JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Bishop Kenny Crusaders are coming off a 6-5 season, their worst record since head coach Tim Krause's first year with the team in 2019.
Krause noted that the biggest challenge last season was maintaining competitiveness in the second half of games, largely due to a lack of depth on the roster.
This season, that depth is tested again, particularly at quarterback. The Crusaders lost 4-star quarterback James Resar, who is now playing at the University of Iowa. Resar, a dual threat, brought significant explosiveness to the Crusaders' offense.
“The biggest thing anytime you lose a player like James, you’ve got to replace him with a team and a large group of people. For us, I feel really good about our skill players as a group as a whole,” Krause said. “We may not be as explosive as James was from time to time, but I think we’ve got the ability to be just as good offensively.”
However, Bishop Kenny is optimistic as they turn to Derek Heideman to lead the team. Some within the program believe Heideman could be as effective as Resar, providing a new spark to the Crusaders' lineup.
“Honestly, it’s just as good. He’s a great athlete. Three-sport athlete. He can throw the ball and throw it deep. It really helps us because we have a lot of chemistry,” said Crusaders wide receiver JP Donovan.
The Crusaders are determined to improve on last year’s performance, with hopes high that Heideman and the rest of the team can rise to the challenge.
Bishop Kenny begins their regular season on the road against Matanzas on Friday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m.