CSNChicago.com preps reporter "Edgy" Tim O’Halloran spotlights 100 high school football teams in 100 days. The first 75 team profiles focus on teams making strides across Chicagoland and elsewhere in the state. Starting Aug. 1, we’ll unveil the @CSNPreps Top 25 Power Rankings, leading up to kickoff on Friday, Aug. 26. View Edgy Tim's other football previews here.
School: Hinsdale Central
Head coach: Dan Hartman
How they fared in 2015: 7-3 (4-2) West Suburban Silver Conference. Hinsdale Central made the Class 8A state playoff field. The Red Devils lost to Neuqua Valley in opening-round action
Biggest Storyline for 2016? Can the Red Devils get back to the state playoffs and make a deep run in Class 8A?
Names to watch this season: QB Josh Bean, LB Dorion Pollard
[PREPS: Edgy Tim's Countdown to Kickoff series]
Biggest holes to fill: Can Hinsdale Central reload on the offensive line this season?
EDGY's early take: Hinsdale Central had a somewhat surprise early exit last fall from the state playoffs, and I fully expect the Red Devils to be in the thick of things again this fall. With 11 starters back (six offense, five defense) including Bean (Columbia), plus some key names back in the fold on both sides of the ball, expect some good things from Hinsdale Central this season.
Red Devils schedule:
Aug. 26 vs. American Fork *Utah* (7 p.m.)
Sept. 2 at Downers Grove South (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 9 at Downers Grove North (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 16 vs. York (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 23 at Proviso West (7 p.m.)
Oct. 1 vs. Glenbard West (noon)
Oct. 7 at Lyons (7:30 p.m.)
Oct. 14 vs. Hinsdale South (7:30 p.m.)
Oct. 21 vs. Oak Park-River Forest (7:30 p.m.)