As the sun begins to set earlier and the cool breeze of autumn starts to sweep Carmel, there’s a sensible energy in the air that can only mean one thing: Carmel Football is back.

With the return of Friday Night Lights, the entire community has rallied behind the Greyhounds, as they look to bring in the program’s 10th state title. However, there’s still a lot of work to be done till that dream becomes a reality. In just 2 days, the Greyhounds will take to the field against the Homestead Spartans in a highly anticipated season-opening showdown. The air is electric, as fans await Friday night, but many are still left wondering what this season will bring for the Greyhounds.

Last year, the Greyhounds had a stacked roster full of seniors. However, as they enter the new season, the Hounds face a serious setback, as 33 seniors have departed for colleges around the country. One of those seniors being starting quarterback Jack Kazmierczak who is headed to Depauw University.

Kazmierczak’s departure has left many wondering; Who will fill in at the quarterback position? The answer, sophomore Anthony Coellner. Coellner, the 6 foot 1 sophomore has multiple attributes that Carmel hasn’t seen in a long time, mobility. His ability to escape the pocket and avoid pressure from the opposing team was on display during the recent scrimmage against Ben Davis and Westfield High Schools. Despite Coellners’ promising performance the Greyhounds fell short to both opponents in the scrimmage.

As the season begins, the Greyhounds look to develop a strategy well beyond their offensive tactics. While Coellner showed promise during Friday night’s scrimmage, football is a team sport, so what else can the Greyhounds rely on?

The scoreboard may not have shown it, but there’s no doubt the Greyhounds can rely on a strong defense. Filling the voids from the departing Winston Berglund and Will Heldt isn’t necessarily easy, but Friday night proved Senior linebacker Arty Bryant is ready for that challenge. Previously a defensive end, Bryant has switched to an outside linebacker for the 2023 season. His power showed, as he led the defense in an attempt to come out of the scrimmage victorious. Bryant said “ The scrimmage was more to get better and understand the speed we will be playing at when it’s game time, but we brought a good fight and energy. There’s no doubt this will help us beat Homestead this week.” 

There’s still a lot of questions that will be answered Friday night. However, the excitement is here, as the spirit and passion fills the air. In just 2 days, it’s the clash of the Greyhounds and the Spartans! You can catch every minute, without missing a play on 91.3 FM!