Cleveland, Ohio -  In what is now his 34th year as the head of his alma mater's Football Program, Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Kyle '69 made it clear what he sees as the strengths while his Wildcats continue to prepare for the 2016 season.

"I think clearly, and even the scrimmages are displaying this, both the offensive lines and defensive lines are strong, are experienced and have depth, which is not common in high school football anymore,"  said the man who has led his program to a record 11 Division I state championships, including an Ohio-best five in a row (1991-1995), a state runner-up in 1996, three national titles (1989, 1993 and 1995) and a national runner-up in 2008.

After not qualifying for the postseason last year, Saint Ignatius is seeking its 27th appearance in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Football Playoffs since 1988, the year it brought home its first big-school state championship.

"You can survey high school coaches all over Ohio and all over the nation, and the need is always linemen, depth and things like that," Coach Kyle continued. "You feel comfortable if there are two or three linemen coming back and we're in pretty good shape. So that's a huge plus."

Anchored by All-Ohio senior center/captain and three-year mainstay John Spellacy, an East Carolina recruit, Saint Ignatius' offensive line is under the direction of former Wildcats standout lineman Adam Rini '99 and Mr. Paul Yappel.

"Early in the season, there is still a feeling of getting to work together," Coach Kyle said of the offensive line. "Here and there against Solon (the first scrimmage) maybe a blitz wasn't picked up. But those are just coachable things."

Along with Spellacy, who is one of the top centers in all of Ohio, Coach Kyle looks at the big-game experience of senior tackle Brian Almady and junior guard Jack Jamieson. A name to remember is 6-foot-6, 317-poud junior tackle Darian Kinnard, who will also see some time on the defensive line. And you will hear about others up front as the season progresses, some of whom have already been pointed out in the corner's summer camp reports.

"I think we'll run the ball well, which would help the passing game," said Coach Kyle, who also serves as an advisor on youth football for the Browns. Senior tailback Jimmy Andrews and junior tailback Mark Bobinski are expected to show the way for the ground game.

"Mark Bobinski really reads the blocking well," continued Coach Kyle of the development Mark has displayed under veteran Running Backs Coach Terry Fergus '72 and Quarterbacks Coach Jim Cahill '89. "A lot of what we do has a zone blocking concept to it. The key thing about that is the running back has to read the keys and in a split second make the right decision. Mark does a nice job of that.

"We have other guys, too," said Coach Kyle of his rushing attack. "But I think that is a strength, when you combine Jimmy and Mark, who not only read the blocking well, but can pick up a few extra yards after the initial hit."

Coach Kyle, who will send his Wildcats into their final preseason matchup on Thursday night at 7 versus the Canton McKinley Bulldogs in the annual Jamboree at Canton Central Catholic's Lowell Klinefelter Stadium, was quick to also refer to Coach Ryan Franzinger's veteran linebacker corps, or the "Linebacker Legion," as current senior middle backer and captain Johnny Velotta tagged the LBs last season.

Saint Ignatius' tough as nails front seven of senior defensive linemen Joe Gibbbons, Mike Chime, Patrick Viancourt and Mike Czaja, and senior linebackers Velotta, Adam Shibley and James Leyden, have been a solid and savvy unit since they stepped on Wasmer Field as freshmen. Shibley is also serving as a captain this season. The 'Cats' D-Line is coached by Dave Cicetti, Saint Ignatius' Head Wrestling Coach Mark Sullivan and Jim Reginelli '97.

"In Adam Shibley, James Leyden and Johnny Velotta we have three young men who played significantly last season," Coach Kyle said. "They (the linebackers) get hit every play, I don't care if it's a running play, a passing play or whatever, they're in it. So you have to develop some depth there. That comes as the season goes on, but it's nice to blow the whistle right now and see that kind of experience going out on the field."

Helping provide that linebacker depth will be senior LB Ben Delhees, who also doubles as a fullback.

Coach Kyle emphasized that it is no secret the Wildcats graduated a lot of skill players, including first-team All-Ohio, record-setting quarterback Dennis Grosel, who is bound for Boston College as a preferred walk on, and All-Ohio defensive back/wide receiver/punt returner Jack Cook, who is furthering his education and athletic career at Harvard.

"We almost always have a senior quarterback and the next year it's another senior," said Coach Kyle. "One thing we noticed right off the bat was that sure, we graduated Cal Grbac (standout wide receiver) and Jack Cook, but we are catching the ball very well. Certainly we're working on getting the patterns timed out, that needs to work. That's just repetition.

"It's nice to have that dexterity, that's how we move the sticks," Coach Kyle continued. "Now we have to work on the timing and after the catch, it would be nice if they got a few extra yards."

