When Adams Central was considered to be in “reloading mode” for 2019, it wasn’t just outsiders that were surprised after a 12-win season and a trip to the semistate round.
“We couldn’t have dreamed about winning 12 games last year,” Adams Central coach Michael Mosser said. “We were wondering if we would finish at .500.
“But the seniors we thought were average were above average, and we were led by them.”
That group is gone, but the Flying Jets still have loads of talent. Preseason projections have them competing with South Adams (a team they knocked off in regionals last year) for the ACAC title, but Mosser would have a big warning sign in the face of those ready to proclaim the league a two-horse race.
“When you look at last year’s seniors, no one was bigger for us than (quarterback) Dallas Schwaller,” Mosser said. “Everything he did on and off the field was exceptional. You look at the Northfield game in the sectional, we lose that game without Dallas making some exceptional plays in the passing game.”
With Schwaller and his 1,169 passing yards and 16 TDs gone, Mosser has a quarterback battle to attend to between sophomore Ryan Black and junior Josh Mosser, Michael’s son.
“Both of them are pretty equal in terms of skill set, but I would rather not do tandem QBs,” the elder Mosser said. “But we may do that early on to see who takes control.”
Whomever takes over at quarterback with have weapons aplenty. Both Alex Currie and Blake Heyerly rushed for over 1,000 yards, with Currie going for 1,092 yards and nine TDs and Heyerly finishing with 1,510 yards and 17 scores.
Junior Nick Neuenschwander returns after leading AC in receiving with 15 receptions for 358 yards and five scores. Currie also was a factor in the pass game with 15 catches and a pair of TDs. Big Joe Collier at 6-3, 225 will line up at the tight end position.
Up front, Adams Central lost a pair of bigs to graduation but return the rest, as well as several No. 2 guys who saw considerable action late in games.
Collier (118 tackles, 14.5 TFL, five sacks) will be an anchor at one defensive end spot, but the graduation of Ben Voirol leaves a void on the other side. The concern is that, while teams couldn’t run away from either d-end stud last year, teams will run away from Collier in 2020. Finding a complement to Collier is of paramount importance.
Heyerly (143 tackles) will be a staple again at linebacker, joined by guys like Josh Smith and Mason Deroo.
The secondary returns largely intact other than Schwaller, with Neuenschwander, Josh Mosser, Chase Green and Braysen Yergler all with significant experience on the back end.
While AC does not have much to replace in terms of proven production, what it lost was invaluable. Schwaller’s impact will be sorely missed, and Voirol (71 tackles, nine TFL) was huge all year on the edge. Even the lost of those two, plus the rest of an undervalued senior class (at least to start last year), will hurt.
It is up to Mosser and his staff to identify and develop their replacements.
“The key for us is the quarterback spot,” Mosser said. “We don’t have a James Arnold (at South Adams). We don’t have a kid who is THE QB. Whoever wins our battle will be new.
“It is not rocket science what the Jets are going to do, we are going to pound the ball on the ground and try to run down the defense’s throats. We need that director of the offense like Dallas was, someone who could make a play when a team shuts down (Currie and Heyerly). That is what we are trying to figure out.”
We will see if that is all settled by Week 6 at Berne against South Adams.
WHY #13
A shocking 19-7 defeat of South Adams in the regional round last season still resonates throughout the OTH brain trust. While there are pieces gone from that team, enough production returns to put the Flying Jets on track for another double-digit win season, which would make it four of the last five years of such an occurrence.
As long as Adams Central can get serviceable play from the quarterback position, it should be able to win the majority of its games on the regular season schedule.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Coach Mosser could not emphasize enough just how much guys like Dallas Schwaller and Ben Voirol meant to the Flying Jets in 2019. In big programs, a few players may not have much impact, but at 1A schools where guys play multiple positions on multiple units, losing two huge pieces can hurt tremendously.
That said, Mosser always seems to find and develop talent. But how long will it take in 2020? That is the question OTH is fascinated to see answered.
CRITICIAL GAME
Week 6 at South Adams
I mean, duh.
This year’s clash between the two Adams County powers will likely be for the ACAC championship. Last year, the Starfires drilled AC by 28 before the Flying Jets shocked South Adams in the playoffs.
Both teams are still loaded on both sides of the ball. There is no better scenario in HS football when your two tops teams in a league are also located in the same county, meaning both fan bases with show out (hopefully).
CRITICAL PLAYER
Ryan Black or Josh Mosser, quarterback
Whomever wins the QB battle will be thrust into a situation that is almost too overwhelming to ponder. Coming off a 12-victory campaign that saw many sophomores and juniors step up, expectations are that Adams Central can be a contender in 1A once again, particularly with what appears to be an extremely strong defense on paper.
But a lot of those expectations hinge on the play of the quarterback, whether it be Black or Mosser. Both will see the field regardless, with Mosser moving back to wide receiver at his X-back spot and Black lining up at outside linebacker if not the QB. Both want the starting QB job, but both need to understand the responsibilities that come with it.
PREVIOUS OTH FOOTBALL PREVIEW TOP 15 TEAMS
Be the first to comment