Who Is Next? Looking Ahead To Top Humboldt Prospects

It has been a strong run for the Humboldt football team. The Wildcats reached the state semifinals, and all-state standout [player_tooltip player_id="148361" first="Caden" last="Matson"] recently accepted a preferred walk-on spot to Iowa State University. Humboldt has a long tradition of producing Div. I players, but it doesn’t end there. And it likely doesn’t end with the most recent season. While several key pieces will need to be replaced from a talented senior class, the cupboard is far from bare for Wildcat head coach Derrick Elman moving forward. <strong>Joshua Thurm - QB/DB - 6-0 - 165</strong> It starts with the likely replacement for [player_tooltip player_id="148361" first="Caden" last="Matson"] at quarterback in junior Joshua Thurm. The son of a coach, Thurm has gotten his feet wet at the varsity level in several sports already. While he might not have the kind of game experience as Matson, he should not be troubled with the adjustment process of moving into the starting role. Thurm showed his athleticism last season, rushing for 92 yards on just 15 carries. He was also in on 11 tackles, leaving him to likely fill the void left by Matson in the secondary as well. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="232229" first="Will" last="Orness"] - WR/DB - 6-0 - 165</strong> One nice adjustment process for Thurm will be having all-state wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id="232229" first="Will" last="Orness"] back. As a junior, Orness caught 73 passes for 1,205 yards with 15 touchdowns, averaging almost 17 yards per catch. Orness, like Thurm and Matson, is a standout in several sports for Humboldt. Currently, he leads the basketball team in scoring as they look to secure a spot in the state tournament. Look for Orness to provide just the right kind of security blanket needed to break in a new quarterback. And one would have to think that seeing as they are classmates, Thurm and Orness probably have some experience together as well. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="252098" first="Corey" last="Dettmann"] - WR/DB - 5-8 - 155</strong> As a sophomore, [player_tooltip player_id="252098" first="Corey" last="Dettmann"] became a key piece of the wide-open Humboldt passing attack. He caught 25 passes for 344 yards and four touchdowns, and should move into the 1B role to Orness with the loss of [player_tooltip player_id="148730" first="Jacob" last="Heier"] to graduation. Dettmann provides a nice target and has no trouble hauling in the tough passes. He is also an important piece of the Wildcat defense after recording 41 tackles a year ago with three interceptions. While standing just 5-foot-8, Dettmann does a tremendous job of getting separation from his defender and working to the open spaces on the football field. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="247879" first="Tayeton" last="Lohaus"] - TE/DL - 6-4- 235</strong> The offers are starting to roll in for [player_tooltip player_id="247879" first="Tayeton" last="Lohaus"], and the senior-to-be should be in store for a monster season on the gridiron. This past fall, Lohaus recorded 40.5 tackles with five sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Mixing incredible power with quickness, Lohaus caused fits for opposing offensive linemen throughout the season. Lohaus, who checks in at 6-foot-4 and over 230 pounds, has the type of body to continue adding muscle as he gets older. He has the build of a future tackle along the offensive line, but with his athleticism, could easily find a role on defense.