By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports
Here’s what Loyola football coach Mike Greene is faced with this year as the Flyers prepare for the 2022 season — the leading rusher, the leading passer, the two leading receivers, the two leading scorers and 61 percent of Loyola’s all-purpose yards are all gone.
The Flyers scored 396 points last year, but 294 of those have graduated.
“It is going to be different,” Greene said. “I don’t see us making a lot of 80-yard runs. We are going to have to be very disciplined and play ball control. We are going to need to have some 10- and 12-play drives.”
Loyola had nine scoring plays of 50 or more yards last year on a team that averaged 36.0 points per game and won seven straight games on the way to an 8-3 season and a second-round playoff berth in the Division II playoffs.
Much of that quick-strike offense was led by quarterback Jacob Lafitte (the school’s No. 2 career passer and all-time leading scorer) and Tray Taylor (No. 2 career receiver). Both have graduated.
But Greene likes how his team is built and just as happy about being in Class 2A. In previous years when Loyola played in Class 3A, that meant the Flyers had to participate in the Division II playoffs, which had schools more than twice their enrollment.
“We have 15 seniors and that’s the key,” Greene said. “You look at any team that goes deep in the playoffs, they are senior-based. We are now in a position where we are not playing someone that we shouldn’t be playing in the playoffs. It’s a more level playing field. I’m looking forward to getting in the playoffs and knowing that we have a chance.”
Three of those seniors will be leading the Loyola offense. Cooper DeFatta (5-10, 180) led the Flyers in tackles last year with 104 as an All-District linebacker and also started at running back. This year, he will be at quarterback, where he played as a backup when he was a sophomore.
“Cooper is going to have to manage the game and not try to do too much,” Greene said. “We just aren’t going to be as explosive as we were.”
Running back Trace Wall (5-8, 185) ran for 874 yards and seven touchdowns and was the team’s second-leading rusher behind Lafitte. “Last year he was that unheard of guy and all of a sudden he exploded,” Greene said. “I’m expecting even more. For us to be successful, he’s going to have to have a bunch of yards.”
John Carmody (6-3, 175) was the third-leading receiver for the Flyers in 2021 with 15 catches for 156 while also starting at cornerback.
“John is going to be our go-to guy this year. He’s starting to understand that he’s a heck of an athlete,” Greene said. “I’m looking forward to him having a really great year.”
The offensive line returns three starters, including three-year veteran Kade O’Neal (6-2, 280) at center.
Defensively, the Flyers will return quite a few starters, including All-District end Andrew DeFatta (6-1, 240), who had 12 tackles for loss, junior strong safety Reagan Coyle (5-10, 165), who was fourth on the team in tackles, and defensive back Grayson Hutchins (5-11, 150), who led the team with six passes broken up.
The Flyers, who will open on Sept. 1 against Captain Shreve at Lee Hedges Stadium, will play only one of their first five games at Messmer Stadium.
Contact J.J. at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com