By Chris Parker
Marshfield football will have a different look this year after the graduation of second-team all-state running back Daylon Kanengieter. Kanengieter rushed for 1,962 yards and 23 touchdowns on 225 carries last season. He accounted for 76% of Marshfield’s rushing yards last season.
“He had an awesome year. He set every rushing record in Marshfield history whether it be single game, single season or career; he owns them all now,” Marshfield head coach Cody Bull said. “That kind of says all of it right there. He’s the No. 1 rusher in Marshfield football history, and there’s been some pretty good running backs come through here.”
Junior quarterback Bryant Bull, who is the son of Coach Bull, will be asked to do more this year both through the air and with his legs to replace Kanengieter’s production.
“He’s having to step up,” Bull said. “He’s spent a lot of time on the road this winter, trying to get better at playing quarterback at Elite 11 camps, U.S. National team combines and every D1 camp within about eight hours of here he’s either been invited to or been at. He’s been working on his craft. It’s been fun to do and watch him get better and grow up and do some of that stuff.”
Bull threw for 1,324 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 297 yards and one touchdown last year.
“He’s a physically different looking kid. He’s done a really good job in the weight room. He’s getting a lot stronger. Obviously, he’s going to have to pick up some of the carriers that Daylon is vacating; not all of them, but some of them. Having Daylon, he didn’t have to run the ball very much last year. He will this year,” Bull said. “We’re obviously going to throw it a little more (this year). We don’t have the big huge offensive line. We’ve got a good offensive line, they’re just not the same type of bodies.”
Senior Kyle Jones will be the top receiver this year after Marshfield’s two leading pass catchers graduated. Jones caught 10 balls for 130 yards last season.
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“He is stepping into that No. 1 role. He’s had a great summer and spring. We do a lot of throwing in the off-season and he has been leading that group,” Bull said. “So far in 7-on-7 he’s had some great days, made some big time catches and he’s a playmaker. He’s going to be the guy that’s going to kind of run the show out there at receiver.”
Classmate Cooper Kimrey will also see an expanded role in the passing game.
“He’s very explosive. He’s going to be a great guy throwing screens too, and things like that,” Bull said. “Cooper is really twitchy and super strong, so I’m looking for him to have a good year out there”
Tight end will be a strength with Kyler Menzies, Tyler Young and Joe Harles.
“We’ve got a bunch of guys who can all run and catch and block from that position,” Bull said.
Sheldon Espy will play at fullback and in the slot receiver position for his senior year.
Dayvion Harris will have a big role in the offense at running back.
“He is extremely fast and a very good runner. He’s getting better and better by the day catching the ball,” Bull said. “I expect him to have a have a breakout year.”
The offensive line will look different, but it won’t lack size.
“Last year’s offensive line we were on average 6’2, 270 pounds across the front. We were big,” Bull said. “This year we aren’t small by any stretch. Our smallest guy is 220 pounds. We just look different. They’re very athletic. They’re all guys that move really well. Some of them have played fullback type positions and they’re moving up to the offensive line.”
Senior Jeremy Graham, who has played both linebacker and fullback, will be on the offensive line. Maguire Wilson, who stands 6’5, 240 pounds, will play left tackle. Tate Crawford, who earned all-conference honors on the defensive line, will also play on the offensive line. Juniors Jagger Robinson and Mason Mellington round out the offensive line.
“I think we’ll be able to kind of get the ball out and throw the ball around a little bit. I think that’s kind of going to be who we are, but I definitely think our run game is going to be better than people think after losing Daylon,” Bull said. “We’re probably going to be pass-first and look to get the ball outside and get moving in one-on-one type stuff.”
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Crawford earned first-team all-conference honors at defensive tackle last year. He will again anchor the defensive front. He had three sacks last year.
“Tate demands double teams,” Bull said. “He’s not just a big guy that plugs, he can move. You know he’s athletic. He comes in the gym, and he can jump up and grab the rim do some athletic stuff. They have to block him with a couple guys which allows our linebackers to run and play free.”
Wilson returns at defensive end where he had 66 total tackles as a senior.
“He (Wilson) is hard to deal with on the edge. He is long and fast. He is very physical,” Bull said.
Robie Hearod will also play on the defensive line.
Graham is the team’s top returning tackler at linebacker. He had 99 total tackles and 11 tackles for a loss last year.
“Jeremy is very smart. He plays with a ton of energy. He just always works,” Bull said. “He does a great job of timing his blitzes is and understanding when we’re when we’re stunting and when we’re doing things moving the defensive line and knowing where plays are going to be. He picks up on all those things really fast.”
Dusty Stevens, Ben Wirtel and Menzies will also play linebacker.
The secondary will be experienced with Kimrey, Jones, Andrew Beckner and Jake Sheffer all returning as starters. Kimrey, Sheffer and Jones all had one interception each last year. Sheffer was the leading tackler in the group with 53 total tackles.
Senior leadership will again be strong for Marshfield this year.
“(Our seniors) have done a great job stepping into their new roles. We had a big senior class last year that did a great job with leadership, so these guys, it’s their turn and it is their program and they’re taking that to heart, so it’s really been. It’s been fun to watch those guys in summer workouts.”
Marshfield opens the season on Aug. 27 at Seneca. At that point, Bull will be looking for his team to be playing fast and with a purpose.
“If we turn on the tape and it looks like we are moving at a higher speed than everybody else on the field, which means our guys are playing really hard. That means we’re playing very fast. That means we’re being efficient in everything we’re doing. I think that’ll help wins take care of themselves,” Bull said. “At times last year, I felt like we got a little sluggish, and that bothered me a little bit, so that’s a major focus for us is making sure that that our pace of play and our intensity and everything matches our goals. You can’t win if you’re not firing on all cylinders all the time, so that’s really what I’m looking for. If we can play just super intense and super-fast that it’s going to turn itself into wins.”
