School Name: Hershey Trojans
Coach: Mark Painter
Last Year: 6-5, 3-4
Last 5 Years: 35-22
Returning Starters: 6 on offense; 5 on defense
Key Players: QB Jesse Campbell; RB Jailen Harmon; RB-LB Nick Kroutch; OL-DL Chase Watkins; OL-LB Chris Stauch; C-DL Jimmy Marks; RB-LB Jimmy Eberle; OL-DL Derek Lutes; WR-S Michael Gadd; WR-CB Ian Whelan.
Offense Overview: Finding the balance the Trojans enjoyed in 2012 out of their Pistol Option offense will be a tall order with QB Zach Drayer gone and playing at St. Francis. Drayer accounted for more than 2,200 total yards last season and steered an offense that averaged a tidy and balanced 167 yards a game rushing and 165 a game passing. Standout WR Jesse Campbell is moving behind center as the QB this season. Good football players usually don’t have too much trouble adapting to a position change. And Campbell is a good HS football player. Jailen Harmon is back at RB after totaling 310 yards on the ground. And Nick Krouth, another senior RB, rang up 248 yards. So the Trojans know who their back in the Pistol offense will be. Senior WR Ian Whelan, who had nine catches for 181 yards and three touchdowns, is the veteran among the receivers. Up front, Bucknell recruit Chase Watkins is the anchor. Chris Stauch also has some experience. Expect this group to be a work in progress during the early week with the focus on running the ball.
D
efense Overview: Under Painter the last four years, Hershey’s 4-3 defense doesn’t jump out as a group that carries the load. But his defenses, while having some bend, toughen up in the red zone and are harder to break than you think. There’s five starters back led by Watkins and Derek Lutes up front. Chris Stauch is the veteran among the linebackers. Hershey allowed 29.1 ppg last season. If the opposition has speed on the outside, Hershey struggles to keep up. But inside the tackles the Trojans need to be physical and wrap up by getting plenty of helmets to the ball.
Biggest Game: Oct. 11 vs. Mechanicsburg
More Hershey: 2013 Schedule | Tentative 2013 Roster
Shay’s Crystal Ball: With exactly half its starters back, Hershey can look at the glass as half full instead of half empty. But the losses they did suffer were to some key players – including a pair of Division I recruits in Drayer and Penn State freshman Andrew Nelson. The Trojans have some skill players, and Campbell will adjust to his role fine as the QB. Up front is where the biggest concern lies for this club as it navigates the three-week non-divisional schedule before hitting the Keystone. Scoring points wasn’t a problem in 2012. But Hershey can’t surrender 29 points a game this season and win six games. Turnovers and penalties don’t rob this team of momentum. So execution is the key to unlock the door.
More: Complete Countdown to Kickoff coverage
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