1) Milan, The Big Reds return a host of veteran players.
2) SMCC, look for the Falcons to rebound after playing a young lineup most of last season.
3) Riverview, loads of healthy talent returning.
4) Flat Rock, Rams looking for their best year in decades.
5) Huron, talented roster must adapt to a new coach and style.
6) Airport, talented group with an unproven 1st year coach.
7) Grosse Ile, Red Devils must replace virtually every starter with the loss of 13 seniors.
8) Jefferson, Bears must replace two of the better players in school history along with their coach.
Jefferson at 8.? Sounds ridiculous lol they are returning and have more coming up that anyone else knows. Humphrey and Sovey were great but the Bears can replace.Returning All-Region left tackle Thomas Eads, Corner and HalfBack Mitchell Payment, D-End Devin Rozmaric, Linebacker Alek Poremba, and much more other sold players, id watch out
Chris- I believe most GI folks respect your generally neutral analysis of area football talent over the years, but what several fans have pointed out about returning talent is correct.
GI has 6 players (juniors / sophomore) that finished either Second Team All-Huron League or Honorable Mention. Based upon how talented the Huron League was last year, I think one can safely say that would qualify as "experienced". But keep dogging the Devils– we will gladly accept the role of being underestimated until the first whistle…
EM always optimistic about Airport, until about week 2. Airport will be better because they have everyone back and the league will be down. I see 3 wins for them.
Don't you love when people put words in your mouth 1:19 poster? I sure do. It's not like I said they'll win the league, I said I think they can finish in the top 4. EM
Riverview plays romulus and redford union
Airport returns it's QB Jeska and leading rusher Foor. EM
No they only lost their Wingback, other 2 backs and QB are back
Airport returns it's QB and leading rusher. EM
Backfield? Don't they lose 2 starters back there?
Airport JV > Huron League
all kidding aside, I do see the Jets in the top 4 since they return their backfield and bring in a coach who is use to winning
Yes it's union. I misread. Thank you.
Milan still top dog. Funny if Huron thinks they are going to become a League Champ. SMCC & Riverview compete to dethrone Milan.
Thoughts on Huron winning the league?? I'm hearing hype, but hype doesn't win football games.
I have Airports JV winning the league this year
Redford Union
Riverview plays Union in week 9. Huron Plays Thurston. Romulus was a one year contract. I don't believe they are playing again this year.
Riverview opens with Romulus and closes with Redford Thurston.
That will be a very tough game for Flat Rock. Big and physical. I believe they had a new coach last season. The second season is usually better.
Chris. Any word on how Garden City will be this year? I know they looked to be much improved last season and almost knocked off GI in week 9
Any idea who Riverview is going to open with this season and end with? Looks like as of now they have openings for week 1 and week 9?
GI does not return 3 starters on the O-line. They had two very good lineman last year in #55 and #73. Like Chris said, they lost one of the best senior classes in school history. Losing 9-10 on each side of the ball will hurt any team, but losing that kind of class is tough. They might not win a game this season. Opening with Almont is a rough game. They might get run off the field. Jefferson and AP could be wins not knowing what either will look like, but losing a class like they did and struggling with lowest numbers in the league will make it hard for them to compete
Yes they do. #72 Lewis Will, #52 Collin Bammer, #65 Logan Brodeur, also #71 Jack Tucker started in a game last year
Furtney picked up a Wisconsin offer this weekend. Look for him to be a top 5 player in the state for next season. Wondering if the SEC will get involved soon? Michigan and Michigan state might be coming soon.
Also Kentucky, Minnesota, and Fresno State.
Forgot UConn and Missouri.
Airport definitely has enough talent to finish in the top half of the league. Whether that happens with a first year coach remains to be seen. EM
GI will have a dangerous running game between McGrath Lowler and Harwood behind 3 returning starters on the O-Linemen
Huron is losing 3 starting linemen who will be replaced predominantly by current sophomores, a tight end, their favorite wide receiver, one of the best linebackers they've had in a good while, their amazing kicker, and a damn good safety in their secondary. Plus all their players honored in papers were seniors. Unfortunately for the chiefs I don't see them winning any titles for a good amount of time even with the new coach and talent. I'd say an accurate list
I believe it's reasonable to say Huron could win the league…Impressive coaching hire along with a strong Junior class. Not to mention adding two players who will be among the best in the league.
… stay tuned for Friday Night Victors POWER RANKINGS.
Spiess has had instant success anywhere he has gone if you look at his career. Still, Milan probably the favorite.
Lots of questions to be answered.
Will Huron need a year or 2 under the new coach to reach potential, which is often the case. However the cupboard is far from bare.
Will SMCC bounce back from a disappointing 2016? Will the young lineup mature and gel?
Will Riverview finally be the team we expect them to be? Quality players everywhere. Is this the year?
What will Milan do with out Lindeman and Barnes? Can coach Hoskins keep things rolling?
Will Flat Rock REALLY compete for a title???
Much talk about the Airport sophomore class in 2016. Will they have enough senior leadership to allow them to be in the top four?
Lots of talk about GI thus far. Will they revert back to bottom dwellers of 2007, which was in the middle of 20 losses in a row? Will Coach Bodner keep things together and surprise us?
Thoughts???
