HELENA — The month of April at Nelson Stadium inevitably brings with it two things: some snow flurries and some spring practice sessions for the Carroll College football team.
“It’s very competitive, even in the spring,” said Carroll head coach Troy Purcell. “We’re figuring out our two-deep (depth chart) — you know, who’s going to be our number one guy, who’s going to be the twos, the threes, who’s gonna be on special teams, and things like that. ... So, you’ve got to continue to get better because someone’s coming for your job.”
One of Carroll’s top priorities this offseason will be naming a new starting quarterback after the program lost four-year starter Jack Prka to graduation.
Transfers Kaden Huot and Hogan Carmichael are competing with returning QBs Quinn Stamps and Conner Willis.
“Gosh, we’ve got four great kids. It’s exciting,” said Purcell. “Even now after two weeks, I don’t have a guy that I’d say, ‘Yeah, he’s definitely pulling himself ahead,' you know, who can move this offense the best and score touchdowns. You’re gym shorts-ing it up with (skeleton drills), you might look pretty good, but if you can’t move the pocket and move the offense down to score then — you know, whoever can do that the best is going to be the starter.”
And although Carroll’s offense will feature a new signal caller this fall, the identity of the Fighting Saints’ program has long been built on the defensive side of the ball.
“Oh yeah, we will never go into a game thinking we’re just there to go through the course,” said rising senior defensive lineman Forrest Suero. “We’re going balls to the wall every time.”
But to continue that defensive legacy, Suero and his teammates on the defensive line will need to fill some holes left by a pair of former all-conference selections.
“Yeah, we’re a little bit younger than we usually are, especially with leaders like Hunter Peck and Garrett Worden, those are big, key guys, big players we lose,” said Suero. “So, we’ve been able to learn from them, been able to take some stuff from them, and then I think we’ll be just fine. We’ll be good.”
Carroll’s regular season is set to begin Aug. 30 on the road against MSU-Northern.
