Last year was very uncharacteristic for the Homestead offense.
We are used to seeing a very efficient passing attack from the Spartans, consisting of precise timing routes, a confident quarterback and proven playmakers on the outside.
That wasn’t the case in 2023. Then-sophomore Michael White was getting acclimated behind center, while his wideouts were doing the same, with over 60 percent of his completions going to underclassmen.
But a year of development, by both White and his returning wide receivers, has paid dividends.
Friday’s 22-8 win over Wayne really showcased how far Coach Chad Zolman and Offensive Coordinator Bill Skelton’s offense has come. In scoring the game’s first 22 points, the Spartans were equal parts effective, dynamic and unpredictable with their offense.
Take White, for example. His confidence outside the pocket was clearly on display. Eyes up with the priority being to get the ball downfield, the junior quarterback looked more comfortable than at any time a year ago.
But where Blitz saw the most impactful growth was at wide receiver. And it wasn’t just one or two guys.
Carter Kennedy showed flashes last season, but only saw action in four games as a sophomore. The junior led Homestead in receiving against Wayne with six receptions for 79 yards.
Kail Swager, who led the Spartans in receiving last year with just 275 yards (a prime indication on how un-Homestead-like the passing game was a season ago), brought the crowd to a crescendo with a stellar one-handed catch down the seam in the first half. That drive was capped by a Swager touchdown reception.
Evan England had just one catch, but it showcased his physicality as he hauled in the White pass almost 15 yards from the end zone, but powered his way in for the score, carrying several Wayne defenders with him.
Tight end Carson Feichter also got in on the fun, with the big 6-foot-1, 205 pound hauling in an 18-yard touchdown reception and showing why he will be a problem for opposing defenses for the next two years.
And that’s not including Liam Moore, who is nursing an injury.
The summation of parts makes up a collective of talent that feels much more dangerous than at any time last year. Sure, there’s ways to go. White threw a pair of INTs in Friday’s win, although the play of Wayne’s exceptionally-athletic secondary surely had something to do with that. The offense sputtered in the second half after building the 22-0 halftime lead, evidence that the unit is still attempting to put it all together.
But Blitz left Dave S. Walters Stadium on Friday thinking the Spartans offense, particularly in the first half, looked like what he expects it to look life annually.
And that bodes well for a unit that, while improved, still is reasonably young. But it is talented and showed it can execute against a solid defense led by Wayne’s Kimar Nelson.
It will need to be with a rigorous SAC division schedule coming up.
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
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