So what is the biggest question facing the 2022 East St. Louis Flyers this fall? Make sure to check back here daily for new teams and the biggest questions each day leading up to IHSA Fall Football Kickoff.
Team: East St. Louis Flyers
Biggest Question?
East St Louis and head coach/AD Darren Sunkett has built up the states winningest football program in the state. The Flyers have yet again another loaded roster stacked with Power 5 talent and the sheer amount of college level talent is pretty amazing again this coming fall for East St. Louis. The Flyers are coming off another strong season in 2021, which saw the Flyers make it to the IHSA Class 6A state title game and then dropped a stunning last minute 37-36 loss over Cary Grove to end the season. The Flyers (11-3) losses in 2921 came at the hands of Cary Grove, along with National High School powers IMG Academy in Florida and St. John Bosco in California.
The Biggest Question? Can the Flyers beat a strong Power running/heavy option based opposing team?
The Flyers run over the past 5-6 seasons has been very impressive, as East St. Louis has captured the Class 6A state football title in 2019 and the 7A state title in 2016 while finishing second in state in 2021.
The Flyers for 2022 roster is again stacked. The East St. Louis offense starts with QB Robert Pops Battle, plus a strong backfield with the likes of senior RB Marquise Palmer and sophomore RB Taryan Martin and an offensive line anchored by four star ranked OT Miles McVay, four star ranked OG Paris Patterson (Arkansas) plus senior OL Brandon Henderson (Iowa State) along with a deep group of receivers. The East St. Louis defense also has an impressive group of highly sought after names including senior LB Antwon Hayden (Illinois), senior DE Keshawn Hayden plus sophomore S Saul Reyes and junior DB Leontre Bradford.
While the East St. Louis offense has been and will continue to be as explosive and as capable of scoring points in bunches as any other team in the State of Illinois....can East Side beat the run first power option teams who run the football first, second and third option while running down the game clock, controlling time of possession and limiting a team like East St Louis offensive touches. Sure, the Flyers has a ton of speed and athletes in all three aspects, but can they find the football against any opposing offense who runs the triple option offense?
Recent history shows us that those results are at best mixed for the Flyers. East St Louis lost to power option game in the 6A state title game to Cary Grove in 2021. They beat Fox Valley Conference 's Prairie Ridge in 2019 for the 6A state title but then also lost to Chicago Mount Carmel (both under Jordan Lynch in 2018 and Hall of Fame coach Frank Lenti in 2017) and both losses came in Chicago at Gateley Stadium. Part of the issue for East St Louis against the veer/triple option teams is a lack of the Flyers seeing and getting to defend the veer/triple over the regular season. A few of the St Louis side Catholic schools run the triple but for the most part East St Louis won't see the offense for an entire season, and the only way to truly prepare for taking on the triple/veer is to play against it.
The line of thought for most fans/coaches is to let the opposing team run the football, then make sure your quick strike with your own speedy and potent personnel; and make the most of the limited offensive touches you'll get if the opposing veer/triple option offense is working, Again...this is much easier said then done.
So can the 2022 Flyers beat say one of the Fox Valley ground huggers? Yes...this is an incredibly talented team at East St. Louis and a program that will have the personnel to match up and compete with all comers. Yet I can't lie here....this is an ongoing question I've had when looking at rankings East St Louis on a state wide and also on a national basis....and until I see East St. Louis handle the opposing Class 6A power triple option offenses better....the question will remain open and a good question as well for East St Louis to answer starting this fall.
Your thoughts on the biggest question facing East St Louis?
Feel free to ask away here.
Team: East St. Louis Flyers
Biggest Question?
East St Louis and head coach/AD Darren Sunkett has built up the states winningest football program in the state. The Flyers have yet again another loaded roster stacked with Power 5 talent and the sheer amount of college level talent is pretty amazing again this coming fall for East St. Louis. The Flyers are coming off another strong season in 2021, which saw the Flyers make it to the IHSA Class 6A state title game and then dropped a stunning last minute 37-36 loss over Cary Grove to end the season. The Flyers (11-3) losses in 2921 came at the hands of Cary Grove, along with National High School powers IMG Academy in Florida and St. John Bosco in California.
The Biggest Question? Can the Flyers beat a strong Power running/heavy option based opposing team?
The Flyers run over the past 5-6 seasons has been very impressive, as East St. Louis has captured the Class 6A state football title in 2019 and the 7A state title in 2016 while finishing second in state in 2021.
The Flyers for 2022 roster is again stacked. The East St. Louis offense starts with QB Robert Pops Battle, plus a strong backfield with the likes of senior RB Marquise Palmer and sophomore RB Taryan Martin and an offensive line anchored by four star ranked OT Miles McVay, four star ranked OG Paris Patterson (Arkansas) plus senior OL Brandon Henderson (Iowa State) along with a deep group of receivers. The East St. Louis defense also has an impressive group of highly sought after names including senior LB Antwon Hayden (Illinois), senior DE Keshawn Hayden plus sophomore S Saul Reyes and junior DB Leontre Bradford.
While the East St. Louis offense has been and will continue to be as explosive and as capable of scoring points in bunches as any other team in the State of Illinois....can East Side beat the run first power option teams who run the football first, second and third option while running down the game clock, controlling time of possession and limiting a team like East St Louis offensive touches. Sure, the Flyers has a ton of speed and athletes in all three aspects, but can they find the football against any opposing offense who runs the triple option offense?
Recent history shows us that those results are at best mixed for the Flyers. East St Louis lost to power option game in the 6A state title game to Cary Grove in 2021. They beat Fox Valley Conference 's Prairie Ridge in 2019 for the 6A state title but then also lost to Chicago Mount Carmel (both under Jordan Lynch in 2018 and Hall of Fame coach Frank Lenti in 2017) and both losses came in Chicago at Gateley Stadium. Part of the issue for East St Louis against the veer/triple option teams is a lack of the Flyers seeing and getting to defend the veer/triple over the regular season. A few of the St Louis side Catholic schools run the triple but for the most part East St Louis won't see the offense for an entire season, and the only way to truly prepare for taking on the triple/veer is to play against it.
The line of thought for most fans/coaches is to let the opposing team run the football, then make sure your quick strike with your own speedy and potent personnel; and make the most of the limited offensive touches you'll get if the opposing veer/triple option offense is working, Again...this is much easier said then done.
So can the 2022 Flyers beat say one of the Fox Valley ground huggers? Yes...this is an incredibly talented team at East St. Louis and a program that will have the personnel to match up and compete with all comers. Yet I can't lie here....this is an ongoing question I've had when looking at rankings East St Louis on a state wide and also on a national basis....and until I see East St. Louis handle the opposing Class 6A power triple option offenses better....the question will remain open and a good question as well for East St Louis to answer starting this fall.
Your thoughts on the biggest question facing East St Louis?
Feel free to ask away here.
