Andrean High School’s football team is entering the season with a roster comprising only 12 seniors. However, head coach Chris Skinner views this as an opportunity rather than a setback.
“We’re very young, but that doesn’t scare us,” Skinner said. “We’re not afraid of playing younger kids. If you’re talented enough, know the playbook and work hard, you deserve a shot.”
According to Skinner, the team benefits from having large freshman and sophomore classes. The coaching staff has adapted their strategies to align with the strengths of these younger players. “We don’t always do the same thing every year,” he explained. “We try to think about the talent we have, what they’re good at, and put them in positions to succeed.”
Skinner highlighted players like Ben Novak and Ethan Reyna as examples of young athletes who have earned significant playing time early in their high school careers. “Ben didn’t play football until high school, and by the week of the state championship he was our sixth lineman. Ethan got varsity snaps as a sophomore,” he noted.
The coach expressed anticipation for discovering which young players will emerge in 2024. “Every year, guys nobody’s talking about step up,” Skinner said. “We’ll rotate early and see who rises to the challenge.”
