By Cort Reynolds
This is the first in a series of Ada HS fall sports team previews.
ADA - Behind all-everything senior quarterback Brandon Hull, the 2020 Ada football team looks to rebound from another injury-plagued season amid uncharted waters in a pandemic-affected campaign featuring a unique schedule.
The Bulldogs are coming off their second straight 2-8 season (1-6 Northwest Conference) ravaged by injuries.
An explosive offense could help the Bulldogs return to .500 or better, but the porous defense must improve greatly to achieve that goal.
In addition, roster numbers (27) are low due to covid-19 and some key defections, so third-year head coach Shawn Christopher faces a tough chore to keep his team healthy and rested in an unusual season due to the pandemic.
The 2020 Bulldogs boast 13 lettermen and 15 full or part-time returning starters on their reduced roster, which is down a dozen players from last year. By week 10 last season, the team was so decimated by injury that only 21 Bulldogs suited up vs. rival Allen East.
In all, eight full or part-time starters return to an offense that will be very potent again as long as they stay healthy.
Senior signal-caller Hull began 2018 as the starting QB but suffered hip and shoulder injuries that relegated him to the sidelines, and then receiver status. He bounced back strong to post an excellent junior season as the latest in a long line of fine Ada signal-callers this century.
This year he looks in even better shape and appears poised for a great season after leading the league in total offense to earn second team All-NWC honors in 2019.
The Ada offense will be led primarily by the strong legs and arm of the powerful Hull. He threw for over 2,300 yards and 20 touchdowns. Hull also ran for just over a thousand yards and a dozen TDs last season, and thus will be a marked man. The offense will go as he goes.
"Brandon is just electric," said Christopher. "Everything we do starts with him. He accounted for 95 percent of our touchdowns in different ways.
"I also like his leadership growth. He can pop any play and make us look smart," he added.
The QB will get help from speedy junior running back Keagan Hull. The tough-luck back has had his last two seasons cut short by injuries. Last year, he broke his collarbone in week four after a fast start yet still managed to earn honorable mention all-keague status.
"He has had two injury-riddled seasons," said Christopher. "I think he would have been over 1,000 yards last season. He had over 463 yards rushing (on just 49 carries a 9.4 average per carry) in three and a half games. We will have to rely on him a lot.
"He is big, ripped, fast and powerful," the coach added.
Known in recent years for its potent passing game, Hull will have new targets to throw to as Ada lost several key receivers since last season.
Phil Coulson graduated while speedy first team all-conference senior wideout Zac Swaney transferred to Kenton. Swaney caught 62 passes for nine TDs and just under 800 yards last season, so his big-play presence will be missed as a receiver and return threat.
Another defection hit Ada when promising sophomore Will McBride, who had his 2019 season ended in mid-season by a severe knee injury, also transferred to Shawnee. Senior Daniel Mattson, like McBride an honorable mention all-league wideout, is also not playing. The duo combined for 44 receptions last fall.
But athletic 6-3 junior Cayden Murphy returns as the top Ada receiving threat. "Cayden is a good athlete," said Christopher. "I think he is a Div. III-caliber college receiver."
Quick senior Colton Biederman will serve as a key pass catcher. Other receivers who could make an impact are 6-1 senior Trent Ennis, 6-0 senior Danny Thompson, 6-0 senior Cam Bober and sophomores Spencer Wall, Antonio Pettit and Levi Sousley.
Murphy, Wall, Thompson and Biederman are expected to comprise the four-man starting receiving corps.
"Spencer Wall creates separation well and plays relentlessly," noted the coach of his 6-1, 175-pound soph wideout. "Our skill players have speed and all have the ability to be playmakers."
The huge and experienced offensive line should be one of the major strengths of the team, literally. "We have five returning starting linemen and they are big," Christopher noted. "The offensive line is a veteran group who has a great knack for football."
Junior left tackle Carter Nelson (6-4, 310 lbs.), right tackle Devon Cole (6-1, 270), junior center Brandon Paul (5-10, 250), sophomore left guard Gage Hoffer (6-2, 280) and sophomore right guard Lester Amos (6-3, 255) fill out the powerful five-man starting offensive line.
One of the biggest offensive lines in program history should protect Brandon Hull and create holes for him and Keagan Hull, paving the way for what could be another high-scoring offense.
Offense was not a problem for Ada in 2019. The Bulldogs were outscored by their opposition 537-290 last season, a 53.7 to 29.0 points per game average margin of defeat. In seven NWC games, Ada tallied 30.3 ppg but allowed a whopping 63 ppg.
"Defense was obviously a major issue for us last year," said Christopher. Seven full and part-time starters return to that side of ball to improve a unit under a new but familiar face.
