Preseason Preview: White Bear Lake

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After struggling through a two-win season two years ago, the White Bear Lake Bears rebounded nicely, posting a six-win regular season in 2021. It was their best regular season finish since 2012. With twelve starters returning this season, there is no reason to think the Bears' program won't keep their momentum going.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I think speed and experience will be our strengths," Bears' head coach Ryan Bartlett said. "We have some guys back on both sides, and we run pretty well."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The offense has a big group of skill position players with varsity experience -including quarterback, three receivers, and two running backs. The group where they have the most questions is at offensive line. Following last season's depth chart, the Bears will replace all five offensive linemen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensively, they return seven starters – including at least one from each level of the defense. "On a given night, we have guys who will be solid for us," Bartlett said. "We just have a solid core of guys."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62ec7c105d6e3","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Tolu Oyekunie","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"White Bear Lake","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Oyekunie is a true three-down outside linebacker. He is physical enough to set the edge, fast enough to get after the passer, and athletic enough to cover downfield. He has good instincts regarding knowing when to attack and when to lay off the aggressiveness. When he decides to attack, he has good closing speed, breaks down well in the open field, and keeps his pad level low when engaging a blocker or ball carrier.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Vatel Henderson","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"White Bear Lake","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Although Henderson has the explosiveness and speed to beat defenses deep, I was more impressed with his work on short and intermediate routes. He attacks the ball with his hands – giving him extra separation from defenders. He uses his body well to provide himself with more space to make plays. He will make defenders miss in the open field but is not above lowering his shoulder and using his physical strength.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Nick Asper","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"White Bear Lake","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Asper is not just a run-stuffing nose tackle. He might not have the size of a proto-typical 3-4 nose tackle, but his quickness off the ball makes up for it. If not double-teamed, he uses his hands very well to keep blockers off his body, so he can use that quickness to get around blockers or scrap down the line of scrimmage to make plays on the outside. I would like to see him be more consistent with his pad level, but when he gets his hips low, he can split double teams and get into the backfield.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["300546"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Delaney has a ton of range at the safety position. He can range from the middle of the field to the sideline and has great speed when coming downhill against the run. His instincts at the position make him look even faster – breaking on the ball at the right time and saving himself an extra step or two in the process. He works well in space against the running game and is a good tackler – but if I had to pick an area, he could be more consistent with his pad level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["279710"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Knutson has a strong, accurate arm – especially throwing intermediate routes. He can throw from the pocket but might be more dangerous on the move. He appears to be a passer who runs to buy time to throw more than runs to pick up yards but will take the yards on the ground when they are available. His touch on the short ball is already solid, and so is his ability – at least on short throws – to consistently put the ball where he wants it when under pressure.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Damarion Pollard","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"White Bear Lake","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Pollard is already a solid, run-stuffing 3-4 defensive end. He is tough to move off the line of scrimmage and has enough athletic ability to penetrate and get into the backfield. He has good straight-line speed when he is pursuing ball carriers or quarterbacks. If he becomes more consistent with his hips and pad level, he has the strength and body to be a problem for Bears' opponents in 2022.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"Rayshaun Brakes","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"White Bear Lake","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_6_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Brakes is explosive out of his stance and quickly gets to full speed. He is used as a wing-back and as a receiver and is a double threat. He has the speed and quick cutting ability to be dangerous on sweeps and is athletic enough to get deep coming out of the slot. Not just a speed guy, Brakes is going to run through most arm tackles and uses his hands well in the passing game.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /-->