2025 IHSA football preview: Nick Sterling, Red Devils building their own traditions

Nick Sterling has seen what it takes for Hall football to reach the elite level.

He played on three playoff teams in the mid-1990s, one a state champion and another a state runner-up.

But as the new Hall-Putnam County head coach, he wants his Red Devils to make their own tradition.

“We’re talking how many decades later from when it first got started rolling heavily. Then they had some success in between. It’s time for these guys to understand what it takes to get there and start their own traditions,” said Sterling, who came back to the Hall program as an assistant last year under former head coach Logan Larson.

“It’s not easy. It’s a big commitment. You want guys to do more, but in the end it just boils down to how bad you want it and effort. I don’t think any coach will deny it. Sometimes it’s a little bit of luck too.”

Senior Braden Curran said having a third head coach in four years is hard for the players, but Sterling has been great.

“It’s awesome to have a coach who’s been through the same program as us and is familiar with the community,” he said. “Coach Sterling has been tough on us and has pushed us all summer. He has high expectations and wants the best from us.”

Hall-PC graduated just five seniors last year. Only three played extensively. That translates to much experience coming back on both sides of the ball.

Key players returning in the backfield are quarterback Dylan Glynn, running backs Braden Curran, Aiden Redcliff and Johnathon Stunkel of PC, all seniors.

Curran was Hall’s leading rusher (73-409, 7 TDs) and receiver (9 catches, 294 yards, 3 TDs) last year, accounting for more than 700 yards and 10 TDs. Glynn completed 23 of 51 pass attempts for 609 yards and 4 TDS.

Without naming names, Sterling said he feels confident his receivers will “be a part of that balance with that run game, so we’re not so one dimensional.”

Sterling said all of his linemen are being taught to be flexible so they can fill in at any position. Those returners include four-year senior starter Jacob Mongan (G/DT), senior Eric Vipond (G/DT), one of the Red Devils “most improved players” last year, junior Caden Ellena and senior Chase Burkhart (TE).

Key returners on defense include Redcliff at linebacker and twins Jack and Braden Curran plus Glynn in the backfield.

“We’ve only lost two or three starters, so a lot of people are back again this year,” Sterling said on the eve of the first fall practices. “We’re still telling people, ‘You’re competing for spots.’ If we figure it out by Week 1, we’ll lock people in.

“You can look what you look like in camp, but in the end the next few weeks is really going to set the tone who’s going to play more if they’re better than the others; or if they’re equals, we’ll rotate them.”

Sterling said the transition from Larson’s philosophies to his coaching style went well over the summer. Larson coached just one year at Hall before taking over the head job in his hometown of Pleasant Plains.

“[The defense is] a different approach,” he said. ”It’s a good approach. They like it. It’s just maybe more than they had to think about in the past. But still feel defense went well too. ...

“I’m a guy that doesn’t want to put the cart ahead of the horse. We can have the best camps or best practices we want, but in the end you’ve got to go win ballgames Friday night.”

Sterling is hopeful the Red Devils’ focus on the weight room in the offseason leads to bigger being better on the field.

“We’re a lot stronger this year, and it shows. You can see it in the body mass with the physicality part,” he said. “You can coach technique and basics all day long, but in the end if you can’t push the guy in front of you or make something happen in a double team, it’s going to be hard to win any football games for any coach.”

The Red Devils open the season Friday, Aug. 29, at Orion.