By: Con Marshall
CSC Sports Information
The Chadron State College offensive and defensive units had vastly different objectives when they launched spring practice the last week of March. Last year’s team had 20 seniors, 17 of them from the offensive unit. Those grads included four starters in the line, a three-year stalwart at tight end and two of the three leading pass receivers. On the other hand, the defense is returning all but three of its 2024 starters and also has most of last season’s alternates back.
Thus, the offense is undergoing a major rebuilding project, while the defense is concentrating on polishing its schemes, adding depth in places and building on last year’s success.
The Eagles had a 3-8 record last fall, losing five games by a touchdown or less, including one by a single point and two by three points. It wouldn’t have taken much to have had a winning record.
CSC finished second in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in total defense, giving up just 288 yards a game, and was third in scoring defense, yielding only 19.3 points a game.
“We’re fortunate to have a good group coming back,” said Defensive Coordinator Clint Sasse. “But we’re not going to rest on our laurels. We’ll keep trying to improve. We’ve already made progress. Some of the guys in our front seven (linemen and linebackers) have added what I call ‘good weight’ and strength during winter workouts that will help us improve our run defense.”
The defense graduated two of its standouts from last fall: End Hunter O’Connor, a three-time RMAC First-Team honoree who set the CSC record for career sacks (35.5) and linebacker Xavier Harrell, who was the Eagles’ second leading tackler with 66, including 6.5 for minus yardage.
Sasse is confident sophomore Griffin Clubb will be a solid replacement for O’Connor and blend in well with highly-regarded returning starters Tanner True and William Stemler in the three-man front.
Ryder True, Tanner’s younger brother, and Darryl Williams are slated to provide support as edge rushers, while senior Andrew Calderon and sophs Bo Douglass and Tucker McGinnis are prominent in the nosetackle plans.
Sasse also is confident the Eagles’ linebacking corps that includes returning starters Reed Henkel and Logan O’Brien, along with sophomores such as Liam Blaser and Reese Jacobs, will be excellent. Transfer Cooper Walton is also highly regarded.
Last year’s secondary was vastly improved, allowing 90 fewer yards a game through the air than the previous year. Its leader, senior Dax Yeradi, intercepted four passes and earned First-Team All-RMAC. Fellow safety Tucker Peterson also picked off three passes and Sutton Pohlman is one of the team’s surest tacklers.
Also returning are cornerbacks Omar Ali, a talented pass defender, and Jadon Bowen, who swiped a pass in both of the Eagles’ final two games last fall. Good help is expected from Ja’Far Bashir, an all-conference corner from a California juco.
Sasse added that 2024 freshmen such as Alijah Bruce, Eli Martinez and Gage Mintkin are waiting in the wings in the secondary and are expected to key members of special teams this fall. Sophomores such as Cedar Amiotte and Aiden Kuester are in the same category.
In a nutshell, Offensive Coordinator Micah Smith said his unit’s goal is to assemble a line that can protect the quarterback and help the Eagles run the ball more effectively.
Head Coach Jay Long, who also is the chief offensive line mentor, seems invigorated by the challenge. There are at least a dozen candidates for the playing time. He is pleased with their potential and says the future is bright up front.
The lone returning starter is guard Levi Banuelos. Two alternates from last fall, Iskandar Albitar and Rudy Gish, figure in the mix, along with seven redshirt freshmen and three transfers.
Taking advantage of a rather recent rule change that allows freshmen to play in three games without losing a year of eligibility, five of the rookies started a game last fall and have something like 40 to 50 snaps under their belts.
“We knew we would need these guys this fall and found a way to get them some experience last season without burning any eligibility,” Long said. “This spring we’re putting them in different combinations and moving them to various positions, trying to find the best five. I anticipate they will still be competing for playing time when we open the season this fall. We should be improved in the line and have lots of depth.”
The redshirts are Wyatt Anderson, DeAndre Berry, Fletcher Black, Corbin Holler, Matt Jennings, Tristan Randall, and Geraldo Vasquez. They hail from six different states. To make sure there will be plenty of competition, three transfers--Dominic Castanon, Jal Chan and Carlos Orea—were added at the start of the second semester. Each was an all-conference choice at his former school.
The quarterback position is also getting a long look this spring. Last year’s starter, DJ Ralph, played well when he was healthy, but that was only a handful of games. He completed 94 of 140 passes for 1,085 yards and eight touchdowns and threw only three picks.
Ralph required surgery on his ailing left shoulder before the season ended. He is still rehabilitating, but is expected to be at full strength this fall.
Thus the Eagles’ quarterbacks this spring are Aiden Thompson, a transfer from Oklahoma Baptist, where he threw for more than 2,400 yards the past three seasons, and Wyatt Sprague, a Colorado all-stater at Holyoke in 2023. Like his offensive line classmates, Sprague played in three games last fall while preserving his four years of eligibility.
Junior Jake Marschall is the most experienced of the CSC running backs. He has rushed 283 times for 1,208 yards the past two seasons. Sophomore Isaac Jean-Pierre also saw action late last season while transfer Anthony McMillen, who is 6-1, 235 pounds, and redshirt Quincey Ryker, who broke loose for a 72-yard touchdown jaunt last fall, also are contending for playing time.
One of the Eagles’ standouts is senior receiver Tommy Thomas, who has caught 91 passes for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns the past two seasons. This year’s receiving corps also will include Rollin George, who had 21 receptions for 218 yards last fall, along with versatile senior Preston Pearson, who has played various positions while coming to the Eagles’ rescue several times.
Scatback Chase Nelson came out of the backfield to catch 17 passes for more than a 10-yard average last fall and speedy transfer Devon Sandgren is expected to be a good addition.
With two of the best in the business returning for their final seasons, there’s lots of confidence in the CSC kicking game. Brodie Eisenbraun averaged 43.3 yards on 53 punts last fall, including 15 that were 50 yarders. Wilson Yee has booted 23 field goals the past two years, including five that were at least 52 yards long, including the school-record 61-yarder.
The CSC coaches say the 90-man roster includes other promising players.
“We’ll know a lot more about them by the end of the spring,” Long noted. “We always find some diamonds in the rough.”
The Eagles’ spring finale is set for Friday, April 25.