Carmel to hit the ground running

Updated: June 21, 2011 2:55PM

Here’s some of what you need to know about Carmel’s football team that hosted a 7-on-7 passing competition on Saturday with Antioch, Marian Central and Barrington:

Star fullback Jordan Kos (1,367 yards, 16 TDs last year) returns for his senior season.

Star halfback Michael Panico (900 yards, 10 TDs) returns for his senior season.

Elite blocking back Matt Maher returns for his senior season.

Possible starting quarterback Brian Brennan, who started on defense last year, is skilled at running with the football.

Got it?

Yet, veteran coach Andy Bitto was pleased with some of what he saw from his club during the workout, even though the Corsairs probably threw more passes in one morning than they’ll throw in nine games this fall.

“What I really liked was our defense, getting their hands on the ball, making interceptions,” the coach said. “We’re rotating so many guys in, and that makes it hard to keep any continuity.

“At this point we’re kind of shaking the puzzle pieces, trying to get the right guys in the right places.

“I appreciate the number of guys that are here,” he added. “We had almost 40, with a lot of our linemen showing up to watch. So, from that standpoint, it was a very good day.”

It also figures to be a very good season for Carmel, which is the norm with the area’s most consistently good program.

Carmel seems to thrive on meeting and exceeding high expectations.

“I think there would be pressure on us if we didn’t prepare ourselves, but we typically do a good job with that,” Bitto said. “The other thing is, Matt Maher was hurt from the fifth week on last year. He’s one of the best blockers I’ve ever had in the backfield. With him, it makes our backfield even more scary, because then you have another kid who can run — not as fast as the other two — but he’s good runner and a great blocker.

“If we can keep all those guys healthy, we’re going to be formidable. As far as the guy we start at quarterback (likely Brennan), he’s going to be a pure runner, too.”

Carmel opens its season at state power Joliet Catholic, and the Corsairs most certainly will be ready.

© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.