Long-term vision and short-term goals are both at play for the Manitou Springs football team this fall. In their second year under head coach Stu Jeck, the Mustangs are balancing the task of winning football games while understanding the importance of building a program that can achieve sustained success year in and year out.
Perhaps one of the biggest signs that the team is heading in the right direction is the number of participants the team has this year — specifically, the number of underclassmen coming out to play.
“I’m very pleased with our underclassmen numbers,” Jeck said. ‘Our two biggest classes are our sophomores and freshmen.
“That says a couple things. It says that football is growing in Manitou and the kids want to be a part of something that is great and also it’s there to build your future.”
The prospect of development is nice to see, but there is certainly work to be done this season. The Mustangs have a lot of skilled players coming back, especially on the offensive side.
Senior running back Tyler Maloney and junior quarterback Nate Gentzel should give their teammates a feeling of familiarity and comfort. They also give the team an elevated sense of expectations after going 2-7 last year.
“They’re a lot higher this year with more people having experience on varsity,” Gentzel said. “We’re expecting a lot more mature and stronger players that want to get better.”
As a sophomore, Gentzel threw for 1,187 yards and 12 touchdowns and Maloney rushed for 504 yards and three scores.
Those are numbers, for both players, that should improve this season. A non-league slate of games that includes Rye, Valley, Rocky Ford and Prospect Ridge Academy gives Manitou a good chance of heading into league play with a winning record.
What has really helped the team is understanding how Jeck operates as a coach, which has helped the players feel like they have progressed much further in the early practices of the season than they had at the same point a year ago.
“With last season being his first as head coach, I just feel like we weren’t as organized as we are now,” Maloney said. “We’re more organized as a team, during practice and everything. We know where everyone is and what everyone is doing.”
The Mustangs bring a lot of positive attributes into the season, including experience, organization and motivation. If they can put it all together, Jeck and the players hope this season can serve as a launching point for a resurgence of Manitou Springs football.
MANITOU SPRINGS FOOTBALL
Head coach: Stu Jeck
2021 results: 2-7 (1-3 Tri-Peaks)
Key returners: Bradyn Dowling (junior),
Sam Fournier (junior), Nate Gentzel (junior), Tyler Maloney (senior)
First contest: Sept. 2 vs. Rye (at Manitou)