Panthers handling expectations heading into Year 2 for Karchner

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

MIRROR SPORTS

For the first time since Evan Karchner was buckling up his helmet for Maumee football, the Panthers are entering the season with expectations.

After shocking everyone outside of the locker room with a 5-5 finish in 2023, the buzz surrounding Maumee is beginning to ramp up for 2024. Undefeated season, Northern Buckeye Conference title, Division III playoffs, all of it has been mentioned.

For Karchner, in his second year as head coach at his alma mater, the Panthers have no pressure on them to perform.

“Like I said a long time ago, we want to go somewhere where expectations are high,” Karchner said. “We want to get teams' best games and we want to give them our best game. We want to win a lot of games. With that, and trying to win an NBC championship, there are going to be expectations.

“We don’t care what people think outside of our locker room and be the team we know we can be, we’ll reach those expectations and even exceed them.”

Maumee came painfully close to an even more shocking 2023 season, finishing 12 points away from winning seven games and hosting a home playoff game.

Many of the skill position players who bought into what Karchner and his coaches were selling last year and back for another run at history. The Panthers return their quarterback, Ben Kubicz, top two running backs, Cody Wulf and Keishon Midcalf, and top receivers, Carson Graetz and WIll Kubicz.

Throw in names like Tristen Dotson, Donnie Mays, Eli Dodson, Brock Heard and Braidon Linn, and Maumee might have the best and deepest collection of skill position players in the NBC.

“We have a lot of weapons on the outside, with our running backs and Ben,” Karchner said. “We have a lot of guys who can make plays and are gaining confidence. That’s what you need to be, you need to have depth, you need to get guys off the field like Cody and Carson, to get them a little break so they’re full go when they’re out there.”

It also gives offensive coordinator Shane Kinnee plenty of options. In a little more than eight games last year, Wulf was leading the conference with more than 960 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. On the flip side, Kubicz passed for 1,249 yards and 16 TDs, and Graetz caught 11 TDs for more than 670 yards.

When Wulf went down with an ankle injury in Week 8, Midcalf picked up the slack, rushing for 406 yards and four scores in the final two games.

Last year, the Panthers rushed for around 400 more yards than they passed for. Karchner’s goal is to have a more balanced offense that doesn’t show any tendencies

“A little bit last year, we were run heavy until Ben got in a groove,” Karchner said. “Our goal is always to win games, however that has to be. Whether we throw for 500 yards or run for 500 yards, it doesn’t really matter to us, we’re going to take what the defense gives us.”

A lot of attention will be paid to the offensive line, where Maumee must replace four starters. Espn Hurt returns for another season at center, while newcomers Pierce Simpson, Michael Conrad, Ryan Patterson and Robbie Burlew all started in the two scrimmages.

“We’ve got to find the next Liam Murphy and the next Josiah Millin and coach them up,” Karchner said. “That’s our job.”

Karchner credits the work his linemen put in during the offseason along with line coaches David Perkins and Matthew Schwieterman with getting ready for the big stage.

“Those guys worked real hard in the offseason in the weight room,” Karchner said. “Michael Conrad has done a nice job. Robbie has done a nice job. Obviously having Espn come back to be the solid core and lead, that’s what we needed.

“Ryan Patterson coming through as one of our best players and a team captain, that’s huge. That’s what we wanted. We push those guys, we’re hard on those guys.”

While last year’s offense scored nearly 35 points per game, the defense allowed 34 per game. The Panthers allowed more than 40 points in five games, and opponents rushed for more than 230 yards in four games.

From Day One, Karchner knew revamping the defense was going to be a big undertaking. He’s feeling much better about his team’s potential on that side of the ball in his second season.

“Being year two in this system and having a lot of returning starters, they understand what I want,” Karchner said. “The three pillars of our defense are pursuit, tackling and turnovers. If you look at the two scrimmages, we’ve done a nice job.

“I’m real proud of our guys. Defense isn’t a sexy thing. You’re not always scoring. People aren’t always like, ‘Oh, nice tackle in the A gap there.’ I will say the best teams do it. Oak Harbor does it, Eastwood and Genoa do it, you even look at Liberty Center and Anthony Wayne, everybody plays defense. We knew we needed to take a step forward.”

The Panthers were picked to finish fourth in the NBC by a preseason vote of conference coaches, trailing only Oak Harbor, Eastwood and Genoa.

They’ll open the 2024 regular season at 7 p.m. Friday at Springfield.

Photos courtesy of Pride of the Panthers

Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com

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