Head coach Jules Sullen has plenty of confidence in his team heading into the 2023 season. While the season hasn’t started yet, Sullen has already witnessed much progress in a team that limped to 0-9 record in 2022.

“There is no doubt that they are going to do better,” Sullen said. “The strength of our team this year is our speed.

“We worked hard in the weight room, but I am going to say on both sides of the ball we are going to try our best to utilize our speed.”

Injuries slowed the Charging Indians last season, but the experience the underclassmen gained will benefit them this season.

“We had a lot of kids that played last year. Officially, as reference to starters, I would say 12. When you lose some of the better kids that we lost due to injuries or whatever it may be, you have to play some guys. I don’t think people know why last year was truly a tough one. We had multiple season-ending injuries. We had kids for numerous reasons who weren’t able to play, so we had to play a lot of young guys. Quite naturally as a coach when faced with a situation like that you begin immediately to play your younger guys as you look towards the future.”

The W-M non-district schedule includes three teams that reached the playoffs last year, including quarterfinalist Lakeshore (Non-select Division II), plus four road games to open the season.

“The major concern is that we play a very tough non-district schedule. They are basically sophomores and juniors, so you never know how well they will adjust to success early in the season or not so successful early in the season. But everything should prepare us for going into district.”

To help mitigate the affect of any future injuries, Sullen is training a vast group of offensive skill players.

“I would say it is not one guy,” Sullen said. “It is a plethora.

“We are going to play a plethora of skill guys. My kids are finally starting to understand that one man really doesn’t determine the success of our program. Last year, we kind of got caught up in that. We had some guys that didn’t play, and it hurt us in the long run. We are going to play a plethora of running backs and a plethora of receivers that is going to make us that much more exciting to watch.”

Seniors Joshua Smith (RB) and Markel Senegal (WR) are the most experienced skill players returning for W-M.

“I think he (Joshua Smith) is going to do a dynamic job. He is going to be a senior,” Sullen said. “Orlando Griffin is another young man who also played on the defensive side. He is going to play running back for us and some linebacker. Markel Senegal is another young man who played. He is about 6-2, 190. He plays kind of a z-receiver for us. Dylan Williams, Grayson Boulard (starting since sophomore year), Ashton Thomas.”

Six-foot-five, 165-pound sophomore Monte Farmer will start at quarterback and will have three returning linemen to protect him in Isaiah Adams, Mark Robinson and Prince White.

A seasoned group of seniors in Boulard (DB), Landen Braxton (S), Daylon Williams (CB), Senegal (LB), Aiden Simon (LB) and junior linebacker Devante Galmore look to lead the defense.

“Everybody says defense wins championships, so we are trying to put some,” Sullen said. “I know in the secondary we bring back a lot of guys.”