2023 Outcome

Season Record 9-3 Lost to Ballard 48-42 in double overtime in second round of 6A Playoffs

 

Graduation/Losses

QB Eli Creech 26 TD Passes 7 INTS

RB Zeek Washburn 269 yards rushing 5 TDS

Lost 22 Seniors overall 

 

Key Returning Players

RB Gerian Traynor 1041 Yards 16 TDS Last season

WR Willis Nofsinger 754 yards receiving 7 TDS last season 

Lineman David Pellman

Linebacker Jaylen Hayes 56 solo tackles 3 sacks last season

2024 Outlook

The Crimsons will have a new coach this season in Coach Keith Eckloff who comes in after 5 seasons as the head Coach at Seneca, before that he was an assistant at Male which is Manual biggest rival. Last July Donnie Stoner was removed from his coaching duties and Josh Gillispie took over as Interim coach and finished the season. There were a lot of people who thought he would get the job permanently but after several interviews Eckloff was hired. The biggest challenge he will face is replacing his QB Eli Creech and it looks as if Sophomore Kaden Mack would get that job. Manual has had a really good run in the regular season of late but has not reached the 3rd round of the playoffs since 2008. The schedule is always tough for Manual and it will be interesting to see how Coach Eckloff does in his first year with the loss of 22 seniors, but even with that he has two big time playmakers back in Gerian Traynor and Willis Nofsinger.

Aug 23 at Central
Aug 30 vs. Central Hardin
Sep 6 vs. Frederick Douglass
Sep 13 vs. Eastern
Sep 20 at South Warren
Sep 27 vs. Christian Academy Louisville
Oct 4 - BYE
Oct 11 at St. Xavier (District)
Oct 18 vs. Pleasure Ridge Park (District)
Oct 25 vs. Meade County (District)
Nov 1 at Male

A lot of love being shown - and rightly so - for shiny, new artificial surfaces around the state. Count me among those who still enjoy the look, feel, and smell of freshly manicured natural grass.

Taken from the Manual Athletics x/twitter.

Recruiting update for a pair of Crimsons:

David Pellman (OL) - He's the crown jewel of Manual prospects right now, holding offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Florida, Miami (FL), West Virginia, Marshall, Toledo, Kent State, East Carolina, and Eastern Kentucky. 

 

Corey Warner (ATH) - Momentum has picked up for Warner since the end of the school year. He's received offers from Toledo, Eastern Michigan, and Eastern Kentucky in the last few weeks.

Add Cameron Jessee to the list of Crimsons drawing Division I attention. The 6'2", 235 pound TE/DE/LB received an offer yesterday from Yale to go with an Eastern Kentucky offer on Sunday. He tallied 77 tackles and 11 sacks last season as one of Manual's top defenders.

Photo cred to Timothy Easley for the Courier-Journal.