Game Review: St. Francis vs Coon Rapids (Defensive Standouts)

There was stellar defensive play on both sides of the ball in this week 1 matchup. I saw athletes from all positions make plays all over the field. While not resulting in any turnovers, both defenses did their best to stop what were two high-powered offenses. Below I've highlighted several game changers, difference makers, and under-the-radar prospects from the Week 1 matchup between the Coon Rapids Cardinals and the St. Francis Fighting Saints.   Game Changers:   Edward Talba: 2023 CR OLB 6' 190 lbs   Talba was ALL OVER the field on Thursday night. The plays where he wasn't involved were few and far between. Coming off the edge Talba created pressure all night and was constantly in the backfield. When he played back off the ball, Talba flew around repeatedly and tackled every back that made its way in his direction. One of my favorite 6A linebackers coming into this season, Talba didn't disappoint and will continue being a game changer for the Cardinals.   Erik Anda: 2023 CR ILB 5'11" 200 lbs   The yin to Talbas yang. Although more adept in pass coverage than his outside counterpart, he was just as lethal in the run game. Anda did everything you'd love to see from an inside backer. He filled the hole and scraped to the outside consistently and well. He is a great tackler and a team leader. The pair of backers were instrumental in slowing the Saint's run game in the second half.   Nick Taft: 2023 SF ILB 5'9" 200 lbs   Don't let his size fool you, Taft is a menace on the field. He was one of the main reasons the Cardinal's run game never got going. Your prototypical neck pad, Thad Castle linebacker, Taft punishes ball carriers when they come his way. He uses his quickness to evade linemen and his strength to punish ball carriers. The Saint's leading tackler in the home opener, expect Taft to continue to terrorize teams all season.   Difference Makers:   Griffin Thom: 2023 CR DE 6'4" 225   Thom has the ideal frame to be a high-level defensive end, and it seems his skillset is vastly improving. Thom had the only sack of the night for the Cardinals and effectively used his speed and strength throughout the night to his advantage. His handwork has improved greatly and when he adds more moves to his repertoire he will become far more dangerous.   Phil Conant: 2023 SF DE 6'2" 215   Conant wreaked havoc on the Cardinals all night long. No offensive lineman could stop him from getting to the QB, and it often led to the QB throwing away passes to avoid the sack. He also had quite the effect on the run game. He has the speed to cut across linemen before they even knew what happened. He ransacked runningbacks and recorded the only sack for the Saints all night. Consider this an off game for Conant, he'll do great things in the future.   Chase Fiene: 2023 SF ILB 6' 185 lbs   Fiene makes a treacherous pair with Taft. The leader and most cerebral player on the defense, Fiene had a big impact on the run game as well. Fiene is incredibly strong and diagnoses the play within a second of the ball being snapped. He flows quickly to the ball and even showed the ability to defend passes.   Under-the-Radar:   Jacoby Peterson: 2025 CR NT 6' 280 lbs   Peterson is chock full of raw talent. A tough man to move, he was dominant in 1v1 matchups the whole game. Big, strong, and mean, Peterson could develop into a great player over the next few years.   Hunter Allen: 2023 CR SS 6' 175 lbs   Although he primarily plays in the box, Allen was easily the best player in the Coon Rapids secondary. He showed great speed and was a hard-hitting player who was also good in pass coverage. Penalties were a problem, but his aggressiveness isn't a bad thing.   Jacob Green: 2024 SF DT 6'2" 210 lbs   He's basically Trevor Penning as a defensive tackle. Green is a menace. He tosses IOL around and clogs up holes. He's a second-year starter for the Saints and will be an elite run-stopper for a long time.   Brady Johnson: 2023 SF S 6'2" 175 lbs   The best player from the St. Francis secondary, Johnson is a speed freak who can easily wipe out a third of the field. He had several PBUs and has a great vertical to go with his speed. He has all the natural gifts and the makings of a very special player.

There was stellar defensive play on both sides of the ball in this week 1 matchup. I saw athletes from all positions make plays all over the field. While not resulting in any turnovers, both defenses did their best to stop what were two high-powered offenses. Below I've highlighted several game changers, difference makers, and under-the-radar prospects from the Week 1 matchup between the Coon Rapids Cardinals and the St. Francis Fighting Saints.