Althoff hopes experience pays off with improvement on the football field in 2019
Associated with the Althoff football program for 20 years, Ken Turner has been with the Crusaders through the good times and the bad times.
The good times far outnumber the bad.
Entering his 12th season as the Crusaders head coach with a career record of 76-45, Turner has directed Althoff teams that advanced to state championship games in Class 2A (2012) and Class 4A (2015). Turner was also on the sidelines a year ago when Althoff finished a dismal 1-8.
“It was just one of those years. Nobody within our organization was happy about what we had to go through last year. It was tough for the kids, for the coaching staff and Althoff,” Turner said. “We had only seven seniors last year. We have a lot of players coming back who started and we have several others who saw a lot of playing time.
“The attitude is good. We’ve had an excellent summer and these kids are determined to put last season behind them.”
Even with 16 seniors on the roster, putting last season behind them could be easier said than done, especially in the first two weeks of the season. The Crusaders will travel to Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington on Friday to take on defending Class 4A state champion Elmhurst IC Catholic at 7 p.m.. Week two will find Althoff in St. Louis to play defending Missouri Class 5A state champion Vianney..
Leading the group of seniors returning are offensive’/defensive lineman Mack Harris and four-year starter Nolan Schmidt. The 6-2, 240-pound Schmidt is gifted athlete who has played several positions during his Crusaders career. This season he’ll line up as a fullback and will anchor the Crusaders defense as a linebacker.
Schmidt finished the 2018 season with 53 tackles, including 13 solos.
“Nolan is a pretty good football player who has played a lot of different positions,. He’s also one of our captains and one of our leaders,” Turner said. “He’ll be our fullback and having him back there is like having a lineman in the backfield.”
Harris (6-3, 240) is a three-year starter and will be a mainstay on both sides of the football , while Jeremiah Brannson (6-1, 195), Nick Greenwood (5-10, 190) and Will Wise (6-2, 220) also return on the offensive line.
“It all starts up front. We’ve still got some work to do, but I like what I see,” Turner said. “It’s an experienced group and they’re really working together right now. They’re a lot smarter group this year. They understand what we want from them and so I’m pretty excited about what we have up front this year.”
In the backfield along with Schmidt will be senior CJ Sharp (19 attempts, 81 yards) and DeShawn Williams. Several others are also vying for playing time at running back for Althoff.
But if the Crusaders are to contend for the South Seven Conference title and Class 2A playoff bid, they will need a big year from senior quarterback Will Ache. In his first season in an Althoff uniform a year ago, Ache completed 56-of-112 passes for 744 yards. He had only two touchdown passes while throwing six interceptions.
“Will had a really good summer.. He’s more confident and he understands our offense and what we need him to do. He’s a smarter quarterback this year,” Turner said. “Plus he’s grown a couple of inches and is probably about 6-4 now. But he’s like having another coach on the field because he understands the offense so well.”
Ache will have several good receivers to go to during the 209 season.
Senior Nick Alberico (30 receptions, 431 yards, 2 TDs) was the Alrhoff’s top receiver a year ago while Jhayden Fridge (8 catches, 108 yards) also returns. Senior Jason Blackmon and sophomore Jayden Cosey are two other wide outs expected to make an impact this season.
“I really like what we have in our receivers,” Turner said. “We don’t have a 6-4 210-pound guy who runs the 40 in 4.3 seconds, but we have a group of guys who work well together and can do what we want them to do in our system.”
Mack Harris and Joe Braunagel will anchor the defensive line while Schmidt and Sharp should be among the best Class 2A linebackers in the area
Alberico and junior Jordan Warner should be two of the top defensive backs in the South Seven Conference. Blackmon will also play in the defensive backfield.
Senior Anneus Riggs also returns in the Crusaders defensive backfield..
Althoff will be a better football team in 2019. Turner, however stopped short of an answer when asked if his Crusaders would be a playoff contender.
“”The one thing II can promise is that this football team won’t get caught not working hard. I feel like we’re capable of being a really good football team,” Turner said. “We have to take one day at a time. We have to get better each day.”
This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 5:05 AM.