Jeff Brown: Here’s a new way to start the football season

By JEFF BROWN / Tribune Sports Editor

This year, we called an audible. We decided to scrap the decade-old tradition of putting together an all-in-one high school football preview section in favor of something new, something different.

No, it’s not a trick play.

We understand that you, the reader, probably spend less time with your newspaper than you did a year ago, and certainly less than you did five years ago. Each day, there are more things pulling at us, henceforth less time to read about each and every football team in the Coulee Region. Our solution?

Let’s bring a West Coast style of offense to the prep football world. Let me break it down even further: Each day for the next 10 days, we’ll bring you something different on prep football, which is easily the most popular sport in our area. For each of the next eight days, we’ll unveil what we are calling “Five Players to Watch.”

It’s a quick-hit version of some talented and interesting athletes in our area. It’s Brett Favre hitting Donald Driver or Greg Jennings on a crossing pattern. Oops, scratch that. It’s Aaron Rodgers hitting Driver and Jennings. Sorry, some old habits die hard.

Anyway, we start today with who we believe are five quarterbacks who are either coming off a pretty big season, or about to have one. You probably already know about West Salem’s Dan Schneider, who was a first-team Associated Press All-State QB last year when he led the Panthers to the WIAA Division 5 state title.

Here they are: West Salem's Dan Schneider | PdC's Tyler O'Kane | Onalaska's Jordan Guth | Arcadia's A.J. Bellville | Houston Andy Sires.

But you might not know about Prairie du Chien’s double-dose of danger in Tyler O’Kane, who passed — and ran — for more than 900 yards last season. We’ll introduce you to Onalaska’s Jordan Guth, who will lead the Hilltoppers’ potent wishbone offense, and Arcadia’s A.J. Bellville, a versatile player who could turn out to be something special. Did you ever hear of Houston’s Andy Sires? Most of us know this kid can play some hoops, but don’t discount his ability on the football field.

After the quarterbacks debut on Day 1, we use the next seven days to unveil five running backs, receivers, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs, and specialists.

We have an extra treat with each of these packages, too. Thanks to our web video guru Brian La Fleur (he’s our version of the late Bill Walsh), you’ll want to check out www.insidepreps.com/top. You’ll have to be a bit patient — almost like Rodgers will be when Driver sheds a block and breaks open — as we’re still building this site. You’ll get a bio of each player, some stats, some photos, and yes, even video of most players.

It’s something we have not attempted before, but believe the time is right to give it a shot. Hopefully you’ll like each day’s version of Five Players to Watch — in print, and online.

We’ll wrap up the series on the ninth day with a package on what it takes to get recruited to a Division I, II or III football program.

The final day of the 10-day run will conclude with some interesting stories on how Central and Aquinas are handling a “homeless” season of sorts during the construction of the new Veterans Memorial Stadium complex, which is their normal home. We’ll also tell you why this season is all about the number “8” for the Lansing-New Albin Kee football team.

So don’t be shy. Tell us what you like, or don’t like, about our series. Just send me an e-mail at jbrown@lacrossetribune.com, or give me a call at (608) 791-8403.