#7 ST. STEPHENS

The Indians have a new head coach this season although he is no stranger to the program. Offensive coordinator Fred Whalen was elevated to the head coaching position when Doug Justice jumped ship to take the top job at North Henderson. What will this mean for the program over in Indian Territory? Stay tuned...

AT A GLANCE

2007 Record: 6-6 overall, 4-4 CVAC

Coach: Fred Whalen
Career: 0-0 (1st year)

Returning Starters: N/A

Primary Strengths: The Indians return some skill position players who should definitely have an impact in 2008. Probably the most important of these is senior Patrick Jenkins, who was the team's leading receiver in 2007 with 38 receptions for 549 yards and six touchdowns. Casey Peissel, Marshae Woods and Caleb Peterson are also valuable multi-purpose skill people that Whalen will rely upon.

Potential Problems: St. Stephens needs to find a quarterback in a hurry. Quarterback Matt Rowe was the heart and soul of the Indian offense last season as he completed 127 of 223 passes (57%) for 1,573 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also was the team's second-leading rusher with 583 yards and six touchdowns. He has graduated, however, and that leaves junior Matt Fussell at the helm of the offense. The fact that Fussell has zero varsity experience doesn't mean that he can't be effective. But it does mean that we don't know what is going to happen for the Indians this season. Furthermore, he will have to operate behind a completely rebuilt offensive line.

Key Losses: Quarterback Matt Rowe, top rusher Dustin Wilson, second-leading receiver Kelsey Rose, defensive end Evan Short, offensive tackle William Joseph.

Overview: The Indians made the playoffs last year by the skin of their teeth due mostly to the talents of departed quarterback Matt Rowe. He had a knack for making plays, as evidenced by the Indians' nearly-triumphant performance against Hickory last year. Another crucial element of last year's success for St. Stephens was the experience of the seniors who had suffered through consecutive 0-11 seasons in 2004 and 2005. Last year was the year of redemption for the program. Now the question is this: Have the Indians turned a corner in the evolution of their program? Or will they take a step back this fall? I say there is potential here for a successful season, at least by St. Stephens standards. They could finish a couple of spots higher...or they could finish a couple of spots lower. We shall see...