Scouting the CCL/ESCC Blue division: 2023 IHSA football season preview

Brother Rice

2022 record: 7-5, 0-3 Blue

Coach: Casey Quedenfeld

Worth noting: The Crusaders are more comfortable heading into Quedenfeld’s second season after a year of transition. Brother Rice has learned the new schemes and is ready to advance further in the playoffs after losing in the Class 7A quarterfinals to Mount Carmel last season. The Crusaders lost in the Class 7A semifinals in 2019 and 2021 and fell in the Class 8A state title game in 2018. ... Running the ball will be essential for the Crusaders’ offense, which puts the spotlight on starting rusher Randall Nauden. He committed to Navy over the summer and brings back needed experience heading into his senior year. He rushed for 119 yards in a playoff win over Jacobs last year. ... Seniors Marcus Brown and Ryan Hartz will split time at quarterback for the Crusaders like they did for much of last season. Brown committed to Butler during the summer. ... Brother Rice will need to replace graduated defensive lineman Roderick “Trey” Pierce, who signed with Michigan. His brother Christian Pierce will try to fill that void at linebacker after finishing with 100 total tackles, 11 for a loss, with four blocked passes last season. Christian Pierce already holds offers from schools like Ohio State, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin. ... Brother Rice will play three defending state champions this season — Loyola, Mount Carmel and Nazareth — and two state semifinalists — St. Ignatius and St. Rita.

Loyola

2022 record: 13-1, 2-1 Blue, Class 8A state champions

Coach: Beau Desherow

Worth noting: Desherow takes over at his alma mater after longtime coach John Holecek resigned at the end of last season. He’s familiar with the program, having coached at different levels from 2004 to 2019. Loyola isn’t changing much with the coaching transition, relying on a system that’s led to three state titles since 2015 and seven championship-game appearances since 2011. ... The defending Class 8A state champions will need to replace some talent on the defensive side, including lineman Brooks Bahr, who signed with Michigan. Senior defensive lineman Joe Kelly will bring back needed experience both on and off the field while Desherow is excited for how they can scheme for pass rusher Ethan Hogg. ... Loyola will only return two starters from an offense that averaged 39.5 points per game. Seniors Freedom Ali and Lucas Holubar and junior Ryan Fitzgerald are battling for the quarterback position. ... Luke Foster and Drew MacPherson are both strong running backs who have experience in key moments from last season’s title run. ... The Ramblers will start the season against an out-of-state opponent once again when they travel to Grand Rapids, Mich., on Aug. 26 to play Central Catholic. Central has won three state titles since 2019.

Mount Carmel

2022 record: 14-0, 3-0 Blue, Class 7A state champions

Coach: Jordan Lynch

Worth noting: Mount Carmel lost a lot of talent from last season’s championship team but the Caravan are ready to reload. The program has won two state titles since Lynch took over in 2018 and made the postseason each year one was held. Many of the backup players earned plenty of varsity experience last season because Mount Carmel out-scored its opponents 561-135. ... The Caravan will have an experienced running back room. Senior Darrion Dupree, who committed to Wisconsin over the summer, rushed for 664 yards and 10 touchdowns in nine games before missing the postseason because of an injury. Senior Alonzo Manning II returns and is committed to Navy. ... Junior Jack Elliott will replace Blainey Dowling as the team’s starting quarterback. Elliott earned plenty of varsity experience coming into games late and even threw a 60-yard touchdown pass in the state championship. Senior wide receivers Darrion Gilliam, who’s committed to Kent State, Matt Markett and Kevin Gardner will all be key returning targets. ... Senior linebacker Parker Startz, who committed to Ohio, returns as a major leader on the defense. He had 81 total tackles, 6.5 for a loss, last year and helped lead a defense that had four shutouts. Senior defensive linemen Jamari Chaney and Tavon Rice and defensive back Dillon Conway are all expected to have an impact as well. ... Mount Carmel starts the season on Aug. 26 against East St. Louis in Normal, Ill., at Hancock Stadium, pinning the defending the 6A and 7A champions against each other. ... Lynch is now the longest-tenured in the Blue.

St. Rita

2022 record: 10-3, 3-0 CCL/ESCC Green

Coach: Martin Hopkins

Worth noting: Hopkins returns to his alma mater after longtime coach Todd Kuska retired after last season. St. Rita ended Kuska’s decorated career by playing in state title games in 2019 and 2021 before reaching the Class 7A semifinals last season. The Mustangs have been receptive to Hopkins’ collegiate style of running the program and are excited to see how it will translate to this season. ... Senior running back DJ Stewart returns after rushing for 1,362 yards and nine touchdowns last season. His 6-foot, 230-pound frame will be tough to stop after Stewart showed that he can run it both in long or short distances. Hopkins is excited to see how he could use Stewart in the passing game too. ... Senior quarterback Jett Hilding will become the starter after splitting time at the position last year. ... The Mustangs will need to replace three Division-I starters from last season — Pat Farrell (Illinois), Matt Kingsbury (Minnesota) and Johnny Schmitt (Illinois). Senior defensive back Zack Clark returns after a strong junior season where he helped the Mustangs’ defense limit opponents to 15.8 points per game. Senior defensive linemen Raymone Saffold and John Perry, senior defensive back Conner Artis and junior linebacker James Kingsbury will all join Clark in trying to lead the defense. ... St. Rita made its return back to the Blue after the megaconference’s realignment for this season. The Mustangs competed in the CCL/ESCC Green since the megaconference formed for the 2019 season.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Darrion Dupree, Mount Carmel, RB, sr.: Dupree not only can sprint down the field but also has strong pass-catching ability, making him a complete threat.
• DJ Stewart, St. Rita, RB, sr.: Defenders struggled to take down the 6-foot, 230-pound rusher last year and that should continue this fall.
• Christian Pierce, Brother Rice, LB, jr.: Pierce has impressed some of the nation’s best college programs and should continue to do so this year.
• Ethan Hogg, Loyola, EDGE, sr.: Hogg should create issues for quarterbacks and running backs no matter where he’s placed on the field.
• Parker Startz, Mount Carmel, LB, sr.: Startz stands out with his 6-foot-3, 225-pound build and should be one of the top defenders in the league.

SCHEDULES

FIVE CAN’T MISS MATCHUPS

Week 1 – East St. Louis vs. Mount Carmel: The matchup everyone in the state wanted starts the season, pinning the two-winningest programs in Illinois history.

Week 1 – Brother Rice at Maine South: A nice nonconference test for two elite programs to start the year.

Week 2 – Kenwood at St. Rita: The Mustangs will have a nice nonconference test against one of the most-talented teams in the state.

Week 7 – Loyola at IC Catholic: The defending Class 8A champion Ramblers will travel to play the defending Class 3A champion Knights.

Week 9 – Mount Carmel at Loyola: This season-finale matchup seldom disappoints and should have a lot on the line once again.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH