Since the start of his second decade at the helm Kevin Feeney has reaped the rewards for his work. The amount of talent that was on the 2020 state champion team will be hard to surpass but this Fall will include the most highly-regarded player yet. Added up, it means the Spuds are firmly-affixed amongst the best in the state regardless of division and will have to be ready to navigate that beginning Friday at St. Cloud Tech..
Here's what coach Feeney had to say
How was the Summer for your team? Did any young players show for the first time that they may be ready to contribute this Fall during camps/activities?
Summer went well - we have a core group of young players who have watched our team's success the past few years and realize the work that needs to happen. We have a slightly smaller Junior class then normal, which has been small going back to their 7th grade middle school team, so we will need some sophomores to get some experience earlier than in the past.
Elinneus Davis has been the talk of the town for most of the last year and for good reason with the interest he received. For those who haven't seen him as much as you have, how would you describe his impact on & off the field?
Elinneus has gotten stronger and is continuing to work his craft and learn the details of playing defensive tackle - he will definitely warrant attention each Friday night, but embraces the challenge and the expectations put upon him. He's a presence on the field at 6-3 300 lbs and his personality & ability to be humble throughout all the attention is what makes him so likable. He has pushed his standard and has learned to hold those around him to the same standard.
Austin Schultz also received attention from several colleges in the area before committing to NDSU. What would you say about his development & impact for your team?
Austin is a 6-3 295lb OT that has a great motor and has learned from some past OL such as Seth Anderson on how physicality and how much effort is needed to play at a high level. He's a throwback type kid who knows how to finish plays!
Who are some of the players that you anticipate will rise up to take some of the pressure & attention off of them?
Micah Cozad & Jace Frittel are 2 senior OL and Junior Jake Erdmann have the ability to make this Offensive Line a force in Section 8.
What will the next steps be for Gavin Quade this season?
Gavin was playing some great football by the end of last season and has continued his progress throughout the off-season, we are looking for him to lead the offense with some new weapons to throw to on the outside.
We graduated Alonn Salmon and Mehki Elmore out of the WR position who had great seasons last year.
Are there position groups that you already have identified as strengths of your roster?
Our RB room has some seniors who are great competitors - Ben Hrlidka, Karson Wendt, Evan Weikert all have ability to make plays on the ground.
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