Lots of early preseason questions....one of the biggest in my mind is how well will the DVC/SWSB comb work out? Who has the advantage?
Post your top questions and conferences here
Post your top questions and conferences here
Biggest Question for your fav conference in 2024?
- Thread starter EdgyTim
- Start date
Western Big 6
Does Quincy and their high powered offense rule the conference another year? Or does Moline or Sterling claw their way back to the top?
Where does Geneseo go after last years breakout season and having a new head coach?
Does Rock Island, United Township, and Galesburg find a way out of the ceiler?
Does Quincy and their high powered offense rule the conference another year? Or does Moline or Sterling claw their way back to the top?
Where does Geneseo go after last years breakout season and having a new head coach?
Does Rock Island, United Township, and Galesburg find a way out of the ceiler?
Good questions. Here's a few more.
What team(s) will most benefit from the Week 1 and 2 non-conference games, either from a Won-Loss standpoint or for later season development?
After two seasons without making the playoffs, can Springfield emerge as SHG's main competition in the West division?
Which team is likely to improve the most from '23 and which is most likely to take a step backwards?
1. Crimsons will likely be the only undefeated team out of the West when week 3 arrives and division play starts. They are looking for w's and at least five shouldn't be a problem.
2. The Senators lose a bunch of seniors. QB Scheffler will be back and that's big. But SHS all last season had mistake after mistake which killed them in games. That has to stop if they want to make a run.
3. Chatham and they were pretty good last year has the potential to be even better. (Just talk with Titan fans. They will tell you 🙃) Railsplitters better start with two wins. Even if they do five is going to be tough. Ratsy
How the CCL shakes out.
- IC, how do they respond after maybe one of their best teams.
- SF, lots of skill position talent. How does the OL/DL hold up? Which QB starts?
- Naz, i just assume they break my heart again! lol
- CoM, do they continue their climb.
- Marist, do they rebound?
- Rita, know very little about them for next year.
Just a few thoughts...
- IC, how do they respond after maybe one of their best teams.
- SF, lots of skill position talent. How does the OL/DL hold up? Which QB starts?
- Naz, i just assume they break my heart again! lol
- CoM, do they continue their climb.
- Marist, do they rebound?
- Rita, know very little about them for next year.
Just a few thoughts...
I would say CoM should have a solid season. MC and LA will dominate each with a great QB. Who will be Rice QB? Marist got in a nice transfer QB from LWE in Ritter. Rita lost a bunch of starters to transfer portal but they will be solid with their returning QB and RB (Herman). Rice if they stay healthy should have a solid D - but who will be the QB?
The first time I heard it a few months ago, I brushed it off, but now a 2nd time? The H-F 4A boys' hoops state title would not likely help any Viking overtures to the Southland. Also, in track & field, boys' teams have been 1st or 2nd at the State Meet 3 of last 5 seasons and on the girls' side, 4 runner-up team finishes in the last 6 years.
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Others?
Big 12: Impact of Tim Thornton leaving Peoria and can the Lions remain on top?
West Sub Silver: Can York remain on top under a new HC? Does anyone in the Silver have a leg up on the rest of the conference?
SWS Prairie? Impact of adding Bolingbrook?
Big 12: Impact of Tim Thornton leaving Peoria and can the Lions remain on top?
West Sub Silver: Can York remain on top under a new HC? Does anyone in the Silver have a leg up on the rest of the conference?
SWS Prairie? Impact of adding Bolingbrook?
PowerI66 - surprised you haven't weighed in on Fremd's expected resurgence this fall. I think they're a 6-3 kinda team and make the playoffs for the first time in years.
Otherwise-
Barrington will live and die by big plays like they often do. I don't think Piepert has the crew around him he had last year so we'll see. Could be 12-1 again, or could be 6-4.
Palatine ought to be one of the best teams around, but after last season they'll need to prove it. By my count they have 7 guys with D1 offers, and younger guys like upcoming juniors Kole Fager, Will Santiago, and Jordan Bostick will all be stars. Like Barrington, ought to be 12-1, but could be 6-4 again.
Hoffman Estates lost some good guys but usually seem to reload well. See them around 6-3 or 5-4 and in the playoffs.
Conant and Schaumburg bringing up the rear.. neither just seems to get the athletes they once did
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I couldn't think of only one question, that's why. It appears you couldn't either!
