Bearcats’ Knabb excited for upcoming season
Football season is here, and fourth-year Bentworth head coach JJ Knabb is excited for what lies ahead for the Bearcats.
“While we only have three seniors and five or six juniors, we have one of the bigger teams we have had in years,” Knabb said of his roster size. “Although we are still underclassmen heavy, we have a lot of experience back and that is a positive.”
Knabb anticipates anywhere from 26 to 28 players, and the experience players gained last year will help this year.
“We expect to be much improved on last year,” Knabb said of the 2021 team that won two games. “We are better on offense and defense, and a big goal is to be better tacklers.
“Last year, we gave up a lot of points because of missed tackles. We were in position to make them, but we just didn’t tackle.
“A point of emphasis this summer has been tackling and if we can improve that, it will fix a lot of our problems.”
If the Bearcats can indeed improve their tackling and make a few other improvements, Knabb thinks the team can get into the postseason.
“We want to make the playoffs,” said Knabb. “We have to be in the top four in the conference to do that, and I fully expect us to be picked last or next to last based off of performance from last year and our youth.
“However, I think we have the talent and athleticism to surprise some people.”
The Bearcats are in the Tri-County South Conference with Beth-Center, California, Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, Monessen and West Greene.
“Cal is up there and has 45 to 50 kids a year,” Knabb said. “I think George (Messich) will have the team to beat at Mapletown.”
Bentworth has been known to focus on either passing or the running game in past years, but Knabb is looking for more balance this season.
“We have tweaked our offense to be more balanced,” said Knabb, who is in his 30th consecutive season of football between playing and coaching. “Historically, we have been pass heavy or run heavy, but we want to even things out.”
The returns eight players on offense who started or contributed significant minutes.
Junior Vitali Daniels moves from wide receiver to quarterback and classmate Ben Luketich moves from slot receiver to running back.
Sophomore Gavin Piasecki returns at receiver, while classmate Lucas Burt is in the slot.
The Bearcats return four starters up front. Center Cam McGraw is the lone senior of the group and is joined by junior Noah Youngblood (left guard) and sophomores Abe House (right guard) and Alex Rusilko (right tackle).
Youngblood started as a freshman, but missed last season due to injury.
Knabb said some unproven players will also have good years, but he wants them to earn recognition.
“Some younger players will make names for themselves,” he said. “The fact they are freshmen is a good thing and there is some talent coming up.”
Seven players started on defense a year ago.
Burt is back as the strong safety and Piasecki returns in the secondary. Daniels is the lone returning starter at linebacker.
House and Rusilko are back at defensive tackle, while McGraw returns to end. Youngblood started at end two years ago.
The Bearcats kick off their season Aug. 26 when they go to Brownsville. Bentworth opens conference play Sept. 9 when it hosts Monessen.