Kearney Bulldogs 2023 football preview
KEARNEY, Mo. —
KEARNEY BULLDOGS
Head Coach: Logan Minnick (2nd season as head coach.)
Conference: Blue Division of the Suburban Conference
Class: 4
2022 Record: 6-0 in Conference (Conference Champs), 10-1 Overall
2022 Scoring: Offense 42 PPG Defense 16 PPG
Returning Starters: Offense: 7 Defense: 6
The 2022 offense for the Bulldogs was one of the best on record, scoring 42 points per game. The conference championship and undefeated regular season included a thrashing of Class 5 State Runner-Up Fort Osage and a tight regular season win over Class 4 semi-finalist Smithville. Gone with last year’s seniors are all-state players Zach Grace (Oregon), Luke Noland (Nebraska Track), and Carter Schmidt (Indiana State).
Nonetheless, the Bulldogs should enter the season with confidence and swagger as returning conference champions. They have 13 all-conference players back on the roster, including seven from the offense.
All-state receiver, and fantastic three-sport athlete, Manny Linthacum, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior, returns to help fuel this high-powered offense. This past spring, he was an all-state infielder on Kearney’s district champion baseball team. He is a dynamic deep threat in football with 31 receptions for 563 yards and scoring eight touchdowns during the 2022 season.
Third-year starter, and all-conference QB, senior Casey Rooney returns. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Rooney posted 1,206 passing yards off 86 completions. He had a 59% completion rate, with 15 touchdowns. Rooney ended the season with a 112-passer rating, which is outstanding. And he also ran for 6.3 yards per carry, for 288 yards.
“Casey looks great. He’s really learning and taking some of that leadership role, “says head coach Logan Minnick. ” Casey has gone to a lot of quarterback camps, and we have had several college coaches calling me, saying he may be the best quarterback they had at their camp. If he continues to grow, I think the sky is the limit for him.”
Senior Cameron Emmons, 5-foot-9, 195-pound, running back, was all-conference last season, with 973 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. This strong, punishing back carries a 3.97 GPA and can run a 4.6 40-yard dash. His 98-yard touchdown run last season is a school record.
Making an excellent target for Rooney is wide-out Bryce Page at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds. He has 12 receptions for 165 yards in 2022, including a 44-yard touchdown against Fort Osage that broke the game and the hearts of the Indians.
Other all-conference returners on offense include Center Jackson Cook, 6-foot-2, 275 pounds, Tight-End James Shaw at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, and OL Ty Smith, 6-foot-1, 255 pounds, who also competes in track and field. Jacob Dillon returns as the kicker.
First-team all-conference defensive lineman Aiden Smith returns. The 6-foot-1 230-pounder has multiple college offers already and looks to be a major factor in disrupting Bulldog opponents again this season.
“Aiden has done everything he needs to do to get himself ready,” says Minnick, “you’ll see the giant jump from your junior or senior year. He was a really good player as a junior. He’ll be a dominant player as a senior.”
Other all-conference defenders returning include senior linebacker Randall Freeland at 6-foot 200-pounds; Trace Dunlap, who at 6-foot 260 pounds, (can squat 575 pounds); Tyler Jarrett, 6-foot-1, 250-pound DL, that is also on the wrestling team, and all-state track athlete Theo Grace, 6-foot-2, 215 pounds.
The team is loaded with high-level athletes, including all-state sprinters junior Grant Noland and senior Brock Colhour, who will patrol the defensive backfield along with senior Gavin Warren, an excellent multi-sport athlete. Junior tailback Tristan Williams, who averaged 4.8 yards per carry last season, will be back.
Senior Jackson Cook’s goal is a state championship. To get there he knows the Bulldogs need a playoff game win against Smithville. So, victory over the Warriors is kept at the forefront. Cook says, “We always bring that up in the locker room and during summer practice, whenever we lift or practice. And the coach is always quick to remind us.”
While reflecting on his fondest memory of being a Bulldog, Cook commented, “I would just say the entirety of last season. It felt like a brotherhood, and the bond was super strong with last year’s group. It made going out to battle with everyone just that much better.” Cook has visited several schools, including Dartmouth, Brown, and Harvard. He intends to continue playing football in college and enter the medical field.
The Bulldogs tasted full-contact action at the UCM team camp in July. About the camp, Cook says, “It felt pretty similar to last year, honestly. We were dominant for the most part. We were still trying to figure some things out. There are growing pains.”
Senior Cohen Jacobs saw some varsity action last year as a receiver. He will be seeing a lot more action this season. “I think from the beginning of the summer to UCM Camp to now, we’ve really improved as a team, and our chemistry has really gone way up,” says Jacobs. “My goal is to play college football, which requires good performance this season. Our team goal is to win that state championship. That would be a great way to go out.”
The expectations are high for the 2023 Bulldogs. Over the years, the program has produced a history of dominating teams and championship seasons. With the talent lined up, this looks like a great year for more hardware to be added to the Kearney trophy case.
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