Super 25 countdown: Mount Carmel

Updated: May 9, 2012 9:43AM

One of the consequences of Mount Carmel’s legacy of football success — 10 state titles overall, 14 trips to the finals under coach Frank Lenti — is a degree of fan scrutiny few programs can rival.

So Caravan Nation was wondering what to expect when Chris
Sujka, the most prolific runner Mount Carmel has had at quarterback, graduated after a run to the Class 8A title game last season. The heir apparent was junior Don Butkus, the grandnephew of Bears legend Dick Butkus.

‘‘Everybody was asking me how Donnie was doing in winter workouts,’’ senior receiver Frank Kelly said.

The answer, according to Kelly and Lenti, is very good indeed. That’s one reason the Caravan, who are ranked fourth in the Sun-Times’ preseason Super 25, might be primed for another big season.

‘‘Donnie’s a real student of the game,’’ said Lenti, who has led Mount Carmel to nine state titles and five runner-up finishes in 27 seasons. ‘‘He’s a very intelligent player. He doesn’t make many
mistakes.’’

That’s the primary job for quarterbacks in the Caravan’s option attack, in which making the right reads is crucial. It doesn’t hurt that Butkus has two veterans to hand off to in junior Draco Smith and senior
Brandon Greer, who are ‘‘really
explosive backs,’’ Kelly said.

There’s experience in the receiving corps, too, with Kelly, junior
Jason Gasser and senior Mayan Cook back. Left tackle Sal Arceo and center Tom Scanlan, both
seniors, are returning starters on the offensive line.

‘‘The rest of it is a hodgepodge,’’ Lenti said. ‘‘A big concern of mine is inconsistency.’’

In 2010, Mount Carmel opened an 11-3 season by giving up 47 points in a loss to Simeon. But the defense showed marked improvement after that, holding eight opponents to 14 points or fewer. That unit features a number of veterans, including Greer (a Central Michigan recruit), Kelly and Dave Nicholson in the secondary, Derrick Bryant and Jack Houser at linebacker and Vontrell Williams on the line.

But Lenti questioned whether this team has the hunger to become another great Mount Carmel team, as opposed to just another good one.

‘‘We’re practicing as if we’re owed something [because] we’re Mount Carmel,’’ he said.

But Kelly promised that motivation won’t be an issue, not after the Caravan’s 28-7 loss to Maine South in the Class 8A championship game last season.

‘‘Over the winter, we hung the picture of us at the state game to motivate the juniors in the weight room,’’ Kelly said. ‘‘A lot of the
seniors expressed to the juniors the feeling we had on the ride home from Champaign. It left a bad taste in our mouth.’’

Ditto for the Mount Carmel fans seeking reassurance about this
season, no doubt.

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