Prep Football Preview: Meadow Bridge returns to a more traditional look in 2023

The 2023 football campaign for Meadow Bridge will be a little bit of the old with a little bit of the new.

It won’t be exactly traditional Wildcat football, but it will be close.

“The offense will be nowhere near the ‘Air Raid’ attack that people have seen the last few years. It will be a more traditional power running game that we have seen from Meadow Bridge,” head coach Reichard said. “We went to the ‘Air Raid’ because of personnel and now we are back to the Power-I because of personnel.”

While the air will not be flooded with footballs, Reichard will still air it out when needed.

“In years past we didn’t feel confident in our passing game. When we first made the change I wasn’t sure we had the hands to do it. We put a lot of balls in the air in practice and we got better throwing the football and catching the football,” Reichard said. “We are still doing those things that made us good pass receivers, even though we are still going to be a ground and pound football team. We will still air it out when we can.”

Junior Braydon Thomas will step under center this year after a solid showing in the final game of the season last year.

“We have been the gun for the past four or fives years and this year we will be back under center, so it is a little different deal for us,” Reichard said. “It is an adjustment period and I knew it would be.”

The Wildcats lost two linemen to graduation and had others limited due to injury, but the cupboard is not bare.

Senior Blake Bennett will be the anchor on both sides of the line and can play multiple positions.

“Blake even started a handful of games as a freshman for us,” Reichard said. “He is a versatile player for us. He is a basketball player that can get up and down the floor.”

Junior Silas Adkins is a returning starter that can play center or guard, but fellow junior Jadon Butcher will likely get the starting nod at center.

“Jadon is a big long kid that has experience. Charles Bragg is another junior that started every game for us at tackle and he has a year’s experience,” Reichard said. “He has been drawing compliments from the lineman group.”

A pair of sophomores will carry the ball for Meadow Bridge, but both have a full year of experience under their belts.

“Trip Roles is 205 now. He will play mainly at the fullback position, but he will see some reps at tailback as well. He has good quickness for a 200-plus pound kid,” Reichard said. “Kaiden Simms was our feature back last year. He is back at about 190-195 pounds. They both are the kind of kids we like as tailbacks around here. They are both very versatile, so we won’t have to be stuck on one guy. Their skill set is so similar as the game of football goes. As long as we do a good job of utilizing their skill set, we can give teams some problems.”

Brycen Sawyers leads the receiving core and will be a threat as a slot receiver. He will also play in the backfield and give the Wildcats a threat in the play-action game.

“I am hoping Bow Wykle, who is coming up from the middle school team where he played running back, can work in at tight end. It looks like he can definitely mix into our passing game,” Reichard said. “Our split end, could be Trent Roles, Trip’s little brother. He has good size and speed for a freshman.”

Although Meadow Bridge has 28 players out this year after finishing last season with 16, depth will be a concern.

“Those two sophomore running backs will be linebackers as well. It may be a lot to ask to carry their weight on offense and then flip over and do it on defense. They are big strong kids and we will see a lot of them on the field,” Reichard said. “Blake and Brycen are our two seniors and their positive attitude towards winning and being good teammates is going to help us a lot.”

Meadow Bridge opens at home against Van on Aug. 25.