This season, Athens always came up short.
Against Canal Winchester, it was one Hail Mary catch away from tying the game and changing the momentum. Against Logan, it was one blocked extra point from tying the game and going into overtime. Against Nelsonville-York, it was just one win away from potentially making the playoffs.
But in spite of the few times it did come up short, the Bulldogs have a lot of positives to take away from a 7-3 season.
Offensively, Athens found out early enough in the season it has a lot of threats. Brendan Sano wasn’t supposed to play quarterback, but he ended up being 6-2 as the starter, only throwing one interception and fumbling the ball once all year.
As a dual-threat quarterback, his 6-foot-1, 200-plus pound build made him a pain to tackle as a defender. Whether it was a quarterback sneak up the middle or a read option off the tackle, Sano was a big guy who always required more than two people to bring him down and averaged nearly six yards per carry.
In terms of throwing the ball, his favorite target this season was 6-foot-3 Robert Dickelman. As a wide receiver at his height, not one corner was able to match his size. All Sano had to do was put the ball out there and with no doubt, Dickelman was coming down with it.
In the backfield, Tyler Roback started out as the No. 1 back. Mikel Casteel quickly maneuvered his way into the rotation and by the end of the season, the Bulldogs were running a two-back system.
The main addition to the offense was moving Treyce Albin to wide receiver. After losing his starting quarterback spot after suffering a concussion in the Canal Winchester game, coach Ryan Adams and offensive coordinator Nathan White found a more useful spot for Albin.
He was basically a utility player on the offense. Sometimes he lined up as a wide out, sometimes he was in the backfield. Wherever he was, as a defense, you couldn’t lose him. His speed and athletic ability made him an asset to the team and massive threat to others.
At around 6-foot, he could extend out for balls, making athletic catches and his speed was utilized in running jet sweeps and quick screen passes.
In the Wellston game, Albin showcased just how much a menace he was. With an 80-yard catch-and-run touchdown and a couple 30-yard touchdown scores, he had reached his peak in the Bulldogs offensive scheme.
While Athens was just short of making the playoffs after missing last year, the offense shouldn’t be too worried next season. With Sano graduating, Adams and White have options. They can put Albin back at quarterback or utilize sophomore Clay Davis and keep Albin at wide out. Either way, 2017 looks promising for the Bulldogs.
