"We are really excited about the upcoming season for a number of reasons," states Wheaton head football coach Mike Swider on the 2014 campaign for the Thunder. He continues, "I know that it can sound redundant, because every year I seem to say the same thing. But I think that is one of the things that we try to hang our hat on year at Wheaton, when you build a program from the ground up there is always reason to be optimistic about the fall." Swider concludes, "At Wheaton when you graduate seniors that are good players they are being replaced by upperclassmen that have some playing experience."

Building on his theme Swider states, "I am encouraged about the season for several reasons. We did lose some good seniors, but I should be saying that every year - I think that is what we are all about because I believe seniors win. However, we are replacing them with a good junior class and some good sophomores who have assumed the responsibility of their position well. I expect to be very competitive in 2014. I tell our football team all the time 'The goal is always to win a conference championship.' I think everything begins there. If you can win a conference championship in the CCIW you are doing well." He concludes, "I think this team will be just as competitive as any of those conference champions that we have had here in my time at Wheaton."

Josiah Sears.jpg" style="float:left" />Swider says of the competition for playing time on his team, "We like having a lot of guys fighting for a handful of positions. That just makes for good, competitive practices and competitive practices make you a competitive team."

Thunder offensive coordinator Josiah Sears (PICTURED LEFT) prepares for his second season at the helm of the Wheaton offense and former Thunder defensive back Jordan Langs takes over as Wheaton's defensive coordinator. "We have a great young coaching staff, we did lose some veteran coaches that had been here a while. We will miss them, but the Lord took them other places," notes the veteran head coach. Swider continues, "I am excited by the youth on our coaching staff and they have given me a lot of energy and enthusiasm. That is something I am really looking forward to this year, not only our football team, but our coaching staff. There are some young guys that have energy, ambition and enthusiasm There will be some growing pains, as there is any time, but it will be made up for with the energy, passion and enthusiasm in this staff."

"Offensively with coach Sears in his second year, we are a very diverse and multiple offense. You are not going to see the same thing and will see a lot of different things in a very creative offense," says Swider of his team's offense.

"We lost a great quarterback in Jordan Roberts who had been around the block. We will miss him, but we have three good quarterbacks that are ready to compete." Swider says of the three-man competition for the starting quarterback spot, "Senior Reece Butler is a senior who has been waiting in the wings for three years for an opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback spot. He knows our offense well, is a smart kid and a consummate leader. He is going to be ready to compete." He continues, "We have two sophomores that are very talented in Johnny Peltz and Andrew Bowers. They are talented in different areas. Bowers is a tremendously quick and elusive athlete who can run around and create havoc. Johnny Peltz is a big strong kid, with a big arm that will hurt you. Both of them are confident and the players love all three guys." He concludes, "I know that competition can be difficult, but competition makes people great. Whoever emerges from the competition is going to be a very good football player."

"Jesse Geary (PICTURED LEFT) returns at tailback. He is a big, strong physical kid," says Swider. Geary led the Thunder with 569 rushing yards as a junior last year, picking up 5.5 yards per carry, with five touchdowns on the ground. Geary also had a strong effort in the receiving game with 17 catches to average 10.5 yards per catch with a touchdown reception. Geary ran for a career-high 132 yards against North Central last season and he picked up 172 all-purpose yards with three touchdowns in a victory against Carthage. Swider continues, "You could see in the last year that he was starting to 'feel it' and gain some confidence." Swider adds of two tailbacks in the Thunder stable, "Danny Puknaitis is a good football player, as is Jackson Fain." Junior Jackson Brown returns for his junior campaign at fullback. Swider notes, "Jackson Brown is a tough kid at the fullback position."

Wheaton will have a full competition for playing time at receiver, "At wide receiver we have a lot of kids that are returning that are going to be competitive," states Swider. "Luke Thorson is a tall kid who is going to be a very good receiver for us. Matt Mitchell, Keegan Kemp, Andrew Lindquist and Austin Langemeier are returning players that have been on the field for us and played a lot of snaps. Ben Leong is healthy this year and Matt Norton is a sophomore who is going to be a player. Plus we have some good freshmen in that class, so the receiver position is going to be a good one." Mitchell led the Thunder in receptions last season with 38 catches for 399 yards.

Spencer Clark.jpg" style="float:left" />"At tight end we will have a fullback/tight end position. So Jackson Brown potentially could see time there, but Brandon Gray is a guy that will also be competitive for us out there," notes Swider.