Same old stuff, it's about match ups. Take it week by week. Milan will be good enough to win the league, they have to execute. SMCC will be at the top for sure.
Huron better worry about getting to 6. I will give them credit compared to the past with their non-conference schedule. Salem is a much improved team from the past and Redford Thurston is loaded with talent this year. Both will be very hard to beat. They made a good decision with the coaching hire thinking outside the box and not hiring someone local.
Huron having good players back, along with a new coach & two all league & District players wins the league.
I think Milan and Huron at top, Huron hired a instant success coach and the program is in good shape…. smcc and kipf need a big season bc so far he's not keeping tradition alive
If he is anything like myself, he will put the best guys in each position based on their ability to help the team. I'm sure both the players can contribute at another position if asked to do so. Remember, football is the ultimate team game.
GI and Jefferson will have a hard time competing. AP has a first time head coach. He better commit to one thing and not try to run everything on O. Riverviews staff is extremely average at best. You have to be able to pass the ball at least somewhat in the T. Not just a tightend corner. SMCC does a good job or at least did in the past of mixing it up when people stole the run
Riverview will be in the bottem 4. Stop power out of the T and you beat them. Gonna be interesting to see how things go at Huron. They have a game changer QB who looks like will be passed over for the coaches son.
His son was ALL League and ALL District for a 10-2 team, the 4th ranked team in Ohio…I think he'll play because he's good…
Remember the 4th ranked team in a very small school…. compatible to division 6 here.
*note. Chris likes to underplay his Chiefs. I believe he secretly thinks they will run the table.
1. SMCC 2.Riverview 3.Huron 4.Milan 5. Flat Rock 6.Airport 7. GI 8. Jefferson….
Watch out for Huron plenty of players back plus new coach plus some new players
Chris does a great job. These are opinions of one person who has started an open forum for discussion. He usually makes some valid points because unlike most, he actually watches different teams play throughout the season, compared to fans who only see an opponent once a year. The second people don't agree about something, you don't have to turn it into a crybaby fest. These are opinions.
BTW….. Chris is usually pretty damn close from top to bottum with his predictions. Just sayin. Enjoy reading the blog.
Milan Fan
League will be solid next year, top to bottom.
No worries, comes with territory.
It's funny how Grosse Ile had nothing bad to say to you last year Chris, but as soon as you don't pick them the way they feel they turn on you.
GI will beat airport and only airport next year, too cocky for a team thats losing the players they depended on.
Well is it the weakest projection list I have ever seen, sure you didn't fall off your barstool? -UncleOf38
Chris keep up the good work.. this dude is a clown.. we all know they won't do shit this fall!!
Oooo edgy
Big guy Furteny from Milan got his second Power 5 offer according to twitter. Syracuse and last week Virginia. Waiting for his first Big Ten offer. Should be coming soon.
Milan Fan
Fair assessment but I hope view can beat Milan and CC this year in there regular back to back against them. I think the island might have the type of season view did this year. Alot of talent gone and alot of question marks at important positions. Speaking of view… Chris have you seen the new weight room? It's amazing.
View hopeful
What am I suppose to say to that? you didn't really make much sense so I thought that I would let you sit on that comment and look stupid rather than let you open your mouth again and remove all doubt.
I wish there was a "like" button on here….you crack me up Chris!
You never responded to my shovel comment, nancy boy… UncleOf38
Don't bash me because you're wrong I rattled off that there were 5 others with "playing experience" and I mentioned there were 23 on the roster meaning that everyone on the team got playing experience. Smh lol lmao
……..and I did say playing experience. You must be a participation trophy guy.
Nobody questioned their work ethic. They just don't have a lot of experience back. Sheeeeesh. smh
Yes, you sound like you were hit in the head with a shovel in farm country -UncleOf38
Collin Bammer Lewis Will both second team all leauge juniors Will having 2 years under his belt along with Kenny Marx and Harrison Cowan on the defensive side of the ball both starts and finally Riley Lowler and Logan Broduer perhaps the best in their class missed this season but played on varsity as sophmores. Pleanty of experience
"Real varsity experience" that's a little insulting to kids that were a member of that team and worked their tails off considering they only had 23 on their roster during the regular season. A quick google search will also tell you that Harry Cowan, Jack Tucker, Lewis Will, Collin Bammer, and Kenny Marx all started at some point of the season some of them even started the entire season.
A simple google search will tell you that they have three players back with any real varsity playing experience. That would be Harwood, McGrath and Yops.
Rediculous?
Chris, a little disappointed in your google skills.
GI is returning 3 starters on the OL alone. Non of which are Harwood, McGrath or Yops
Ridiculous?
YES !
Nice work
I heard Huron hired a coach out of Ohio. I'm not in the know, so do we have a name?
You missed an entire thread about it on here. http://huronleaguefootball.blogspot.com/2017/01/huron-hires-speiss.html?m=1
And an article in the paper. http://www.monroenews.com/sports/20170124/huron-hires-tim-spiess-as-its-new-football-coach
Ohhhhhhh
A simple google search will show that the Devils return with 11 seniors so I don't think replacing will be all that tough lol
#15 Dad
I think it's going to be a 3 team race.. between SMCC, Milan and Riverview..
I think it's going to be a 3 team race.. between SMCC, Milan and Riverview..
This is rediculous… -UncleOf38