Photo by PhotoWorks The 2024 Marshall football team includes Andrew Stelter, Mason Eickhoff, JR Vierstraete, Brody Riess, Levi Maeyaert, Carter Manthei, Shep Hensen, Tyson Louwagie, Josh Kraft, Cannon Craigmile, Jackson Sirovy, Malachi Carrasco-Storm, Easton Greenwood, Milo Swenson, Aiden Bly, Kieler Rhea, Trae Bailey, Jared Stevenson, Owen Wilts, Gavin Schaefer, Mason O’Donnell, Ethan Boeck, Jayden Meister, Noah Frazee, Kannon Depyper, Tyler Kraft, Ethan Weedman, Easton Manke, Ethan Kennesy, Robert Quasius, Jayden Randall, Aiden White, Tyler Ingebrigtson, Braylon Podratz, Aidan Mattison, River Hill, Ethan Mattison, Noah Kesteloot, Braylon Timmerman, Kael Frana, Gavin Zahnow, Josue Chavarria, Juan Nemecio, Aidan Erickson, Brock Swanson, Max Parks, Connor Doeling, Angel Chavarria, Oakley Jans, Derek Hisken, Maddox Doll, Braedyn VanMeveren, Clayton Jones, Jacob Allex, Eli Weedman, Javier Valdovinos, Carter Link, Logan Eickhoff, Jack Meier, Cash Willer and Gaerick Hill. The team is coached by Terry Bahlmann with assistant coaches Hayden McKittrick, Scott Midtaune, Brad Bahlmann, Chace Pollock, Mitch Maxwell, Abe Jensen, Johnny Benson, Jackson Vierstraete and Ryne Myhrberg.

MARSHALL — After a strong last couple of seasons in which they advanced to the section championship game but fell short to Hutchinson, the Marshall football team is back again and looking to make another deep run. 

“We’ve been ahead in both games. Last year, we were right there and we felt the whole game that we played right with them but didn’t get it done,” Marshall head coach Terry Bahlmann said. “That was one, leaving the field, that we thought we had a chance in and they go on to win the state championship. So we feel like we’re close. We return a good nucleus on both sides of the football, we’re excited to go, and we don’t want to look ahead that far down the road.”

Once again, the Marshall defense will be its heart and soul. Linebacker Gavin Schaefer was named the District Player of the Year last season while JR Vierstraete was named the District Defensive Lineman of the Year in his sophomore season. Also bolstering their strong front seven, nose guards Derek Hisken and Braedyn VanMeveren add additional size up front while Jake Meier keeps the middle of the field locked down alongside Schaefer as a linebacker.

In the secondary, the Tigers did graduate Dylan Haney, who accounted for seven of the team’s 16 interceptions last season, but they return Shep Jensen, who added another three. Mason Eickhoff has also been a consistent and reliable safety for the Tigers and was playing particularly well in last year’s section championship before being sidelined by an injury.

“We’ve got to build some things, build some depth, but we’re excited about our defense,” Bahlmann said. “We’re really looking to seeing them be physical and aggressive, that’s what we’re trying to get after.”

Prior to the Hutchinson game, Marshall held six consecutive opponents to under 14 points last season, and five of those six to one score or less. That strong defense helped Marshall overcome a 1-2 start to return to the section championship game. The year prior, they hadn’t allowed any opponents other than Hutchinson to score more than 14 points. They’ll look to continue that consistency into 2024.

On the offensive side, the Tigers are once again looking to run the rock effectively. Schaefer and Eickhoff return to lead the Marshall backfield committee once again. Schaefer recorded 725 rushing yards on 7.4 yards per attempt as a fullback last season while Eickhoff added another 446 yards on 5.1 yards per carry as a tailback. They also added 12 and seven rushing touchdowns respectively.

“What we’re really battling for is the twos behind, and we have good competition there,” Bahlmann said. “Our philosophy is that we’re going to rest our guys on offense if they play both ways and be fresh for defense, so there will be opportunities for some young guys to play tailback.”

Bahlmann specifically referenced Tyson Louwagie, Noah Frazee, Jackson Sirovy and Mason O’Donnell as players who could see an increased workload out of the backfield.

While the run game has been and will continue to be Marshall’s bread and butter, they underwent some changes under center this offseason. Josh Kraft suffered an elbow injury during baseball season over the summer after leading the team with 759 passing yards, six touchdowns and nine picks last year. While he was recovering, Levi Maeyaert got Kraft’s reps and the team decided to make the transition at quarterback and move Kraft out to a wide receiver.

“[Kraft] looks like he’s played out there forever,” Bahlmann said, adding that Kieler Rhea, Gaerick Hill and Jayden Meister will add depth to the wide receiver corps while Jack Meier will also return at tight end. 

The group will have large shoes to fill after the graduation of Ashton Blomberg, the 6-foot-5 receiver who led the team with 407 of its 848 receiving yards last season.

What the team is looking for most out of its passing game this year is consistency, Bahlmann said, adding that seeing the team go for seven catches in one game and zero the next at points last year showed that the team still was out of rhythm at points.

“We just need to know what we’re going to do. We might play four wideouts there and two or three tight ends and just get it so Levi’s comfortable with all those guys there,” Bahlmann said, adding that he has a strong football background with his older brother Tyler quarterbacking the offense in 2022. “He’s pretty advanced for a junior. We feel like he’s going to do a lot of good things for us.”

The Tigers are once again strong in the trenches with Jake Allex and Hiskin leading the group. Allex has been strong for the Tigers at left tackle and was named second-team all-state heading into the preseason this year. The two were both named team captains, alongside Schaefer, Meier and Braylon Podratz.

“It’s leadership for our program and our culture. They need to set the town and practice hard every day,” Bahlmann said of the team’s captains. “We don’t want to come out and take any days off… There’s no time to waste and if they set the tone for the young kids, if the seniors go hard, the young kids will fall right in line.”

Marshall kicked off its season on Thursday with a 26-8 win over Jordan and will look to keep the ball rolling when it hosts Willmar for its home opener on Friday at 7 p.m.