HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Bishop McDevitt football team knows there's no time to waste even during their heat acclimation period.
"We open up with La Salle College (High School), one of the two or three best teams in the state. So we don't have the luxury of just kind of easing into this season," said Crusaders Head Coach Jeff Weachter.
"It's going be the biggest game of the season, and with last year being a little bit jacked for that playoff spot, we've got a chip on our shoulder," added senior wideout and defensive back Mario Easterly. "This year, we're coming to prove something, and week one is going to be the best time to do it."
Old Dominion-bound Easterly is just one returning weapon for the Crusaders, who feel they have plenty of depth this season, especially at running back, which includes junior Marquese Williams, who boasts offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Pitt, just to name a few.
"Marquese has some Shady-like skills, but what makes Marquese different is his ability to get to full speed out of a cut. With most guys, it takes two or three steps. Shady was out right away and Marquese has that.
Incoming freshman quarterback Stone Saunders already has an offer from Michigan, and the Wolverines are hardly the only ones confident in the young gunslinger.
"Hey, he's young, but he can get it done," said Easterly. "The first game he might be a little nervous, but that's with all freshmen. He'll get over it. He's got a lot of talent around him to work with."
"He's going be a great one too," added Weachter. "I mean, he reminds me of Matt Johnson, but I told Matt, 'Right now he's almost at a level that you were at by the end of your sophomore year going into your junior year, as a freshman.'"