Five burning questions: How will Edgewood football look this year?
At long last, it's game week for high school football in Indiana.
The season begins for teams across the state this Friday. In the buildup to those opening contests, we're taking deeper looks at each of the Bloomington-area teams. Edgewood is up here, ahead of their opener against Mitchell at home.
Here are five big questions about Edgewood that provide insight to how the Mustangs will look this season.
How will sophomore Jacob Murphy handle starting at quarterback?
"Beef" is stepping into the starting role as a sophomore after junior Jakob Lanning was ruled ineligible for this fall.
The Edgewood staff is confident in Murphy, and head coach Caleb True says Murphy is getting a little better every day. But it's a big spot for a sophomore, and practice is different than a game atmosphere.
Where's the 'Beef':Edgewood sophomore Murphy takes over at quarterback
True tweaked the offense a bit to fit Murphy's skill set — he may not offer the same running threat the Mustangs had with Lanning, but they like his arm. Edgewood is going to ease him in, likely leaning even heavier on the run game at the beginning of the season and setting up Murphy with easier reads.
It'll be interesting to see how those adjustments work out for Edgewood. The team's success or failure this season will hinge on more than just Murphy, but there's undeniably a lot on his shoulders. If he's up to the challenge and playing well, it would bode well for the Mustangs. If he makes some mistakes — as some young players tend to do — and takes a while to grow into the position, it would be a hard obstacle for Edgewood to overcome.
Will Edgewood's offensive skill positions provide the explosion they're hoping for?
Edgewood lost two-way player Colton Stewart from last year, as well as Lanning, but much of the rushing attack returns.
More:Top 6 Bloomington area running backs
Senior Stanley Oliver led the team with 196 yards last year, and junior Andrew Good chipped in with 102 yards as well. But for a team that leans on the run as much as the Mustangs do, they may need better output from that department this year. Good will play more wide receiver this year — he was Edgewood's leading receiver last year with 221 yards. Junior Gunnar Caswell wasn't a factor in the backfield last year, but True is hoping for a breakout year from the big, powerful back. Sophomore Gabe Drew will get some carries as well.
True is really excited about Good's potential this year. If he's as dynamic in the slot as anticipated, he could be a real asset for Murphy. Junior Grant Coffey lines up out wide again, after posting 124 yards on 16 catches last year. True thinks he could be a good playmaker when they can get him in space. Senior Mason Law and junior Ziggy Teran will also get some reps at wide receiver, and senior tight end Nathan Hixson is part of the equation as well.
More:Top 9 wide receivers in the Bloomington area
This group is the part of True's team that he's most excited about. He's confident they'll be able to provide the spark the Mustangs need.
How well will the Mustangs hold up in the trenches?
As a team that expects to run the ball a lot, offensive line play will be extremely important for Edgewood. The right side of the line is definitely the stronger side, with junior guard Chris Davis and senior tackle Logan Anderson. Both are returning starters, and Anderson was a Herald-Times All-Area pick.
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The rest of the line could be interesting. Edgewood is going with freshman Carter Hayden at center — possibly the toughest spot on the line for a freshman to step in. True said his snapping has been good so far, and they'll get him help from the other linemen with double teams when necessary and when possible. But he'll be thrown into the fire quickly against opposing defensive tackles. Junior Ethan Wilson started at left guard last year, but True said senior Josh Bower could see increased playing time there this year after a strong offseason. Junior Evan Dodds is in line to start at left tackle — he has the size for it, at 6-foot 4 and 200 pounds, but he's new to the position.
Defensively, Gaeb Novak is back on the end after earning All-Area honors last season. He led the team with 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. But there's less playing experience across the rest of the defensive line. Bower will slot in at defensive tackle as well as his spot on the O-line. True added juniors Corey Holland and Terrence Moore will be factors on the line as well. That group will play an important role for Edgewood right away in plugging up opposing running lanes.
Can Edgewood's returnees on defense step up as new faces acclimate?
Stewart's loss at safety is a big one for Edgewood — he led the team in tackles last season, and he packed a punch with his hits. Senior Mason Law is stepping into his spot this year, and True said his speed will help him both cover a lot of ground in pass defense and get downhill momentum to hit ball carriers.
Senior Isiah Giron will play alongside Law at safety, and True also called him a hard hitter. Good will play some cornerback for the Mustangs, and seniors Hayden Wilson and Joe West will get time there as well. It's a relatively inexperienced secondary that will have to prove itself quickly.
More:Top breakout candidates among Bloomington-area high school football players
The Mustangs' linebackers are the most veteran unit of the defense. Senior Zach Minnick will pair with Anderson on the outside in what the team will hope is an effective pass rush combination. Minnick was the team's second-leading tackler last year, and he wreaked havoc with three forced fumbles and two recoveries. Anderson came up with four tackles for loss, a sack, and two fumble recoveries of his own. Caswell lines up at middle linebacker with some breakout potential.
There's some returning experience on defense, but Edgewood has a lot of questions to answer on that side.
How will a quirky schedule impact the team midseason?
Edgewood's opening game against Mitchell on Aug. 19 was originally scheduled as a road game. But Mitchell's new turf won't be ready in time, so the contest is moving to Edgewood's red turf.
This sets up an interesting schedule quirk the Mustangs will have to deal with this year. Edgewood's first four games are now all at home. After Mitchell, the Mustangs host Monrovia, Peotone (Illinois), and Owen Valley. By the time they'll play their first road game, they'll be around halfway through the season.
More:Here's who Bloomington-area high school football teams play this year
That could be a weird adjustment for Edgewood. True said they might switch to practicing on their side field that week, just to get used to playing on a different surface. The Mustangs will have to avoid any complacency from playing on the red turf so much to start the year.
And beyond the surface itself, playing in a hostile environment for the first time that late in the season will be a challenge. There's a lot that teams can learn about themselves from playing on the road with the crowd primarily against them. The Mustangs will already have four games under their belts, and should have a good idea of who they are as a team, by the time they have to encounter that situation.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Five burning questions: How will Edgewood football look this year?
