Cub Football - Improving offense lifts Loyola
LOYOLA'S POINT PRODUCTION ON THE UPSWING
Loyola's greatest area of improvement since its season opening, 16-13, double overtime loss to Cathedral has been on the offensive side of the ball.
Through eight games, the Cubs are averaging 32 points per outing. Only the 2021 (35) and 2015 (33) Loyola squads averaged more points scored per game through eight contests since the 1992 team averaged 33 through its first eight contests.
It is fair to qualify these metrics with the facts that the Cub defenses were elite, and prep offenses were less prolific, before legendary head coach STEVE GRADY's retirement in the spring of 2005, and the 2021 squad played in a much less competitive league.
In any event, this Loyola team has scored well against some very good teams, 29 points against Damien, 30 against Leuzinger, and 46 against Mount Miguel (Spring Valley). The 44 points scored against Chaminade last Friday were the most allowed by the Eagles this season.
Talented junior running back SEAN MORRIS II has picked up where he left off last season and then some. Through eight games MORRIS is just shy of 1,000 rushing yards (176 carries for 970 yards, 5.5 yds. per carry, 9 TDs, 17 receptions for 194 yards, 11.4 yards per reception and 2 TDs), and he has put up numbers against better competition than he faced in 2023.
Junior quarterback ASHTON PANNELL has improved on a consistent basis since his first varsity start against Cathedral in the Cubs' first contest.
PANNELL has thrown for 20 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He has completed 124 of 203 passes for 1,492 yards (61%) with a 12-yard per completion average.
Junior wide receiver MARKUS KIER has been an outstanding performer. The 6'3" pass catcher has hauled in 54 passes for 702 yards (13.0 yds. per reception) and scored 10 TDs.
The offensive line (NATE TURK (LT), LANGSTON GIBSON (LG), NELSON PYE III (C), SAMI PARK (RG) and SILAS NUR (LT)) has continued to improve throughout the season. That group is a big reason the offense has been rolling.
Loyola's 'Wolfpack' defense completely shut down Chaminade last Friday. It is hoped that the performance on both sides of the ball against the Eagles will continue to be the norm.
Senior inside linebacker HENRY CASANI, who is headed to North Carolina on a lacrosse scholarship, leads the stop unit with 100 tackles. He also has recorded five tackles for loss and two interceptions, one a 72-yard pick six.
Junior 6'5" defensive end MAX MEIER is the Cub sack leader with 6.5. He also has 12 hurries to his credit. He recently received another FBS scholarship offer from Washington.
Junior defensive lineman ZION SCRIVENS has made eight tackles for loss, has three sacks (one for a safety), has one interception, and is responsible for six hurries.
UCLA-bound Edge/outside linebacker SCOTT TAYLOR leads Loyola with 25 hurries and is also the tackles-for-loss leader with 11. He is tied for second on the team in passes defended with four.
Junior inside linebacker DAEQUAN JEFFES is second on the tackles ledger with 81, and also has one interception.
Senior safety DESI VALDES is the third leading tackler with 69, has an interception and has been outstanding as a kick returner (one for a touchdown).
Senior defensive back BROCK BOJORQUEZ leads the defense with five passes defended.
Junior All-American corner BRANDON LOCKHART is the interception leader with three, despite missing the first three games due to injury.
LOYOLA MISSION LEAGUE STAT LEADERS
Loyola players dominate Mission League statistical categories.
Rushing: No. 1, SEAN MORRIS II, 970 yards
Passing: No. 3, ASHTON PANNELL, 1,492 yards
Receiving: No. 1, MARCUS KIER, 702 yards
Total TDs: No. 1, SEAN MORRIS II, 11 No. 2, MARKUS KIER, 10
Total Points: No. 1, SEAN MORRIS II, 68 No. 2, MARKUS KIER, 60
Total Tackles: No. 1, HENRY CASANI, 100 No. 2, DAEQUAN JEFFES, 81
Sacks: No.1, MAX MEIER, 6.5
Field Goals Made: No. 2 JACOB KREINBRING, 6
PATs Made: No. 2, JACOB KREINBRING, 30
Total Kicking Points: No. 1, JACOB KREINBRING, 48
Total Kickoff Return Yards Average: No. 1, DESI VALDES, 30.47 yards
Total Kickoff Return Yards: No. 1, DESI VALDES, 529 yards
IT WILL TAKE GREAT PRODUCTION-AND MORE-TOMORROW
For Loyola to post what would be a huge upset tomorrow evening in Chatsworth against Sierra Canyon, the state's ninth-ranked team, the Cubs will need to hit on all cylinders.
The contest is the Trailblazers' homecoming which signals that the home squad thinks it will be an easy win over Loyola.
Incentive for an upward-trending Cub contingent?
FRIDAY PRE-GAME
This week's tailgate pre-game location is Gus's BBQ. Cub supporters will meet there at 4:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon.
Gus’s BBQ 20179 Rinaldi Street Suite 150 Chatsworth 91326
2024 LOYOLA VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
8-23 @ Cathedral (L, 16-13, 2OT)
8-30 Damien (L, 30-29)
9-13 @ Leuzinger (L, 40-30)
9-20 @ St. Francis (W, 35-7)
9-27 @ Mount Miguel (Spring Valley, San Diego) (W, 46-38)
10-4 Serra (Home)* (L, 42-35)
10-11 @ Bishop Amat* (W, 24-17)
10-18 Chaminade (Home)* (W, 44-10)
10-25 @ Sierra Canyon*
11-1 Notre Dame (Home)*
All games on Fridays @ 7:00 p.m. * Denotes Mission League game CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Below is the list of Loyola graduates playing college football in 2024 according to published collegiate rosters:
CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB, Bentley University
NICHOLAS BARR-MIRA ‘19, K, Mississippi State
COLIN CRUCE ‘22, OL, Bowdoin
JEFFREY JOHNSON ‘21, TE, Cal
LUKE HARRISON ‘24, OL, University of San Diego
ANDREW KOZHAYA ‘21, OL, Grinnel
SHAWN LIN '22, DL, Columbia
LEIGHTON LINE ‘23, DL, Cal Lutheran
CONNOR McDOWELL ‘21, DB, Angelo State
BLAKE NEITHART ‘20, DB, Carleton
TAHJ OWENS '22, DB, Princeton
JACK PARIS '23, DL, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
RYAN QUINTANAR '20, LB, USC
ISAIAH SANDERS, ‘24, LB, UC Davis
PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB, Columbia
HENRY STICKLER ‘22, WR, SMU
JACK SUSNJAR ‘23, OL, USC
JOE TATUM ‘22, QB, Texas
EVAN THOMAS ‘20, DB, UCLA
RYAN TURK ‘24, OL, Dartmouth
ALEX WHITMAN ‘22, WR, Notre Dame
CHAMP WESTBROOKS ‘24, OL, Arizona State
CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB, Nebraska
SAM YOON ‘22, OL, UCLA
LOYOLA GRADS IN THE NFL
MYLES BRYANT '16, corner, Houston Texans
ALEX JOHNSON '19, corner, New York Giants (practice squad)
DAVID LONG, JR., corner, Indianapolis Colts (practice squad)
COLEMAN SHELTON '13, center, Chicago Bears