"On the offensive line we return Spencer Clark (PICTURED LEFT), a preseason All-American. He is a stalwart and an anchor on the line for us," says the veteran head coach. Clark earned First Team All-CCIW honors and First Team All-North Region recognition at center last season.

Swider says of Dan senior Dan Barnhart (PICTURED RIGHT), a veteran with experience at guard, "Dan Barnhart returns as a starter after getting hurt last year halfway through the season. Dan is a big, physical guy on the line and a good player for us." Swider adds, "Matt Snebold is a returning starter at tackle and is a very physical lineman."

The Thunder mentor notes of competition for the remaining spots at guard and tackle, "Guys like Nick Scheske, Christian Hollinger, Chad Reitz and Sam Caldwell are going to be fighting for the two open spots we have." Swider notes, "The freshmen offensive linemen that we have is as good a group of linemen that we have ever recruited collectively."

Moving to the other side of the ball Swider mentions, "On defense, Coach Langs is the son of a football coach and he is very sound in what he wants to do. We will be a football team that lines up and is very comfortable with our identity as a defense. His philosophy is to let our kids play. Don't let them get confused with all kinds of adjustments. He wants the defense to play disciplined and fast."

David Suominen.jpg" style="float:right" />"I feel good about our defensive line," notes Swider. Jared Todd (PICTURED LEFT) and David Suominen (PICTURED RIGHT) are returning starters at defensive end. Todd earned Second Team All-CCIW honors in 2013 with 30 tackles and a team-high five quarterback sacks (-35 yards). Suominen recorded 22 tackles last season, including 6-1/2 tackles for loss. Swider says of the duo, "Jared Todd and David Suominen are two outstanding players at defensive end." He adds, "Timmy Lovett, Bobby Pugsley and Blake Herman are returning players that will fight for time there as well."

"Josh Aldrin is slated to be a nose guard for us and Josh is a fireplug. He is about 5'9'' and 270 and he is active, he is really a load," states Swider. He mentions, "Jack Nussbaum will also be important in providing us with depth at nose guard. "

"We graduated three of our four starting linebackers from last year. Our returner is Adam Dansdill (PICTURED LEFT) and he is going to be a great player. He has a lot of experience and will be one of the top players in the conference without a doubt," notes Swider. Dansdill earned First Team All-CCIW accolades as a sophomore in 2013. He led the Thunder last season with a team-high 57 total tackles, including six tackles for lost yardage. "He is smart, instinctive and makes plays. He is as good a linebacker as there is in this conference," concludes Swider, "We also are expecting some younger guys like John Clark, Caleb Ashby, and Ben Shaw to compete for quality snaps this season."

"We have guys at the other two outside linebacker positions in Austin Brooks, Logan McRae, Mikey Swider, and Luke Sahly. That type of depth will provide us with healthy competition at those positions," notes the Thunder head coach. Swider adds, "We need to find our starting inside linebacker for this year. There are some guys there like Derek Simpson, Chris Jenkins, and Kody Thornburg who are ready to prove themselves. There will be a strong competition for the inside linebacker spot."

Mitch Warren.jpg" style="float:right" />"We are excited to have some depth across all four positions in the secondary," Swider notes. "We have experience with Mitch Warren (PICTURED RIGHT), Jordan Dornbush, Oskar Cadena, and Michael Risher, combined with some young talented players looking to prove themselves such as Wes Cannonier, Alex Mendez, Junnie Moore, Andrew Wright and Jared Strom."

Senior kicker/punter Sam Cote (PICTURED LEFT) returns for the Thunder special teams unit in 2014. Last season Cote led Wheaton in scoring thanks to 12 field goals and 47 PAT conversions. Cote averaged 35.5 yards per punt last season, including 13 of his 28 punts inside the 20-yard line. "Sam Cote is a real weapon for our football team. He can kick it well and punt it well and as a senior he has a ton of experience. Thirty percent of the plays in a football game are special teams, and whether its kickoffs, punts, extra points or field goals we have a special player in Sam, who has been doing it for going on four years," mentions Swider.

Swider says of the returner spots for the Thunder special teams unit, "J Moore is going to be a kick returner for us. He can run and has exceptional speed. We are really excited about him." He concludes, "We are looking at Keegan Kemp and Matt Norton as punt returners."