For the first time since 2011, East Noble will take to the field without head coach Luke Amstutz at the helm.
Amstutz is now in administration at East Noble, with former Western coach Alex Stewart now in command.
What can we expect in terms of changes? Well, not much.
Stewart has embraced what has made the Knights unique and successful under Amstutz and will employ a power spread offensive scheme with junior Rylee Biddle at quarterback. Biddle’s athleticism got him on the field defensively a year ago as a starting safety, but will Zander Brazel graduated, Biddle is now QB1.
Leading rusher Tyson Reinbold is gone, but senior Dylan Krehl and his 635 yards and 12 scores on the ground is back. He will be complemented by senior Dallas Plattner, who made the most of his opportunities last year by averaging 17.2 yards per rush with a couple scores.
Six of the top seven leading receivers are back, including junior Mason Treesh, who led the Knights in receptions (29), receiving yards (527) and receiving touchdowns (five) last fall. Landon Swogger (20-315-3) and fellow seniors Logan Hatton and Jordan Borders will also be in the mix at the position. Alex Brennan is another senior back and is a big 6-foot, 215-pound target for Biddle at tight end.
While the line has to replace a few key pieces, it is an older group. Seniors James Miller and Stephen Smith at guard and Ian Smith at tackle are big, strong and physical dudes in the trenches. Junior Hunter Smithson is another wide body at center at 5-11, 275. Senior Hunter Bolen and juniors Xavier Palacios and Hunter Shire will also see action.
A defense that held five opponents to one score or less last season returns largely intact with nine of 11 starters back. Senior Pace Agee, an underrated talent up front, finished with 65 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and three sacks a year ago. Fellow senior Gavin Sparkman is also back next to Agee.
How East Noble gets pressure in the backfield is a question with Connor Leins and his team-high eight sacks gone. Look for seniors Krehl and Kobe Ritchie (50 tackles, eight TFL) to be heavily involved in that respect. Both also had multiple interceptions last year.
Biddle will still be a big presence in the secondary despite being QB1. Hayden Mitchener is a senior to watch along with Parker Kerr. Sophomore Alex Scott is a rangy 6-foot-3 talent that will see considerable time on the back end.
“We have a strong group of returning starters, but there are also young players that are hungry to get on the field,” Stewart said. “It is exciting to see the hard work and dedication of this group, and if that enthusiasm and hard work continues, I believe we will have a great season at East Noble.”
WHY #5?
After an uncharacteristic 2022 that saw East Noble finish with a losing record at 5-6, the Knights bounced back with eight dubs last fall. While there were some considerable losses due to graduation, a large part of the core is back. There also seems to have been great synergy in the handing off of the program from Amstutz to Stewart. The fact that Amstutz is still in the building has allowed the transfer of power to be seamless and gives Stewart a sound-off board in terms of questions and what to expect in Kendallville on Friday nights.
The senior class is laden with talent across the board, and the juniors have some gems with Biddle, Treesh and others. If Biddle can hit the ground running at QB1, East Noble will be a factor in the NE8 and beyond.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Two of East Noble’s three losses last year came to Leo – one by a touchdown and the other a wild 45-42 defeat in sectional play. All told, the Knights have dropped six-straight games to their league rivals.
Until East Noble is able to find its way past Leo, we cannot rank it higher. Yes, the Knights return a lot, but so does Leo.
CRITICAL GAME
Week 5 at Leo
Why? See above. Entering this year, the NE8 appears set to once again come down between the Knights and the Lions. With six-straight losses to Leo, East Noble has something to prove come Week 5, and potentially beyond as both continue to reside in Sectional 19 in Class 4A.
There are other challenges on the schedule, but the de facto NE8 championship game may once again be the showdown between two proud programs on Sept. 20 at Leo.
CRUCIAL PLAYER
Defensive front six
In East Noble’s 4-2-5 scheme, the ability of the front two levels to get pressure and stops is paramount. If there is a recent weakness for the Knights, it is the fact that over the last few years against physical offensive fronts, they have been unable to establish dominance. Against the likes of Snider, Leo, NorthWood, etc., East Noble has not been able to win the individual battles play after play to get stops.
In its nine losses the last two years, East Noble has allowed an average of 37 points per game.
Success in the NE8 and the playoffs is going to be dictated by the effectiveness of Agee, Krehl and the rest of that defensive front six.
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