East only returns seven starters from last season's team |
Wichita East only returns seven total starters from last season's team.
Coach: Brian Byers (14-13 in three seasons at East)
2009 Recap: 2-7 (2-5), missed playoffs
Returning Starters: Offense 4, Defense 3
Returning Lettermen: 19
GWAL PREVIEW BLOG
2010 Outlook:
Offense:
East struggled offensively last season as it only managed 14.1 points per game, and there are not many returning difference makers from last season’s team.
Jonathan Nelson is returning to the offensive line for his senior season. He is the only offensive player with first or second-team honors from last season returning. Fellow seniors Fabian Coker, Soloman Normore, David Heaton and all-league honorable-mention lineman Michael Franklin will help out on the line.
CJ Graham will be the focal point of the offense out of the backfield. He was all-league honorable-mention last season as a junior. CJ Bruce is another returner in the running game.
East will rely on a new quarterback after the graduation of Erick Heiman. Desmond McGee will step in as the new quarterback in his junior season.
The Blue Aces will primarily run the ball this season as no top receivers return, but the line remains strong.
Defense:
Last season the defense struggled mightily as it gave up almost four touchdowns a game on average. The defense lost its only two first-team all-league players to graduation in tackle Jesse Anderson and linebacker Geoff Stanford. Also gone is second-team defensive end Chaquil Reed.
The Blue Aces lost another three honorable mention players off the defense, so there are many new faces the Blue Aces will be relying on this season.
Nelson, Franklin, Coker and Normore will play at times both ways on the line. Bruce, JP Edgar and TJ Sparr will look to shore things up at linebacker. The secondary will feature Dante Brandon, Ronnie McAnn, Garret Gates and Reggie Winfield in various combinations.
Odds and Ends:
East again has a tough schedule. It starts with North and West who were both 2-7 last season, but after that its opponents had a record of 47-35 last season…East’s district has an uphill climb in the district with Derby and Heights back. Derby and Heights comprised the western state semifinal game last season...East was outscored by an average of 22 points in games it lost last season.
