The Leo football program has been nothing but consistent for the better part of almost 20 years now.
Since 2007, the Lions have not had a single losing season. Not one.
So entering 2026, it is safe to mark Leo down for at least six victories. But can Coach Jason Doerffler’s team be a threat to East Noble in the NE8? Can they challenge the Knights, Bishop Dwenger and a host of solid teams in Sectional 19?
The Lions will have to do it without do-everything player Nathan Foster, who was truly the face of the program in 2025. Foster rushed for 1,444 yards and 18 touchdowns while also being a key playmaker on defense.
However, the defense in particular is laden with experience, even without Foster. Overall, seven starters are back on that side of the ball, anchored by multi-year starter Bret Sauder at linebacker. When healthy, Sauder is one of the best at his position in the entire area. He will have fellow seniors Paul Woods and Bo Swartz supporting him at linebacker, as well as sophomore Sam Miller, who had 16 tackles in his first start last year as a freshman.
The front line of the defense only brings back one starter, but he is a big one, literally and figuratively. Gus Stuckey at 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds is a beast of a body in the middle. The senior had 22 tackles last year. The supporting cast is light on experience but heavy on bulk. Senior Jason Chen and juniors Gerald Williams and Jake Clemens are all at least 5-10 and 230 pounds. Senior Kaden Doll and junior Noah Ellis are also capable up front, giving Leo a good rotation of dudes in the trenches.
Three starters are back in the secondary, including senior Tanner Mickelson and junior Isaiah Detmers. Both were Second Team All-NE8 selections last fall. Junior Isaac Smith is also back after starting a season ago, with junior Gavin Treesh ready to command a bigger role on the back end.
In addition to Foster being gone, graduated saw quarterback Titus Stoller (1,145 yards passing, nine touchdowns) and leading receiver Luke Tackwell (27 catches, 328 yards, four TDs) move on. Junior Luke Marquardt is now QB1. He saw some spot action last year, but this fall will be his first extended time at the varsity level at the position.
The wide receiver position could very well be an underrated unit with a trio of juniors back with starting experience. Landon Kindschy brought in 23 receptions for 318 yards last year, while fellow juniors Jackson Klopfenstein and Foster Swaney are taller receivers with potential. Sauder will also line up at the tight end spot for the Lions, as well as Doll, who had a touchdown reception last year.
The senior Woods will be the primary running back. He saw action in spot time behind Foster last year and made the most of it, rushing for 193 yards and five touchdowns on 41 attempts to earn Second Team All-NE8 honors. Senior Braxten Merida will carry the ball out of the backfield as well.
Kicker Leo Zink returns after hitting all but two of his extra points last year. The junior could also see more opportunities at field goals. Doll averaged 43 yards per punt and will handle those duties again.
“We have some holes to fill on both sides of the football,” Doerffler said. “But we are excited about some of our younger players coming up. We are looking forward to an exciting season.
In addition to key members at the skill positions, Leo also lost one of the top two-way linemen in the area last year in Isaiah Coolman. Derrion Treesh and Hayden Roberts are also gone, meaning a new crop of dudes up front will need to step up. Stuckey is a two-way stud and Clemons started last year at tackle, but who else is ready to open holes for the offense? Stuckey could end up being the lone senior on the starting unit, with juniors Daniel Loucks, Boone Delagrange, Gerald Williams and Colton Foor all in the starting lineup discussion.
The schedule is pretty evenly spread out in terms of challenges. A visit to Bishop Chatard in Week 2 headlines the non-conference schedule. The annual showdown with East Noble is in its traditional Week 5 slot, while the conclusion of the regular season sees a difficult stretch with Columbia City and DeKalb in back-to-back weeks.
WHY #9?
Leo is one of those programs you can pencil in as a contender each and every season. The defense has a lot to like with returning production, as well as some sophomores who got a lot of playing time a year ago. That sophomore class, which Coach Doerffler is very high on, may end up being the catalyst to how successful this year ends up being.
Behind East Noble, there is a lot of similar teams that could be that No. 2 and be the biggest challenge to the Knights for NE8 supremacy. More often that not in recent years, that team has been Leo.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
There are definite concerns along the offensive and defensive lines. Leo lacks experience at some key spots with its big guys, and there is not a lot of depth there as well.
Without Foster as the backbone of the offense, more pressure is naturally going to be on Marquardt to settle in and excel at the quarterback spot. Last year’s philosophy of ‘when in doubt, feed Foster’ isn’t applicable in 2026. So who steps up offensively to be the dude or dudes to put up yards and touchdowns?
CRITICAL GAME
Week 5 vs. East Noble
It always is, right? These rivals have met in Week 5 for a long time (because the NE8 refuses to switch up its league schedule). And with both residing in the same sectional, sometimes the regular-season matchup is merely a precursor to when they face off in a ‘win or go home’ scenario.
These two squads have combined to win at least a share of the last three conference titles, with East Noble going undefeated in the league the last two years. There are other teams in the league who could challenge East Noble this year, but Leo is always that one that feels like a consistent threat.
They also have had some bangers over the years in Week 5.
CRUCIAL PLAYER
LUKE MARQUARDT, JUNIOR, QUARTERBACK
Titus Stoller did a solid job last year as QB1 for Leo, but he didn’t need to be spectacular because of the running ability of Nathan Foster. But with Foster gone, Marquardt doesn’t have the luxury of falling back on the best running back in the area of a year ago.
The Lions’ top three rushers are gone, which included Stoller. Marquardt will be looked upon to take control and leadership of this offense as the signal caller. The offensive line could need time to gel, as well as the running game.
Perhaps Marquardt doesn’t need to be sensational every snap, but he will need to step up as a junior to be a calming influence and protect the football. The offense could be a work in progress, but if Marquardt plays to his strengths, improvement for him and the unit will come in chunks instead of baby steps.
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