McCaskey parlayed a 4-6 regular season into a District 3 Class AAAA playoff trip last fall. Then the Red Tornado lost some major playmakers to graduation. And when the team reported to camp for this season, there was a new offensive scheme to learn. Will a new option attack help McCaskey push the Section 1 favorites and get back to the postseason? Below is the Tornado’s Countdown to Kickoff preview.
SCHOOL NAME: McCaskey Red Tornado
COACH: Rob Monzon
LAST YEAR: 4-7 overall, 3-4 in L-L Section 1
LAST 5 YEARS: 15-37
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 on offense; 4 on defense
KEY PLAYERS: WR-DB Kyaire Bynum; QB-DB Brandon Allen; OL-DL Darnell Greene; TE-LB Tyler Owens; RB-LB Tyree Ballenger; RB-LB Tony Burnside; RB-DB Kamaal Gantz; WR-DB Dante Heard; QB-DB Eddie Adams; OL-DL Donovan Garcia.
OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW: Just three starters return here, and one of them — high-jump star Ballenger — shared carries in the backfield; he rushed for 195 yards and a TD last fall. Two linemen are back; Garcia (6-3, 275) and Greene (6-3, 245) will anchor that group. Everyone else is new, which prompted Monzon (4th season; 14-18 overall) to tweak his O scheme; he’s installed a “Multiple Option” attack, so you’ll see a lot of “Veer” and pitch plays, which means the guys along the revamped line have to be tough and ready to pull. Allen and Adams, both lefties, were getting plenty of reps in camp. They'll replace C.J. Gantz, last year's starter, who transferred to Lancaster Catholic. Neither Allen nor Adams has taken a varsity snap. Speedsters Bynum and Heard on the flanks and Owens at TE are all very capable targets, and Monzon really likes Burnside’s potential. Work in progress here with the new scheme. Be patient.
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW: Three of the Tornado’s top tacklers from 2012 return, and that’s a good thing, considering just seven total starters in all are back. Bynum (75 tackles, 3 picks) spearheads the secondary; Garcia (38 tackles) will anchor the d-line; and Owens (31 tackles, 3 sacks) is the ringleader from his LB spot in McCaskey’s “4-4” set. But everyone else is new. Same thing: Be patient.
BIGGEST GAME: August 30 at Reading. Week 1. Game 1. Every team would love a fast start. With this many new starters, McCaskey could really use one for its psyche moving forward.
MORE McCASKEY RED TORNADO: 2013 SCHEDULE
L-L LEAGUE SCRIMMAGE SCHEDULES
REINHART’S CRYSTAL BALL: There are a lot of holes to fill in Tornado Alley. How quickly those holes can be plugged and how fast the newbies can contribute on a Friday night will go a long way in determining where the Tornado will land come the first weekend in November. They’re well aware that Diante Cherry and Aaron Swinton aren’t walking through that door. It’s time for a new crop of athletes to step up, step in and fill their big shoes. Could be looking at a rebuilding season in Lancaster. That’s not always a bad thing; just when people start to overlook you, you creep up and beat them. McCaskey is hoping that’s the case this time around.