What has come to the fore in camp/double sessions is that Saint Ignatius has a deep receiving corps that is under the coaching of former Wildcats standout receiver/kicker and baseball mainstay Josiah "Juice" Kedzior '04.

Among that good hands club are seniors Mike Lehto, Travis Pot, Ryan Cook, Michael Daugenti and Riley Kinzel, and juniors Sammy Snyder, Michael Drobnick and Max Pike.

As Coach Kyle emphasized, you can add the kicking game as an obvious and major strength of the 2016 Football Wildcats.

"They were outstanding last year," said Coach Kyle of his returning All-Ohio senior punter Colin Goodfellow and junior place kicker Matthew Trickett. Matthew is also a gifted soccer player for Coach Mike McLaughlin's state and nationally acclaimed program.

"In high school football, it's a weapon," Coach Kyle continued in reference to having a solid kicking game. "Football is a field position game and it (the kicking and punting game) provides that a lot. Colin and Matt both place kick and punt. We believe in the kicking game and put a lot of time into it."

Switching back to the defensive side of the football, Coach Kyle pointed out that although it is a somewhat inexperienced unit, the defensive backfield of Coaches Kevin Johnson '10 and Pat Hinkel '09 is progressing well.

"Today, with the spread offenses, so much of the coverage is one-on-one,"  Coach Kyle said. "As much as you want to create zones and stuff like that, you can call it a zone, but within a few seconds it ends up one-on-one."

The 2016 Wildcats, said Coach Kyle, will be going against some quarterbacks with top Division I college potential, including Mentor junior Tadas Tatarunas, who needs no introduction to veteran Wildcats football fans, and Sean Clifford of Cincinnati St. Xavier, a Penn State recruit. The matchup with Tatarunas and the rest of Coach Steve Trivisonno's Cardinals, which is a huge computer playoff points game for Saint Ignatius, will take place in Week 2 at Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium.

Senior Matt Wiegandt, a fixture on Coach Pat O'Rourke's defending state champion ice hockey program, senior Alex Ringfield, junior Connor Kennedy, junior Cameron Toppin, senior Colin Waldeck, junior Matthew Viancourt and seniors John Lenehan, Matt Leszcz, Michael DeCicco and Tom Barrett are among those who have made plays in the defensive secondary throughout the summer.

In saving the Wildcats' storied position for last, Coach Kyle emphasized that Patrick Ryan will keep the senior-rich quarterback tradition going, with Patrick following Dennis Grosel as Saint Ignatius' Field General for 2016.

"He is a very intelligent young man," Coach Kyle said of Patrick, who had significant success at the freshmen and junior varsity levels before backing up Grosel last season, and will now look to add his name to veteran Offensive Coordinator Nick Restifo's impressive resume of developing 16 quarterbacks who have received All-Ohio recognition.

"Patrick can run, he can throw and I think he just needs a little more experience to make those decisions quicker, and the better we will be," continued Coach Kyle.

Patrick will be backed up by promising juniors Daniel Alexander and Kyle Hall, who performed admirably for the Junior Varsity Team in 2015.

In case you don't know by now, the OHSAA has changed the Division I playoff format and starting this season eight Division I teams from each region will qualify for the playoffs, not 16 as in the past few years.

Saint Ignatius is now a member of Division I, Region 2. Again, the top eight teams from each of the new four Division I regions at the end of the regular season will qualify for the playoffs.

Note: For the first time since 1980, the Division I OHSAA playoffs will be played on Friday night. 

Here is a look at Region 2

Saint Ignatius, St. Edward, Austintown-Fitch, Berea-Midpark, Canton GlenOak, Canton McKinley, Cleveland Heights, John Marshall, Rhodes, Cuyahoga Falls, Euclid, Lakewood, Massillon Jackson, Mentor, North Canton Hoover, Shaker Heights, Solon and Stow-Munroe Falls.

NEW FACES: The Wildcats have two new faces on their 2016 schedule, 11-time state champion Detroit Catholic Central (Novi, Michigan) and Canton GlenOak. Saint Ignatius will travel to Detroit Catholic Central in Week 4 and will make the relatively short trip to GlenOak in Week 7.

Coach Kyle's 'Cats will again close out the regular season with the demanding three-game stretch of versus Archbishop Moeller (at Otterbein University on Oct. 14), at Cincinnati St. Xavier on Oct. 22 and versus West Side rival St. Edward on Oct. 29 in the Cleveland Browns' FirstEnergy Stadium. This year's matchup with the Eagles will kick off at 6 PM. For a look at the full schedule, go to ignatius.edu, click on athletics and click on football. 

The 'Cats open their season on August 26 versus Normandy at Byers Field. As always, the corner will be previewing all of the Wildcats' Varsity Football matchups on a weekly basis.