Written by: Keller Sherman
The Bishop Kelly Knights came within one win of their first state championship since 2015, but fell just short of reaching the mountaintop. A 50-35 loss in the state championship game to Skyline denied BK its first state title in seven years. Then, in December, longtime coach Tim Brennan announced that he was calling it a career after 27 seasons leading the Knights.
Chris Culig was hired as his replacement and brings 20 years worth of high school coaching experience with him. His previous stops include Timberline, Eagle, and most notably Rocky Mountain, where he served as head coach for six years after four as an assistant. He won two 5A state titles with the Grizzlies as head coach in 2018 and 2020 and was on the coaching staff for Rocky’s 2015 title as defensive coordinator. Can he get BK over the hump and win the school’s first state crown since 2015?
The offensive line returns four starters in Rakeem Johnson, Jackson Brody, Phil Janquart, and Joe Stroschein. Peter Minnaert and Ty Kaschmitter return at running back and are described as tremendous in the eyes of Culig. He expects a balanced offense for the Knights in 2023. “The returning starters upfront will allow us to not only run the ball but throw as needed. We will be multiple and hopefully have balance in the run and pass game,” Culig said.
If there is one question mark for BK’s offense, it is at the quarterback position. Regardless of who starts for the Knights, it will be a first year starter. “Our quarterback will be a first year starter and we hope to develop him as both a runner and a passer. Our candidates are talented but have limited experience and we are excited about their progress,” Culig said of the quarterback battle.
BK’s defensive strengths will lie in the linebacker position and the front seven. “We will be extremely fast at linebacker. Our front 7 will be extremely talented. We will be multiple with an emphasis on applying pressure,” Culig said.
Those fast linebackers include seniors Trey Jorgensen, Caleb Horn and Maddox Rawson, along with jjunior Will Sachse. Senior Joe Stroschein will anchor the defensive line, while senior Sam Knell leads the secondary.
The areas that Culig hopes to see improvement in on defense are forcing turnovers and limiting big plays.
Tim Brennan was a major factor in making BK one of the state’s most decorated and storied football programs. Culig is excited to continue the standard of excellence that was set by Brennan and take this program to even greater heights. With a brand new coaching staff, Culig believes how his team handles change in year one under his leadership will be critical to the team’s success. “Being my first year at Bishop Kelly I am most excited to be a part of all that Bishop Kelly has to offer not only on game day but daily,” Culig said. “With new coaches comes a lot of learning and adjusting. How we all adapt and accept the changes will determine whether we meet our full potential. The X Factor is always the strength and closeness of the team.”
BK’s non conference schedule features three 5A opponents as well as a road game at a formidable 4A foe. The Knights open the season with two straight games against 5A competition with a home game at Capital followed by an away game at Centennial. BK will remain on the road to open 4A Southern Idaho Conference play at Ridgevue. The Knights then return home for two straight games featuring a non-conference date with Lake City and a conference showdown against Vallivue.
The pattern of two straight on the road and two straight at home continues through the end of the regular season. First up is a road trip to Burley where the BK defense will face a stiff challenge going up against star wide receiver Gatlin Bair. That is followed by a game at Emmett to close out the road slate. The Huskies had won two straight 4A SIC titles in 2020 and 2021, but BK put an end to that streak along with snapping a two game skid to Emmett with a decisive 43-19 win. Home dates with Columbia for homecoming and Skyview for Senior Night round out the slate.
The Hawks along with Emmett figure to be BK’s biggest threats in its 4A SIC title defense. With these two games being among the last three games on the schedule, it will be crucial for the Knights to be playing their best ball down the stretch. There is always a period of adjustment with first year head coaches, but the schedule sets up well for BK to be 6-0 heading into October. With a proven winner in Chris Culig, the Knights figure to be right there among the teams with a great opportunity to unseat Skyline from the top of the 4A ranks in 2023.