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2020 Football Position Preview: Linebackers

By Joe Ginley '12 , 09/01/20, 1:45PM EDT

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Led by Aidan Conway, the Linebacker Legion may be the deepest group on the team.

As we look towards the start of the 2020 season for the Football Cats, we open our position previews with a position where the Wildcats are blessed with an abundance of riches – linebacker.

As in past seasons, the Saint Ignatius Football program enjoys an abundance of talent at the position.

The state of the Linebacker Legion is indeed strong. 

Here's a look at the position for the 2020 campaign. 

Captains and leaders

As it stands now, two-thirds of the Wildcats' captains are linebackers – Nick Velotta and Aidan Conway. 

Each senior is a special young man, both on and off the field. Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach Ryan Franzinger '02 is impressed at the depth of leadership each has displayed all offseason. 

"We have veteran leadership. We have leaders, and it's better to have leaders than captains," Franzinger says. "They demonstrate how things are done properly, on and off the field, in the classroom, in the community, and at home."

It should also be noted that the third captain, Nick Lamirand, is an honorary member of the legion. Lamirand, recently picked as a captain, once played linebacker as a sophomore. It made him more aggressive in his more natural position, tight end. 

Talent at the top

Velotta, Conway, and Aidan Hubbard figure to be the starters for the Wildcats. Velotta and Hubbard will often line up outside, while Conway will primarily be in the middle. 

However, Franzinger is a creative defensive mind and may sometimes switch things up to get results. 

Regardless, these three Wildcats will be the primary playmakers at the position after strong junior seasons.

In 2019, Hubbard led the team in tackles with 40.5. The Preseason All-Ohio and Sports Illustrated All-American candidate added 10 tackles for loss and 3 sacks, too. At 6'4", 230-pounds, the Northwestern commit is a fearsome opponent to face in battle.

Speaking of physical, Conway is someone who loves contact. Also a defenseman for the hockey team, "LBJ" recorded 25 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack in 2019. Standing at 6'1, 225 pounds, Conway can pack a punch inside as a reliable tackler with good instincts and smarts.

Velotta is the type of versatile weapon that coaches love to have. The 6'1, 220-pound backer grew in the offseason and added 10 pounds of muscle in the weight room. As a utility player last year, Velotta tallied 18 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 forced fumble. He'll be a force to be reckoned with in 2020. 

Unfamiliar faces with familiar names 

Wildcats fans might not know their faces, but they know their names. 

It's time you got to know them – Chris Aerni and Gavin Berger.

Aerni is the brother of former coach and stud safety Chad Aerni '12, while Berger is the cousin of Kyle '13, Jimmy '16, and Ryan '16. Both Chris and Gavin will be stellar players this year and next.  

At 5'11, 205 pounds, Aerni is a strong player who is athletic and loves contact. At 6'0, 200 pounds, Berger is another well-built linebacker who will fit right into Franzinger's defense. 

Newcomers to remember 

Several other juniors will help out on varsity this year, including Blase Mastrianni, Jonathan Tardio, Aidan Lentz, and Samuel Sage.  

Mastrianni and Tardio have both dealt with injury issues, but will hope to learn from the veterans ahead of them. 

Two sophomores to keep in mind this year are Max Palinski and Jarell Young. Both are eager, enthusiastic players. Palinski and Young each possess a combination of athleticism and physicality that will make them standouts at the position. Young weighs in at 5'10, 178 pounds, while Palinski checks in at 5'10, 200 pounds. 

Palinski will also figure in on the offensive side at running back. He may not get a ton of varsity snaps, but he's a supremely talented kid who could develop into a special 2-way player. 

Looking at the position as a whole, Franzinger plans to mix and match this season. 

"Without the computer points on the line, I'll be more willing to sub anyone in at any point," says Franzinger. "To me, that's a benefit of the system that was devised. In every other sport, you make the playoffs. It's good from a participation standpoint.

"For me, if you were good enough to play, you played [in years past]," Franzinger continues. "We found ways to put you in, especially early on. I don't think practice is enough of an evaluation to see what type of player you have. The only tough part is throwing in someone cold who isn't used to seeing the plays in front of them. Once a guy gets in a rhythm, it's hard to take him out."

Overall, Franzinger is quite pleased with the position as a whole. 

"All of the starters have significant experience and were on the roster as sophomores," Franzinger says. "That's a real luxury. We have really solid kids and solid students."

A new student-coach

Following in the footsteps of Ben Rossi '20, Luke Gable will be a student coach this season. 

The senior will help to run the scout team offense in practice to help prepare the defense for games. Gable owns plenty of football knowledge and brings a sense of composure and leadership to the gig.

A member of the SIBN who broadcasts basketball, Gable is a good communicator who will do well in his role this season.