Top 3 things to know about the Blue Eagles

1. Quarterback question mark Matt Bugbee didn’t emerge as Nazareth’s starting quarterback until just a few days before the season opener. Falzone said he faces the same dilemma this season with several kids looking to replace Bugbee, who had a year to remember and earned EPC Northampton County Offensive Player of the Year honors.

“We’re in the same boat,” Falzone said. “I would love to go back to the days when we had Anthony Harris coming back and we knew what we had with him and knew he was the guy. Before Anthony, Travis Stefanik was a multi-year starter. But we’re back at it with competition and four guys who are getting reps.”

The four are juniors Sonny Sasso, Chris Bugbee and Chase Rinehimer, and sophomore Mason Kuehner.

“I don’t know who’s going to get it,” Falzone said. “I don’t necessarily need a leader. I need someone who is going to understand the game and know what’s we’re trying to do. We do a lot of different things on offense and it comes down to who has the best grasp of it. Last year, the edge went to Bugbee because he was able to grasp the offense and then went out and made the plays.”

2. Running Rohn

No matter who wins the quarterback back, he will be spending a lot of time handing off to senior Tyler Rohn, who had 119 carries for 567 yards and five TDs last season.

“Having a winning mentality the last two years has motivated the young guys, but at the same time we realize this is a new year and we can’t ride on what we’ve done before,” Rohn said. “The new guys need to come and work hard along with the rest of us.”

Rohn said everyone is flying around and working super hard.

“We need to fine-tune some things and work on every aspect of our game,” he said. “Everyone is showing effort all over the field on both sides of the ball and I love that.”

3. Back to basics

Nazareth has to replace 17 starters on offense and defense and also its kicker, punter, long snapper, and returners on special teams. Rohn and offensive tackle Sean Kinney are the only returners on offense, and Rohn and fellow linebackers Broc Bender and Chase Levey are the only returners on defense. Yet, despite the inexperience, there’s a sense that Falzone and his staff will figure it out.

“We’re back to basics now,” he said. “Last year, we had holes to fill but we did it with seniors who had been around what we did. This year we have kids who haven’t played. So we may be a little bit behind where we would normally be as far as putting in our stuff. We’re working more on fundamentals and have slowed it quite a bit. It’s going to be a different year altogether.”