And here's yet a few more questions regarding the CS-8. As for SHG, the question is how many sophmores can you put in a starting role on a varsity roster? They have a very small number of seniors even on the roster, and only a handful of juniors, so it looks like they will be a very young team. I think Rochester may be in a similar situation. So once again, will SHG take it on the chin in week one, (at St. Louis CBC) and then spend the rest of the season trying to recover just like last year? And my other question, will Lincoln EVER play SHG in football on any level? They seem to have no problem playing them in all other sports, or maybe that was an agreement they made before they re-joined the conference. Just curious. As for Chatham, I do think they will be very good. How good? only time will tell, but for the next 2 years they should be a load.
Under the new two division CS8 structure, you will mostly have only 2 "crossover" games with the other division. West division SHG will likely want to play Chatham and Rochester each year from the East division (and they will want to play SHG and each other), so you could see no SHG games against Lincoln, U High, or the Decatur schools in the regular season until the conference structure changes again. Depending on SHG's class, they could possibly face these schools in the playoffs.
Yes, I had forgotten to take into account the split in the conference. They can split it any way they want, certain factors will probably remain the same. Lanphier, Southeast, Eisenhower, and (most likely) Lincoln will remain bottom dwellers, until one of them shows otherwise. Springfield, Jacksonville and perhaps QND will be middle of the pack, and SHG, Chatham, Rochester and Mcarthur will be towards the top end of the spectrum. It is my understanding that every 2 years they will look at things and possibly "tweak" or make changes if it is deemed necessary. Whoever "they" are that will decide such things.
All.... SHG is in the second year of the success factor. Even if the Cyclones multiplied enrollment of 884.40 were to land in the upper end of class 4A it would not apply. They will be class 5A per that rule. Normal U is firmly 4A and Lincoln likely on the high end of 4A like last year. Mac is 5A so that's a possible meeting between the two in postseason play. Ratsy
All.... If everyone on last years roster returns (not what Hudl or MaxPreps might show) but what the roster you get at the stadium SHG for the 2024 season will have 16 seniors and 24 juniors. Cyclones will dress a smaller number of lucky sophomores and a couple special freshman that show outstanding promise. Not that they will get in but stranger things have happened. Ratsy
Thanks Ratsy. I am not in the "inner circle" so other than looking at a roster from last year I can only make guesses and assumptions. Of those 16 seniors you say we have I only have a very small number of those actually being starters, with the rest coming from the junior class and then a number of sophmores. I would assume that kids like Groesch, Jobe Kepler and Davis would be 3 sophmores that may find a spot in the starting lineup. I am curious as to who plays center this fall as well as QB. I think both of those spots will have some competition as there are several candidates. Bottom line is I think we'll be a much younger team overall this year as opposed to last season.
I look each year at the number of Seniors on Rochester's roster. 20 or more tends to be a good sign for the season. Last year, they had 22. In 2015, they only had 13 and it showed in the playoffs. 24 Juniors for the Cyclones is a really good number and bodes well for '25, which will also see Chatham's best senior class since Luke Lehnen and company.
SF skill positions should be a load to defend this year…this could be the most talent they’ve ever had as a unit. Looks like you’ve got FBS offers for 4 guys at receiver (Washington, Willis, Dario, and Mueller). 1000 yard rusher back in Ransom. Whoever wins the QB battle will absolutely have earned it, got 3 really good ones (2 of whom with varsity starting experience) sitting in that QB room. As usual, the skill positions will be the strong point of the team, but this year looks to even be an outlier on that front when it comes to the level of talent.
Question for me is: can they stop / at least contain the run consistently? Their biggest weakness last year was run defense. JCA, IC, and then Naz in the semis all gashed them for 200+ yards. If they can stop the run they’ll be in good shape. Got some help with Hall, should be a load on the DL. The DBs should be very good - FBS level kid in Valeri anchoring that crew. McGrath, Glock, Boose, Saldana are all returning starters from a solid unit last year. Carter adds another high-level DB - could be a D1 talent himself.
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Will they knock off SE for the title and become new king? Upstate 8er and been wondering what its going to be like now being that we get to play non con. Hopefully we get some better games to test kids earlier? I know SE opens with Barrington and Batavia so can only imagine what those scores will be with a first year staff. Gonna find out what works and where you're behind EARLY
All.... We all just guess until they come out on the field. (lol) The back up center last season was Daniel Hallam (6'2" 275 ) SHG will have quite a bit of speed in the backfield. Khorbin Gregory can really motor and I assume he will be one of the starting rb's. Trent Caldwell was the mop up qb in 2023. Another speedster. As quick maybe faster then Levi was. He didn't throw much coming in late in those blow out games but can really run and showed it. The few times Trent did throw looked fine.
