The NKyTribune is featuring each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2017 season on Friday. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
As the only full-time returning starter on offense, Holy Cross senior quarterback Dylan Couch will play an important role as team leader for the Indians. (Photo by Terry Boehmker)
Holy Cross senior quarterback Dylan Couch is well aware that he’ll play a much more important role in the team’s offense this season.
Most of the players who carried the Indians to the semifinals of the Class 2A playoffs last year were seniors. The graduates included running backs Derrick Barnes and Xavier Abernathy, who rushed for a net total of 2,617 yards and 40 touchdowns.
With those ball carriers no longer in the backfield, Couch needs to be the driving force in the team’s offensive attack this season. But things didn’t get off to a very good start during a scrimmage game against Bellevue last Friday.
“It’s a huge difference between handing the ball off and watching those other guys run (last year) and having to do it yourself,” Couch said after the scrimmage. “I know we’ll come together and get better. But for now, after our first time together as a team, it’s kind of rough.”
Couch put up some good numbers last season. He threw for 866 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 406 yards and three TDs. But he’s the only full-time starter returning on offense and most of the newcomers around him have little or no varsity experience.
Holy Cross coach Bruce Kozerski said having a couple of players go out with injuries during preseason practice hasn’t helped matters as the Indians prepare for their season opener at Pikeville on Friday.
“We decided we’re going to be young, but we’re not going to use that as an excuse and we’re going to get better every week,” Kozerski said.
Couch expects to be doing a little bit more of everything on offense for Holy Cross coach Bruce Koserski, right, this season.
“We coached a great group of kids (last year), but they graduated and you move on,” the coach added. “You don’t have the opportunity in high school to sign them to a new contract or recruit new players. But this group we have is going to be good. They work hard and that’s all I can ask. Work hard and it’ll come together.”
Couch knows his steady leadership will be crucial to the young team’s early development. During last week’s scrimmage game, he didn’t get frustrated when the offensive unit got off to a bad start, but the Indians moved the ball much better in their final series of plays.
“The training wheels came off on that last drive and we put it into the end zone,” Couch said. “That’s what it comes down to — we need to build up the confidence that we have in each other.”
The drive ended with a receiver catching a nice pass from Couch in the end zone. The quarterback also picked up some yardage running the ball during the series. He’s definitely going to be the player that every opponent’s defense keys on until the Indians develop other scoring threats, but he doesn’t seem worried about that.
“I think I’ll be doing a little bit of everything a little bit more (on offense) because I’m a senior and it’s on my shoulders to do what’s best for the team,” Couch said. “But it still comes down to the coach and his game plans and whatever he decides to do.”
Couch also plays safety on the Holy Cross defense. Kozerski would like to limit his time in that position because the senior’s most important responsibility will be running the offense without the veteran running backs he had last season.
“It’s going to be one of those years where if we make plays that present themselves we’ll score some points,” Kozerski said. “We can’t miss those opportunities because they’re not going to come as often as they did last year and we don’t have as many game-breakers.”
HOLY CROSS INDIANS
2016 SEASON: 10-4 record, lost in semifinal round of Class 2A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 2A, District 4 with Lloyd, Newport and Newport Central Catholic.
HEAD COACH: Bruce Kozerski (67-77 in 12 seasons at Holy Cross).
2017 SCHEDULE
Aug. 18 – at Pikeville, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 – at Goshen (Ohio), 1 p.m.
Sept. 2 – SCOTT at Thomas More, 5 p.m.
Sept. 8 – at Walton-Verona, 7 p.m.
Sept. 15 – CINCINNATI HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY at Holmes, 7 p.m.
Sept. 22 – at Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29 – at Holmes, 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 – NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC at CovCath, 1 p.m.
Oct. 14 – NEWPORT at CovCath, 1 p.m.
Oct. 20 – at Lloyd, 7 p.m.
Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
DAYTON GREENDEVILS
COVINGTON CATHOLIC COLONELS
BISHOP BROSSART MUSTANGS
WALTON-VERONA BEARCATS
COOPER JAGUARS
SCOTT EAGLES
LUDLOW PANTHERS
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS
LLOYD JUGGERNAUTS
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC THOROUGHBREDS
NEWPORT WILDCATS
BOONE COUNTY REBELS
BELLEVUE TIGERS
BEECHWOOD TIGERS
CONNER COUGARS
CAMPBELL COUNTY CAMELS
DIXIE HEIGHTS COLONELS
HOLMES BULLDOGS
