Nazareth should be pretty good and now they have a swagger and an expectation to win. I think from my outside perspective they were still a little unsure going into this past season. They knew they would be good but you could tell against Joliet Catholic at least that they still were not totally sure of themselves. If I was a Naz person I would be very concerned about depth. Usually that is Nazareth's undoing. The ESCC is a grinder and Naz usually gets beat up, by the time they get to the playoffs they're down 3-5 starters and with normal Naz numbers that's crushing. Last year they best the hell out of everyone both physically and on the scoreboard. They're guys rested in every game but JCA. I don't expect that dominance and in some close hard hitting games injuries will happen. Can Naz overcome those injuries? I just don't know.
They may actually be better at the skill positions which is a scary thought. I loved their SR QB last year, #7, but Bartels split time with him the whole regular season and made an equal amount of plays. His stats may have even been better but #7 was very good at holding onto the ball. Nolan Dean will be a loss, that kid was a horse but everyone forgets they basically went the whole year without their returning starter at RB. Kelly-Martin is a different back than Dean, he's the prototypical Nazareth speed back and I'll have a HUGE season as a junior this year, all state type season. At WR Naz will be even better. I LOVE the trio of WR's they have returning, Love is the best in the state in my opinion, Simmons is very good in his own right and they have a Soph (JR to be) Weller that looked great for their varsity this year and was a beast as a Frosh on Soph team in '13. That kid will take a step forward and look out for that trio. Prendergast at TE is a weapon Nazareth didn't even utilize this past year, which is scary because he's a D1 kid. I don't know if the other kid is strictly a DL now but they have a TE/WR that is a Soph that I saw tear up Soph level in '13. I really like that kid too as a flex TE. The OL will take a hit, there is no doubt about. That may have been the best OL I've seen. They have some capable kids, Behrendt is bigger than those graduating and played a lot as a JR, that Dunn kid is top 100 in the country special and I assume he'll move from his blocking FB role to OL. The C (name I don't know) played some too. Not sure what's on tap for the other two positions and I know Naz has limited bodies but they only need to find 2.
Defense will be very good too. Their DL will be stout bringing back I believe 3 starters, their LB's will be undersized but fast, two kids played a lot as JR's and at DB they bring back Love who's an eraser and Kelly-Martin and Weems at CB.
There are not many holes that I can see as a mostly unbiased observer. I know the Naz parents I associate with are excited about their chances but I think the season will hinge greatly on health. You lose 1 important kid (many kids playing 2 ways) and they'll be in a world of hurt.
According to those in the know Naz will definitely be 5a and would have to be one of the favorites there. Naz-JCA will probably match up twice.