Lower level success in 2023 was a mixed bag. Sophomore's went 5-4 and the freshman 6-2. But lots of talent I'm told at both of those levels.
I just want to see a relatively injury free season. Last year from week 1 all the way through the playoffs the Cycs had multiple injured key players every game. The worst year I have ever seen with team injuries. Be lucky enough and avoid that will go a long way in how 2024 shapes up.
Lastly with the two new division setup in the CS8 the team that wins their respective division automatically qualifies for postseason regardless of record. Ratsy
Big question is how SE looks minus the coach? Do they pick up where they left off and more importantly build off last season and last few seasons?
I think SE wins west side of conference. It’s a shame we can’t see SE-GBE conference rematch, but getting Batavia and Barrington is a monster.
I think one the most intriguing conferences in the state is the WSS. York and GBW have been heavyweights in recent years, but Lyons is building a good program.
York having a new HC is interesting although I understand it’s the DC from last year. Whoever wins the conference is whoever has the best player and best defense imo. York had the best D’s and player last 2 years imo with the QB 2 yrs ago and then RB last year.
York having a new HC is interesting although I understand it’s the DC from last year. Whoever wins the conference is whoever has the best player and best defense imo. York had the best D’s and player last 2 years imo with the QB 2 yrs ago and then RB last year.
Will be interesting to see where HC can fit in with those as well with what appears to be a lot coming back. Lyons and DGN have good looking squads as well
I agree - the WSS is going to be another meat grinder this year. I think York may step back a little with the HC change - Fitz being an Offensive guy, Gelsomino a Defensive guy. DGN appears to have graduated a lot of skill talent on both sides, but with their QB, they'll be dangerous. Hinsdale Central will bring back a lot of returners on both sides - Offense wasn't the struggle last year, and with an improved Defense, I expect a return to previous success. LT seems to be building, and are coming off a Quaterfinal run. GBW is a mystery to me, but they are coming off two consecutive playoff runs.
It appears OPRF and Proviso West are going to have a tough season.
Good lord, how did I even forget to mention DGN and their stud QB?!? What a bloodbath of a conference! Think I know where a few of my Friday nights will be spent this fall.
Regarding York, I don’t foresee a drop-off. The talent that has been reloading last few years is impressive, and they’ve got big time stars on D. Idk if anyone is stopping that Reiff kid.
I think with York it will be more a question of replacing Coach Fitz as a playcaller. Defense should be fine but the offesne will be a question.
In the games I saw, the offense was quite vanilla (and very good). No tricks, no bells or whistles… just execution.
time will tell, losing a playcaller and coach like Fitzgerald will have an effect though, especially in the WSS
Palatine Pirates 2024 State Champs
This was the headline to a thread in the fall of 2021.We are now approaching the 2024 season.
I believe the author of that post wrote about a freshman game in which Palatine beat Loyola by a point. Not. positive but I think that the freshman matchup was in some minds a "2024 state final preview" and was what pushed at least one Pirate backer out of the "we're going to be good in three years" category and into being able to mention Lincoln-Way East, Loyola Academy and Palatine in the same sentence.
Looking forward to see if that poster was correct. If so, gotta wonder how he is at. picking lottery numbers three years in advance!
Hersey schedule upgrade
Don't know much about the Mid-Suburban League, but after running the regular-season table two years in a row and playing a marshmallowy non-conference schedule in 2023, Hersey is opening its 2024 season with games vs. traditional 8A powers Warren and Barrington.
Wonder if the last two seasons' success was with a junior-senior group now in college, or if it is still a program on the upswing.
Don't know much about the Mid-Suburban League, but after running the regular-season table two years in a row and playing a marshmallowy non-conference schedule in 2023, Hersey is opening its 2024 season with games vs. traditional 8A powers Warren and Barrington.
Wonder if the last two seasons' success was with a junior-senior group now in college, or if it is still a program on the upswing.
If only freshman football meant that much… 2015 Loyola team was 2-7 as freshman became arguably loyola’s greatest team ever.
