Youngblood’s expectations have been met and then some when it comes to the work the players have put in.

“I think our guys have done a good job in the weightroom,” Youngblood said. “There’s a core group of them that have gotten a lot stronger, so I think that’s good. And I think the maturity and fact we have quite a few older guys, you can never trade for enough experience and maturity.

“With that said, we haven’t had the success we’ve needed to have,” he added. “We haven’t won a ton of games, but it’s a good group; they’re mature, they’re hungry and they know how it works.”

Two of those experienced players, seniors Karter Krutsinger and Gavin Antons, as well as junior Bradley-Bourbonnais transfer Micah Lee are all vying for the starting quarterback position, a spot Krutsinger held at the start of 2024 until a season-opening injury cost him the fall. The team has yet to name a starter at the position, and all three could rotate in to start the season, but Youngblood has confidence in all three.

“Competition is always a helpful thing,” Youngblood said. “They all bring different things and can play at a high level, so it’s a good problem. We have three guys that can win football games for us.”

Whoever takes snaps for the Irish will have the luxury of handing off to a pair of talented senior running backs. Leading rusher Julius May (55 carries, 336 yards, 5 TDs, 20 receptions, 187 yards, 4 TDs) and Jordan Callaway (78 carries, 333 yards, 1 TD) are both back and both will be expected to be more permanent backfield fixtures after spending time at slot receiver in 2024.

“They can be great,” Youngblood said. “They have a lot of ability, they’ve worked hard this offseason, they’re very driven. I can’t say enough about them as leaders and they have great attitudes. I expect big things from both of them.”

Another senior duo returns at receiver, with 6-foot-6 Richie Darr and 6-foot-3 Coen Demack providing plenty of size. Speedy junior Malachi Lee, Micah’s twin brother, spent last season in the slot for the Boilermakers and can expect a similar, if not expanded, workload with the Irish.

The Irish have the least amount of their experience coming back in the trenches, but three-year starting seniors Logan Popovich and Kian Bramer are back in the fold, as is junior Keegan Cooper. Tucker Inman began his varsity career on the offensive line two years ago, with the senior back for his second year at tight end.

Several players will be called upon as two-way contributors after doing so a year ago. Popovich, Bramer and Cooper will plug up the middle while Inman, Callaway and junior Michael Clark will lead the linebacker corps. The secondary has several familiar faces, with Krutsinger back at safety and Darr, May, Antons, Demack and Alex Kostecka all back after serving at various spots in the secondary last year. A former player of Youngblood’s at Olivet, Ben Toberman, joins the McNamara staff from Momence and will serve as defensive coordinator.

Their 38th playoff appearance is the goal, and contending for the Chicagoland Christian Conference is also on the team’s to-do list. And in Youngblood’s eyes, it all goes back to their day-by-day approach.

“I think everyone has the goal of making the playoffs and going deep obviously,” Youngblood said. “We want to go as far as we can and win the whole thing. We have those goals like everybody and I told them that everyone has those goals, so what can we do to separate ourselves? Go 1-0 each day.”