There has been a pattern of gradual improvement over the past few seasons for the Marysville High School football team.
Since the 2015 campaign, the Monarchs have improved their win total by one game each season.
They went from 2-8 in 2015 to 3-7 in 2016 and 4-6 during head coach Brent Johnson’s first season in 2017.
MHS continued that trend last year with an overall record of 5-5. That included a 2-3 mark (fourth place) in the Ohio Capital Conference Central Division.
Despite the trend, Johnson said it’s important for his squad not to “get the cart in front of the horse.”
“We just want to be good in our process and culture of being a good football team,” he said. “We just want to focus on being 1-0 each week.”
The Monarchs have a number of key lettermen who will lead the way toward what Johnson hopes is continued improvement.
Those veterans include Chase Kilgore (running back-linebacker), Jaden Simmons (running back-safety), Ian Johnson (defensive end and offensive guard), Matt Belt (offensive guard), tight end Jagger Snyder, linebacker David Farley and fullback Ryan Kern.
There will be several newcomers to the varsity squad who will also play vital roles.
They include linebacker Aiden Lambert, running back-linebacker Gabe Powers, cornerback Jake Carper, offensive linemen Michael Cogossi and Gavin Rohrs, defensive lineman Zach McMinn (a move-in from Dublin Jerome) and former North Union starter Carson Smith, who will play cornerback.
Johnson is pleased with the size of many of the linemen on both sides of the ball.
Ian Johnson is 6-0 and weighs 215 pounds, while Belt is 6-2 and goes 245.
Rohrs stands 6-4 and weighs 265, while McMinn is 6-3, 260.
Cogossi is 5-11 and 250.
“We’re a little bigger and quicker than we customarily are,” said Johnson. “I attribute that to all the hard work the guys have put into conditioning and the weight room.”
One key position heading into the 2019 campaign is that of quarterback.
Walker Heard graduated last spring after leading the Monarch offense for several seasons.
Johnson wasn’t quite ready to name a starter prior to Friday’s scrimmage at Hilliard Darby.
He did say, however, that Nate Morey and Logan McSwords are battling for the top job.
The starting QB will be handed the keys to a Wing T offense that Johnson hopes is a little more diversified this fall.
“We want to use a little more play-action passing and be a more balanced offensive team,” he said. “If we can do that, it will eliminate opposing teams from loading the box on us.
“It will also help to open up our running game if other teams have to be concerned with us throwing the ball a little more.”
The Monarchs will also continue with their 4-3 defense.
“We’re going to be big and physical up front,” said Johnson. “Gabe (Powers) is a big linebacker and we have some others who are very fast.”
The Marysville boss said he likes the work ethic of his squad heading into the upcoming campaign.
“I know it’s a coaching cliché, but we have a bunch of blue-collar guys who work very hard and pride themselves on that,” he said. “It’s a tight group that has a good worker’s mentality.”
Johnson feels MHS will be able to keep opposing defenses off-balance with its new offensive wrinkle. He also feels the Monarchs’ defensive unit will pursue the ball well.
That has been a trademark of MHS defensives for many years, he said.
The OCC Central Division will once again provide a tough slate of games.
“Dublin Coffman is very good and Hilliard Davidson has a program that’s good every year,” said Johnson. “Upper Arlington will play disciplined football, Westland is improving and Central Crossing is a team that has good athletes and is well-coached.
“We will need to pay attention to detail in each game,” he said. “We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties and turnovers.
“We have to compete hard and win games in the fourth quarter,” said the coach. “If we can do that, hopefully we can come out on top in the Central Division.”