Alpena Football Preview

Alpena struggled last year. Struggled may be an understatement. The Wildcats didn't win a single game last year. The year prior they went 4-5. The Wildcats are looking to bounce back in 2021. They don't want to repeat last season and they are hoping that the lessons of last year can translate to the field this year. <strong>Coaching Staff</strong> Alpena is led by Head Coach Eric Mitchell. Mitchell is a Social Studies teacher in the Alpena school system. Mitchell was hired in 2019 and has been the leader since. He was the Defensive Coordinator prior to being promoted to Head Coach. His first year in charge they had some success. Last year, it was rough. The Wildcats only put up 40 total points on the year. Yes, 40 points in total last year. The offense only put up 40 points. They were shut out 4 times and only scored in 3 games. In 1 game, they put up 27 points. The offense was clicking that week. It looked good and was a competitive game against Gaylord. They then turned around and got beat 57-0 against Traverse City Central. <strong>Key Players Heading Into 2021</strong> 1 key player for the Wildcats heading into 2021 is Luke Young. Young plays both ways for Alpena. He lines up at WR and CB. He will make plays on offense and then turn around and go defend the opposing team's best WR. He's 6'3" and 175 lbs. He's a decent athlete but he's just very raw. He's still learning and being coached up. He needs to step up and have a big year, on both sides of the field, for the Wildcats to begin righting the ship. Jake Zann is another key player for Alpena. He's going to play MLB for the Wildcats. He will play QB but it's not his strong suit. He's best on defense where his natural instincts take over. He's 6'0" and 190 lbs and plays into the frame he has. He will square up and make the tackle. His very basic fundamentals have been coached up well and he has pretty footwork when he's coming to balance. <strong>2021 Schedule</strong> The Wildcats start their season on the road this year against Marquette on August 26th at 7 PM. They return home the following week against Cheboygan. They rotate back and forth with home and away games the rest of the season. They will finish with a 3 game homestand against Traverse City Central, Escanaba, and St. Johns on October 22nd to wrap up their year.