JCA Hilltoppers Predictions

[Secondo1]

So, what are we thinking on W’s with the schedule this year? Great retuning front 4 on offense. Jr QB with some experience. Several defensive guys back.
Caravan, PC, the Roadrunners and more all on the road. Can the Hill eke out 5 wins?
Game 1 vs Iowa City is looming as pretty important…
What say you?

 

[Dave Brody]

I think they’ll go 6-3 with losses to Marist, Naz and MC

 

[MMA_Det]

What makes Marist such a tough school this year?

 

[jobare56]

It's tough to beat a good Providence team on the road as well as Oswego. They probably have to beat one of the these two to make the playoffs.

 

[Alexander32]

What makes Marist such a tough school this year?

* Size, at least in comparison to Joliet Catholic. It is an 8A school competing against a 5A school. Marist's student enrollment is more than double Joliet Catholic's.

* Talent. As is true for most teams competing in the Chicago Catholic League, Marist was a better team last year than their regular season record would indicate. Their regular season record was 4-5. Let us remember that Nazareth was also 4-5 before going on to win the 5A championship game over Joliet Catholic. All five of Marist's losses were to teams that qualified for the playoffs, and four of the five games were lost by seven points or less. The loss to Loyola was the exception. Also, four of the five teams they lost to advanced to at least the quarterfinals of their respective brackets. Although it was a disappointing season for Marist, the level of talent was not substantially lower than it had been in previous seasons. They have made it to the 8A semifinals three times in the last five seasons (in which playoffs were held).

*Coaching. The new head coach had York in the 8A semifinals the last two seasons. He is arguably one of the top five coaches in the state of Illinois, although I acknowledge that is a matter of opinion.

With all that having been said, it could be a competitive game and Joliet Catholic might win. If I'm remembering correctly, Joliet Catholic beat Marist by one point last year.

 

[McCaravan]

What makes Marist such a tough school this year?

LWE QB transfered there when Williams came to LWE. He would have been a fine starter for LWE but when a nationally ranked QB joines the team either you learn a new position or transfer so he transfered. They also are in the Orange Division this year so they miss out on MC and Loyola in the regular season and have a schedule that they should be able to go 7-2, 6-3 worst case if Morgan Park beats them.

 

[JCHillmen]

So, what are we thinking on W’s with the schedule this year? Great retuning front 4 on offense. Jr QB with some experience. Several defensive guys back.
Caravan, PC, the Roadrunners and more all on the road. Can the Hill eke out 5 wins?
Game 1 vs Iowa City is looming as pretty important…
What say you?

I think Iowa City is a must win. Oswego should be a dogfight. If you go 0-2 to start, 5 wins is probably off the table. Even 1-1 makes it a tall order. So really I see Oswego as the huge barometer game. Win that fairly handily and it's "game on" for a big season. Win it close and it's still a sigh of relief. Lose it and all of a sudden it becomes necessary to win one of the coin flip or underdog games (Marist, MC, Naz, PC). That's even putting Fenwick and ND in the "got to have it" as wins category, but they are far from guarantees.

That offensive line really should be all kinds of fun to watch if you're a football trench nerd, though. There are nice pieces back on defense. If the defense can become a well above average unit and the offense can find a way to add a consistently effective (even if only used as necessary) passing game to complement their mammoth and experience offensive line and stable of running backs, then the sky is the limit and you could see 7 plus wins.

Most likely outcome is 5 or 6 wins.

3-4 wins if things go south. 7-8 wins if the offensive line comes out and asserts their dominance like they are capable.

4 wins may be enough to get into the dance once again this year but nobody wants to depend on that.

 

[pjjp]

Agree that 5 or 6 is most likely win total. I also see the possibility for as little as 3 if things go South. It’s a tough schedule for a 5A team.

I’ll be interested to see if they go strictly as a power running team behind that big and experienced O-line or mix in the pass more than expected. QB Simulick is a nice athlete. I see him running more than last year’s QB. He can throw but he’s not the tallest QB. They will need to give him a clean pocket or roll him out to give him passing lanes at his size. Who will emerge as receiving threats?

The defense got lit up in the 2nd half of the championship game. Will the pass defense be improved. It’s always a big question at JCA. The D has a fair amount back and has a chance to be good. Replacing Dillon Johnson is the biggest challenge.

Looking forward to see how it all plays out.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

I predict they start 2-0.

 

[penlight]

Agree that 5 or 6 is most likely win total. I also see the possibility for as little as 3 if things go South. It’s a tough schedule for a 5A team.

I’ll be interested to see if they go strictly as a power running team behind that big and experienced O-line or mix in the pass more than expected. QB Simulick is a nice athlete. I see him running more than last year’s QB. He can throw but he’s not the tallest QB. They will need to give him a clean pocket or roll him out to give him passing lanes at his size. Who will emerge as receiving threats?

The defense got lit up in the 2nd half of the championship game. Will the pass defense be improved. It’s always a big question at JCA. The D has a fair amount back and has a chance to be good. Replacing Dillon Johnson is the biggest challenge.

Looking forward to see how it all plays out.

I see it resembling the 2007 season with a few of Jaws wide-sets to get the plays into open spaces sprinkled into the mix.
Moving the chains and chewing up the clock with big backs behind a big line with some occasional speed.
As cited above, the first two weeks will set the tone for the year.

 

[AlabamaTimberwolf]

I think Iowa City is a must win. Oswego should be a dogfight. If you go 0-2 to start, 5 wins is probably off the table. Even 1-1 makes it a tall order. So really I see Oswego as the huge barometer game. Win that fairly handily and it's "game on" for a big season. Win it close and it's still a sigh of relief. Lose it and all of a sudden it becomes necessary to win one of the coin flip or underdog games (Marist, MC, Naz, PC). That's even putting Fenwick and ND in the "got to have it" as wins category, but they are far from guarantees.

That offensive line really should be all kinds of fun to watch if you're a football trench nerd, though. There are nice pieces back on defense. If the defense can become a well above average unit and the offense can find a way to add a consistently effective (even if only used as necessary) passing game to complement their mammoth and experience offensive line and stable of running backs, then the sky is the limit and you could see 7 plus wins.

Most likely outcome is 5 or 6 wins.

3-4 wins if things go south. 7-8 wins if the offensive line comes out and asserts their dominance like they are capable.

4 wins may be enough to get into the dance once again this year but nobody wants to depend on that.

JCA handled Iowa City and this game is home so see JCA taking care of business.

 

[redmen85]

Ben Kueter isn’t suiting up nor is Joey Goodspeed
2-0
Death-Taxes and JCA faithful sandbagging

 

[jobare56]

I would have liked to have seen Ben Kueter and Dillan Johnson lock horns on the mat.

 

[redmen85]

You might this winter