Team photo: FROM LEFT Row 1: Thomas Carmony, Pernell Fountain, Joe Young, Bryant Koback, Emeka Cooper,Evan Lonsway, Jayme Robinson, Kyle Borchers, Etan Leonard, Bryan Rogers, Dylan White, Bryant Jackson, Lamar Witcher.
Row 2: Kaleb Bryant, Jarred Oliver, Jerry Kelly, Tyler Proctor, Andy Alderson, Steven Wilkes, Lemont Peppers, Nizam Westfall, Cody Albright, Bryce Nielsen, Justin Williams.
Row 3: Tyler Long, Shawn Oliver, Brett Keeler, Adam Beale, Alex Legeza, Chris Pasker, Tommy Simpson III, LaKeith Jackson, Skyler Canizales, Jay Vaughn.
Row 4: Trenton Link, Zachary Powhida, Nathon Stuckey, Joseph Geiger, AJ Guccardo, Kyle Rhonehouse, Logan Whitson, Wade Nielsen, Austin Porthouse, Tyler Litten, David Grow.
Row 5: DaeíVion Arnold, Johnnie Barringer, JT Hale, Brady Fisher, Xavier Rajner, Jacob Staup, Shane Gilbert, Kyle Cole, Kenneth Craig, Ethan Swiller, Jackson Yates.
Row 6: Coach AJ Harrison, coach Kamal Smith, Kortese Craig, Michael Key, Kevin Brake III, Sean Matthews, Derrique Ford, Cortez McDyess, Joel Cooper, coach Brad Leestma, coach Ty Shy.
Row 7: Coaches Rusty Smith, Mike Whitson, John Willis, Nate McAfee, Bernard Crawford, head coach Pat Gucciardo, Sam Arredondo, strength trainer Doug Nostrant, Garrett Barga, Jim Eberly. Not pictured: Thomas Robinson.
Coach: Pat Gucciardo, fifth year
Last season: 9-2, 6-1 NLL
Returning letter winners: 16
Returning starters: Offense 5, defense 5
Schemes: Fun-n-Gun/4-3, multiple
Top players: Seniors Bryant Koback, 6-0, 205, TB; Lamar Witcher, 5-11, 185, WR/DB; Bryan Rogers, 5-10, 235, DE/FB; Joe Young, 6-3, 245, OL; Pernell Fountain, 6-4, 240, OL; Evan Lonsway, 5-9, 185, DE. Juniors Tyler Long, 6-5, 260, OL/DE; Brett Keeler, 5-10, 180, ILB; LaKeith Jackson, 5-10, 175, WR; Chris Pasker, 6-3, 180, WR.
Outlook: The Blue Devils racked up points in record-setting fashion (47 points per game) and landed in the OHSAA playoffs for the first time in 21 years.
But a loss in the NLL opener to Perrysburg in which the team turned the ball over four times prevented Springfield from winning the program's first title since 1994.
Gucciardo, who has a 22-19 career record at Springfield has solid numbers (68) and experience with 20 seniors.
Koback, a powerful and speedy runner who has committed to play at the University of Kentucky, led the NLL in rushing with 2,016 yards and 36 touchdowns. Koback, who is a dangerous punt and kick returner, also can catch the ball out of the backfield (338 receiving yards last year).
Koback earned All-NLL first team honors along with Young and Rogers. Witcher and Fountain earned all league honorable mention.
Gucciardo cites speed, strength, experience, and depth at most positions as main strengths. But he lost All-NLL first team quarterback Scottie Seymour and the league's top receiver (D'Andre Hicks) to graduation.
“The players have worked extremely hard since December,” Gucciardo said. “I feel we are ready but also there is a lot to prove. For us to be successful, we must always win the kicking game and overcome turnovers.”
On the web: bcsn.tv/springfield
First Published August 24, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
