By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
After another dismal, covid-shortened season, the Abilene Cowboys football team will reload and continue their search for the teams first win since 2018.
In addition to several key returners, the Cowboys will enter the new year with a revamped roster thanks to a sophomore class bursting at the seams with talent.
“That sophomore group is incredibly competitive,” Abilene head coach Brad Nicks said. “They’re also very physical and that’s been contagious for the rest of our guys.”
At the top of this new class is an all-new backfield led by sophomore quarterback Stocton Timbrook, who was at the helm in the final game of the season against McPherson.
Joining Timbrook will be a pair of sophomore running backs in Zach Miller and Keaton Hargrave.
This youthful backfield will join a number of veteran returners who will remain instrumental in leading Abilene back to brighter days.
“Our seniors are such great leaders,” Nicks said. “They really care about the young guys and they want to be pillars to build this thing the right way.”
The wide receiving corps will feature a number of veteran pass catchers led by seniors Cooper Wildey, Nathan Hartman and Lucas DeDonder.
Caleb Becker, who played quarterback and safety a year ago, has converted to tight end and will shift to a defensive end spot on the other side of the ball.
Line play is still one of the biggest question marks for Abilene this season but the returners, while undersized, have beefed up in the offseason according to Nicks.
“Our offensive and defensive lines will be a big place for us to improve from last season to this season,” he said. “We’re looking forward to seeing the work those kids have put in this offseason pay off on the field.”
The line will feature Isaac Barbieri, Tristan Randles, Gavin Runyan, Richard Ortiz, and Ivan Rutz.
Defensively the Cowboys will remain true to their 4-2-5 defense and will require fewer two-way players from a year ago.
Up front, Caleb and Kyson Becker will work from the defensive end spots while Braden Humphreys and Brenton Reiff will look to pile things up inside.
Zach Miller and Rowdy Kuntz will fill out the two inside backer positions and will be instrumental in stopping the run, something Abilene struggled mightily to do in 2020.
“Our run defense in general has to be more physical,” Nicks said. “If you can’t stop the run nothing else matters.”
The secondary will see Nathan Hartman and Cooper Wildy take the corner spots while the safety duties are handled by Tristan Randles, Keaton Hargrave, and Carter Taplin.
While there seems to be nowhere for this program to go but up, the improvement for Abilene will be as mental as it is physical.
“You have to meet kids where they are and you want to see some improvements,” Nicks said. “I want to see them work harder in practice and compete harder in games. We can’t get our heads down every time something goes wrong but we’ve seen some of those improvements in practice and a lot of that stems from our leadership.”
Abilene will begin its season on September third when they hit the road to take on Clay Center.