This is Cory Hanger’s first year as the head coach of the Grandview High School football team. Hanger immediately changed the Eagles’ offensive formation by taking senior quarterback Brendan Martin out of the pistol and moving him under senior center Nic Riviera.
In the pistol or shotgun, the QB takes the snap a few yards behind center. That creates about a second delay for the QB to hand off. Moving Martin under center plays to the strengths of this year’s veteran, senior-led offense.
“Things hit a lot quicker,” Martin said. “I like getting the ball under center because it helps hide the ball on play-action.”
The other major change was made to support the first. Hanger moved seniors Tucker Rhinehart and Ethan Smith from tackle to guard. Both guards weigh more than 300 pounds and will be used to drive block defenders to open holes for running backs Wyatt Keim, Isaac Walker and Brock Poole. Keim and Walker are seniors, and Poole is a junior.
“I think we’ll get some good drive down the middle and get five-plus yards on every run,” Rhinehart said.
“Our offense has a lot more experience together and that’s going to help us take a step forward this year,” said Martin who begins his third season as the starting QB. “Last year we had a problem of not starting games well. This year we’re going to focus on coming out firing and not just waiting to settle in.”
At 230 pounds, Walker can be a punishing inside runner. He was converted from center to running back last year and rushed 96 times for 571 yards and four TDs.
“The idea as coaches was to get him to the line a lot faster by going under center,” Hanger said.
After making 131 tackles, Keim was selected to the Class 2 all-state team at linebacker and on offense led the Eagles with 876 rushing yards and 11 TDs.
“He’s the leader of our defense,” said Hanger, who was an assistant under former head coach Jason Kimminau. “We switched defenses last year to a 4-3 and put him at (MLB) and he flourished in that role. He does a great job of communicating across the board on defense. It’s nice to know you have a guy you can rely on every play.”
At training camp last week, there was a sense from the coaches and players that this year the Eagles will change their fortunes against their biggest rivals. Grandview finished 4-6 after losing its final four games in 2024, including a 42-7 defeat against St. Pius X Catholic High School in the Class 2 District 2 tournament.
One of those final four defeats was 20-12 against Jefferson High School in a Quad County Conference game. The Eagles were 2-4 in the QCC. St. Vincent High School (12-1 overall, 6-0 QCC) is the defending champions. A Catholic school in Perryville, the Indians reached the Class 1 state semifinals.
“We should have closed that (Jefferson) game out but didn’t make the plays down the stretch,” Martin said. “A lot of dumb mistakes, penalties and turnovers, not finishing drives. Mistakes we can’t have against a good team like that. We’re focusing on fixing that this year.”
Martin rushed for 506 yards and scored five TDs, and passed for 503 yards and four TDs. His completion percentage was less than 50 percent and he threw six interceptions. Hanger said those numbers will improve.
“The biggest thing is being our leader and polishing his game,” Martin said. “Last year he took steps, but there were times he was shaky, but talking to him over the summer, he’s taken the right steps. He’s gained weight and gotten stronger. As a quarterback in our pass game, he’s done a better job of reading the field.”
The rest of the offensive skill set includes senior wide receivers Cam Brooks and Jackson Delaughter, who’s a transfer from Hillsboro, and sophomore Christian Volner.
“With as much as we’re going to run the ball, we’re going to get a lot of one-on-ones on the outside with no safety help,” Hanger said.
Joining Rhinehart, Riviera and Smith on the OL are tackles Max Moore and Aaron Smith.
Smith started at defensive end last year.
“We approached him at the beginning of the summer and said we need someone at tackle and he said he’d do it,” Hanger said.
He said Moore has locked down the starting job in the last week of camp last month and first week of practice.
“He’ll be next to Tucker, so that will help him learn how to play varsity.”
Most of Grandview’s starters on offense stay on the field and play defense. Martin and Poole return at cornerback. Brooks and Delaughter are the safeties. Rhinehart is at nose tackle, Ethan Smith is DT, and Walker and Aaron Smith are defensive ends.
Walker has been the kicker the last two years. His kickoffs resulted in at least four touchbacks, and he kicked 11 PATs and scored on a two-point conversion. Keim returns at punter.
Grandview travels to Illinois to play Quincy-Notre Dame High School in the season opener Aug. 29. Quincy competes in the Illinois High School Association and last year was a Class 2A team that finished 10-2. The IHSA hasn’t released this year’s classifications for football yet.
“In every game this year, we have to finish in the fourth quarter, and hopefully with the experience we have and the work these guys have put in, they’re ready to get over the hump,” Hanger said.