New defensive coordinator Adam Baumgartner returns to plug up the holes after coaching on that side of the ball at Ada previously for several playoff teams under Bob Olwin.
The intense coach should improve the defense if they can stay healthy. Three times Ada allowed 70 points, losing to Bluffton (70-50) and Paulding (70-40), while beating Delphos Jefferson (74-70). In its four other league losses Ada allowed 65, 63, 58 and 50 points.
"We want to make offenses adjust to us this year," said Christopher. Toward that end he noted that the defense will show different looks with new schemes, utilizing 3-4 and 5-2 sete.
The defensive line will be manned by some of the same massive offensive line returnees of Nelson, Paul and Hoffer. Those down linemen might also be assisted on the line at times by Thompson and Amos.
Solid senior Danny Thompson, a good pass rusher, moves from defensive end to linebacker this fall. Hard-hitting junior Keagan Hull also slides up from the secondary to help the linebacking corps. "Keagan is a very versatile athlete with a good combination of speed and skill," said the coach.
Sophomore Amos will also play linebacker alongside senior Cole. "Lester is very physical and athletic, and he shows great leadership," Christopher noted.
The tall and athletic Murphy returns to anchor the secondary as one of the bigger defensive backs in the area.
The multi-talented Hull, junior Jermey Cameron and Biederman will also help fill out the defensive backfield.
As for the important special teams, freshman Wyatt Green is slated to handle the place-kicking duties. "He is pretty good," said the coach. Short kickoffs plagued the Bulldogs last year as they often gave up good field position right off the bat.
Sophomore Wall assumes the punting chores in place of graduated Ty Miller. Brandon Hull will be the primary punt returner. Elusive Brandon and Keagan Hull, and the quick Biederman will serve as the kickoff returners.
In the NWC race Spencerville, Columbus Grove and Allen East are the defending tri-champions, having tied at 6-1 last year. Yet only AE made the playoffs of the title trio, and they were eliminated in round one.
By season's end Grove was probably the best team in the NWC, led by strong-armed NWC Offensive Player of the Year in senior quarterback Blake Reynolds. Yet Ada could make some noise this year in the unique, revamped schedule if they stay healthy, especially the two Hull's.
"A lot of guys played significant time last season but some will have to adjust to new roles and positions," the coach said when addressing weaknesses. Low roster numbers, depth and health could also hurt the Bulldogs if the injury bug bites again.
"Our first goal is to be 3-0 in pool play NWC games," said Christopher. "Second, we want to compete well in the NWC tourney and then in the playoffs.
"If we continue to grow on both sides of the ball we will look to make a run and be a top contender in the Northwest Conference," Christopher predicted.
Season schedule
Ada kicks off its revamped schedule August 28 at resurgent backyard rival Allen East. AE snapped a 15-year losing streak vs. Ada in 2018 and the Mustangs have won the past two over the Bulldogs, including a 50-8 win last fall. In addition, Ada's traditional foe returned to the playoffs for the first time in 13 years last fall.
The Bulldogs then visit Grove in week two and host Bluffton before the first-ever, three-week NWC tourney kicks off in week four. All eight league grid teams are guaranteed three games in the tourney as first, third, fifth and seventh place-games will be held in the third week after semifinals in week two of the event.
For the first time, all Ohio football teams qualify automatically for the post-season. First round regional playoffs start in week seven, with seeding done by vote of the region coaches. Ada is in Div. VII, Region 26 this season.
The Bulldogs are 11-12 all-time in 12 post-season appearances, and qualified for the playoffs 11 times from 2006-2019, making it every year except for 2014 and 2018-19. Their first playoff showing came in 1994.
"This is a football team that I really like," Christopher summed up. "The leadership shown by all of our players has been fantastic, and the effort has been great.
"With a veteran offensive line and athletic skill players, we should be able to score some points. We are looking for Brandon to lead us to a great season," Christopher added.
Ada football 2020 at a glance: Div. VII, Region 26
2019 record: 2-8, 1-6 NWC (7th of 8)
Head coach: Shawn Christopher, 3rd year
Roster numbers: 27
Lettermen back: 13
Offensive starters back/lost: 8/3
Defensive starters back/lost: 7/4
Top offensive players back: Sr. QB Brandon Hull, Jr. RB Keagan Hull, Jr. WR Cayden Murphy, OL: Jr. Carter Nelson, Jr. Brandon Paul, So. Gage Hoffer, So. Lester Amos, Sr. Devon Cole
Top defenders back: LB Keagan Hull, DB Cayden Murphy, DNB Brandon Hull, DL Carter Nelson, DL Brandon Paul, DL Gage Hoffer, LB Lester Amos, LB Devon Cole
Strengths: Brandon & Keagan Hull, offensive line
