Lakes has Eder's positive approach up its sleeve
Lakes football had its ace. And then Luke Mertens left.
And then Jordan Eder interviewed for just the second vacant head-coaching position in the history of the Lake Villa high school. Eder, an Antioch assistant coach and former head coach at Round Lake, brought along his ace: ACE.
Attitude. Character. Enthusiasm.
"Everything that we can control on or off the field," senior running back Ethan Greenfield said.
"When Coach Eder interviewed, that's one of the things that he preached," quarterback Jake Johnson said.
Greenfield and Johnson were part of the interview committee that also included fellow players Kole Skinner, Ryan Olson, Robert King and Cade Ives-Ketlinski.
Lakes hired the 29-year-old Eder, and now the Eagles hope to show they aced the hire.
They've adopted ACE as their new slogan. Other than that - and a few scheme tweaks - nothing much appears to have changed for a team that Mertens developed into a consistent winner. Under Mertens, the only head coach in program history, the Eagles made the state playoffs nine times in 12 seasons. They've won at least six games in each of the last eight seasons.
Mertens left to become the head coach at Lake Zurich.
"There hasn't really been any adjustment," Greenfield said. "The focus has always been the same. It's to win games and to grow in character. Coach Eder has stepped in and meshed with all the coaches, and they all work really well together."
"I don't think there's going to be any difference because every kid on the field is used to winning," said Ryan Selig, a Western Michigan recruit who will play linebacker and slot receiver. "No one here is used to losing. So we're going to keep winning."
Gone is dazzling running back Cameron Ruiz (Northwestern), but Selig is just one of the talented players that Eder inherited. Johnson (6-1, 180) replaces Brandon Khan at QB after taking only a handful of varsity snaps last year.
"He's been a great leader so far," Eder said. "He's a senior so he knows what's at stake."
Longtime assistant Ray Gialo will call the plays for an offense that will continue to operate out of a spread formation.
"Coach Gialo made little changes to our passing game, and I feel like it's going to make our offense more spread out and give us more variety," Johnson said. "I like it so far. It's very easy, and I think we'll execute it well this year."
"I got confidence in him," Selig said of his new quarterback.
Selig (6-3, 210) is coming off an all-conference junior season in which he had 43 receptions and scored 9 touchdowns (6 receiving, 3 rushing). Junior wide receiver DeAngelo Hardy (6-1, 180) missed about half of last season with an injury but is a "game-changer," Eder said. Greenfield (5-9, 180) could be a go-to back.
"I think we're pretty loaded at the skill positions," Eder said. "(Offensively), it's going to look very familiar to the blind eye in the stands. Some of the schemes and the way we're blocking things and calling things are different. It's not the same system that they ran before, but it's a spread offense."
A revamped offensive line will include Eric Lund (6-3, 280), Skinner (6-3, 275) and Jack Grupka.
"We have good size, and they're a good unit," Eder said. "These kids work so hard together."
Jason Ellerman returns as defensive coordinator and will get to utilize the athletic Selig more than last year. Projected by Western Michigan as an outside linebacker, Selig played the position only sparingly last fall.
"When I played inside last year, it didn't come very natural," Selig said. "But once I got on the outside, playing in space, it all felt natural."
Senior defensive end J.T. Lorian also earned all-conference honors last year. The 3-4 defense also features Greenfield and Hardy in the secondary and linebackers King (5-8, 183), Dylan DeAngelo (5-9, 195) and Dylan Keilwitz (6-0, 150).
"I couldn't be more excited," said Eder, who makes his Eagles debut at Deerfield. "The kids are excited. With the success they've had and the work they've put in, they've bought in right away 100 percent and were onboard.
"To take over after what Luke has done has been a huge blessing for me. These kids are unbelievable. The attendance, the work ethic, the buy-in. Not only them but the parents, the school, the administration. Everyone's been great. It's been a very smooth transition so far."