Zeeland West Football Preview

We’re looking at Zeeland West and all the key factors heading into their 2021 campaign. Like everyone in Michigan, the Dux are ready for football to kickoff Thursday. <strong>Coaching Staff</strong> Zeeland West is regularly one of the better programs. Even last year in a pandemic-filled year they managed to go 5-2. That 5-2 record is due to their Head Coach John Shillito. Shillito is one of the more respected coaches in the area. He’s tough and expects his players to follow that attitude. Most years, it does and they win a lot of games. He’s a high-energy and gritty coach that gets the most out of his guys. This year will be no different. With Coach Shillito, the Dux have championship expectations every year. We will see if they can get back on that track this year. In a recent interview, Coach Schillito said he felt one of the best things the Dux have going for them in 2021 is their defensive line led by Bobby Clendenon. He said that the guys put the work in this offseason and feels great with where they are at, especially Clendenon. <strong>2020 Review</strong> As mentioned, the Dux went 5-2 last year. But, the most impressive thing was what the offense was able to do in such a short span. Offensively, the Dux were able to put up over 44 PPG. The offense was racing up and down the field last year while the defense didn’t allow much of anything. The Dux’s defense only gave up just over 10 PPG last year. They had 4 games last year where they scored over 60 points. The most exciting game of the year last year was a 15-14 loss on the road against Muskegon. The Dux will be without star QB [player_tooltip player_id="29700" first="Carson" last="Gulker"] due to graduation and will be looking to replace him. It’s never an easy task replacing the quarterback who led your offense to over 44 PPG. They feel as though they have the right guy for 2021 and think they can bounce back without much of an issue. <strong>Key Players In 2021</strong> As noted, the Dux will be replacing a bunch of key contributors in 2021. In 2020, they were an older team. Most of the starters were upperclassmen and a good chunk of those guys have graduated. One player they will be relying on is new quarterback Trevor Wallar. Coach Schillito is excited about Wallar. Wallar works hard and improves every day. He has an entirely different skillset than Gulker did so they are working to adjust the offense to fit him. There could be some kinks early on in the year. Wallar has the talent and the right coaching staff, he just needs time to develop and learn. Parker Lovell is going to be a junior and is 6’1" 205 lbs. Lovell plays both ways for the Dux. He will play RB and MLB. He will get a ton of carries on offense and be in the mix. The Dux run a non-traditional offense so a handful of players are rotated into the mix. Now that Lovell is an upperclassman, his time to step in and be a big contributor on offense is now. On defense, he will lay out a hit if he needs. He’s has the frame and size to be aggressive and he definitely takes advantage of that from time to time. Bobby Clendenon is another key player for the Dux. He too plays both ways for the Dux. He’s heading into his senior year and looking to land some offers. Clendenon is best on defense where he can line up right on the ball and have success. He’s able to slip behind blocks way more often than what offensive line coaches like. He has a decent burst off the ball which allows him to win those 1 on 1 blocks on the inside. He’s even a threat on special teams to block kicks. He had a few blocked punts last year too. Clendenon is a playmaker for the Dux and you can expect him to interrupt more offenses this year. <strong>2021 Schedule</strong> Like most people in Michigan, the Dux are ready for their opening game. This year, they’re getting a Thursday primetime game on the road against East Grand Rapids at 7 PM. They then return home for 2 weeks before hitting the road in back-to-back games against Mona Shores and Reeths-Puffer. Zeeland West will then finish their regular season at home against Holland on October 22nd at 7 PM. By then, all questions will have been answered. Football is back!