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New Streator coach Kyle Tutt looks to put bite back in Bulldogs

Putting fun back in football Job 1 for new head Bulldog

By J.T. Pedelty

Streator's A.J. Benning drags down East Peoria's Ryan LaHood (11) on a kickoff return during the 2019 season. (The Times)

While the novel coronavirus pandemic certainly altered things, first-year Streator head football coach Kyle Tutt is viewing the shortened spring season which begins Friday, March 19, in Coal CIty as the start of “new era” of Bulldogs football.

“I think we’ve got a great group of guys who are willing to buy into what we call the new era of Streator football,” said Tutt. “That’s what we’re selling, and that’s what we’re trying to get the mentality of to change what we consider the culture here. ...

“I think the fun, the true joy of playing football, maybe had been lost in the past years for everybody as a whole — the town, the kids. Everyone needs to remember what it’s like to love football, and that’s what we’re trying to build.”

A lot of new faces led by a handful of varsity returnees from 2019’s 2-7 season in new or upgraded roles headline the Bulldogs’ 34-man roster.

Dedication and versatility are two words Tutt is quick to use regarding this spring’s ballclub, fitting into his mindset of building a winning football culture at a school which has only five playoff appearances (1976, 1977, 2003, 2008, 2017) and one playoff win (over Normal U-High in 2008) in program history.

“Hopefully [fans will see] a great group of young guys who are having fun playing the great game of football, that are excited about the game ...” Tutt said. “We have a lot of guys who are working really hard. Hopefully they’ll be able to see what we’re trying to build toward and see some of those glimpses of what we’re ultimately trying to show everyone.”

Tutt — a state championship-winning, pass-flinging quarterback in his playing days at Iroquois West — aims for the Bulldogs to show flashes of the big-play offense he’s hoping to build in the 61364. To that end, he’s excited about the versatile talent brought in by young men he expects to shine in that approach.

Some of the likely top beneficiaries will be junior WR/DB Alex Ward, junior RB/LB Cade Stevens (coming off some successful offseason organized appearances), jack-of-all-trades senior WR/DB A.J. Benning, junior QB/DB Tyler Luckey (who put up some big numbers with last year’s Bullpups), senior WR/LB Aiden Webb, senior WR/DB/K Mason Telford (joining the football team full-time after serving in a kicking-only role while also playing soccer last season), sophomore WR/LB Jake Luckey, freshman QB/LB Christian Benning and junior WR/LB transfer Jenson Ketcham.

Also in that conversation at the skill positions are WRs/LB or DBs such as David Rashid, Collin Jeffries, Jesse Porter, Aiden Stevens, Zach Schultz, Cooper Spears and Alex Ward. Alex Lopez is also on board to help Telford with the kicking duties.

Much of the roster is filled with the unsung heroes who help make those big plays happen, the linemen. Tutt specifically lauded three he expects to stand out — senior C Dan Stout, junior Walker McClellan and senior Skyler Doss — among a large group which also includes Lexy Jensen, Anthony Dominic, Kalon Kisantear, Jett Austin, Ricardo Lopez, Abraham Villafana, Manuel Nito, Ben Pond, Landen Long, Richard Orozco, Austin Taylor, Nick Flores, J.D. Blickensderfer, Brant Freese and Hayden Wolfe.

After opening March 19 at Coal City, the Bulldogs’ all-Illinois Central Eight Conference, all-Friday night (except a Thursday game in Week 3 due to Good Friday) schedule sees them host Peotone and then Herscher, visit Manteno and close the season by hosting Lisle on April 16 at the SHS Athletic Fields. With no prelims, all kickoffs are scheduled for 6 p.m.

Despite the reduced schedule and young roster, Tutt is not reducing this unique spring season to a preseason, of sorts, for things to come.

“I want to win every game,” said Tutt. “We’re not looking at next year right now. We want to beat Coal City. We’ll worry about what’s right in front of us, those things we can control — attitude and effort. When we do those two things right, I feel like the rest of those things [like wins] will play out.

“Our competition is right now.”