Written by: Will Hoenike
The Kamiah Kubs are transitioning in 2024 as a talented and successful graduating class is leaving the program and new players work to earn larger roles this fall.
Head coach Nels Kludt, entering his ninth season as the Kubs’ head coach, returns talent and speed in the skill positions, led by senior QB/DB David Kludt. Kludt was a first team All-State defensive back but also a dynamic quarterback, leading an offense that scored 42 points per game last fall. He’ll be joined by a pair of talented running backs, senior Jayden Crowe and junior Everett Oatman, and a prime pass-catching target in sophomore receiver Lawson Landmark.
Where the Kamiah coaching staff has some work to do is up front. Gone is four-year standout Porter Whipple. So is All-Conference performer Rehan Kou. And Dylan Kiele. And Tug Loughran.
“We have good experience and team speed at all of our skill positions,” Kludt said. “We are going to be very young and inexperienced up front, with only one part-time starter returning.”
That one player, sophomore Rylan Skinner, will lead the charge on both sides of the ball in the trenches this fall. While Skinner has significant promise and potential going forward, it will be hard to replace Whipple, who was a game-changer along the defensive line, gathering over 100 tackles (with a whopping 35 of them coming behind the line of scrimmage) last season while routinely being double and triple-teamed. Replacing that kind of disruption and play-making ability will not be easy.
But, like on offense, there is talent and speed in the back end. Crowe and junior Gavin Schoening will fill key roles at the linebacker position with Kludt captaining the secondary alongside Oatman and Landmark. The Kamiah defense posted three shutouts last season and also held three other opponents to a single score.
“I love our overall team speed and big-play abilities,” Kludt said. “We’ll have to get contributions from a lot of players and probably won’t be too top-heavy. Having a three-year starter at quarterback (David Kludt) is a big plus.”
The Kubs open the regular season on August 30 with a Whitepine League matchup against a talented and athletic Lapwai team. The team follows that up with a non-conference game against a 1A (formerly 1A Division 2) playoff team a year ago, Council, and then a road game against the defending Whitepine champion Logos. It’s a challenging start for any team, but especially one that is looking to develop new players along the offensive and defensive lines.
“How fast our young players grow up and gel, especially on the line, will go a long way to determine how good we are,” Kludt concluded.