RADNOR — The more he looked up and down his roster, the more he watched video, the more he considered every moment of the 2022 football season at Archbishop Carroll, the more Kyle Detweiler came to a realization.
The players, the Patriots’ coach decided, were talented enough to compete in the Catholic League. So after a second consecutive winless season, it was almost everything else that would have to change.
“We talked about finding better ways to utilize the players we have,” Detweiler said. “We had to do a better job with the guys we have on the roster, as is, and putting them in better positions to find success.”
Plucked from the storied program at Central Bucks West, where he had been the defensive coordinator, Detweiler knows how winning is done, and he will try to prove it a second time on Matsonford Road. Arriving in 2018, Carroll had gone 9-34 in its previous four seasons. But he went 5-6 in his first season and 7-6 in his next. But after going 2-3 in an abbreviated 2020 season, the Pats have not won since.
So thorough changes were made to the coaching staff, and Detweiler has upgraded his offensive and defensive schemes. Also, as is necessary in the 21st century Catholic League, he will have a big, strong freshman class to give the rebuilding a jolt.
“The player attitude is different this year,” said senior Jesse Ventre, who was an All-Catholic receiver as a sophomore. “Also, we changed a lot of stuff this year, and I think that was much needed. We are starting with a clean slate now and I am looking forward to this year. Hopefully, we can get it turned around and win a few games.”
While much is new, there is some valuable familiarity, with 12 returning players. That includes Ventre, who missed all of last season with a broken leg, and senior quarterback James Wright.
“James is a very good quarterback,” Ventre said. “He is a dual threat, in my opinion. When the ball is in his hands or when he is running the ball, he’s a very good athlete, I’d say.”
Because Wright is also expected to contribute in the secondary, Detweiler will be open to other potential signal-callers, including freshman Jay Boyd and sophomore Chris Sponburgh. Seniors Hassan Bailey and Kevin Knox will figure prominently in a deep running back committee, along with junior Adam Moffit.
Bailey and Wright are expected to have a major impact in the defensive backfield. Cleveland Woodson, Che McMullen and Parker Kudjoe will lend stability to the defensive line.
“Our problem with the last two teams is we didn’t have enough cohesiveness,” Bailey said. “We were great players as individuals, but we weren’t a team. And that’s what really killed us. But we have some good freshmen coming in, and they are all good friends, and that will help.”
So will their size. Offensive tackle Caden Bowen is 6-foot-4, 280 pounds and freshman classmate Moussa Kaka stands 6-0, 310. Along with 6-4, 300-pound sophomore defensive lineman Chris Curcio, there are some big possibilities for the Patriots in more ways than one.
“Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Detweiler said. “We feel we have the right blend of guys at the right positions. The thing we wanted to stress when we were coming into this thing is that we had competition at every spot. I felt last year some of the guys got complacent and sedentary. Maybe they didn’t push each other or push themselves that hard. They felt like, ‘Who’s going to push me out of my spot?’
“So we wanted to make sure we had the most complete roster we could have. And these young guys are pushing the vets and the vets are pushing the vets. So we’re excited.”
