CSNChicago.com preps reporter "Edgy" Tim O’Halloran spotlights 100 high school football teams in 100 days. The first 75 team profiles will focus on teams making strides across Chicagoland and elsewhere in the state. Starting Jul. 31, we’ll unveil the @CSNPrepsTop 25 Power Rankings, leading up to kickoff on Friday, Aug. 25.
School: Lincoln-Way East
Head Coach: Rob Zvonar
How they fared in 2016: 9-3 (5-2 Southwest Suburban Conference), made the Class 8A state playoff field, defeated Taft and Waubonsie Valley before losing to Maine South in the quarterfinal round.
2017 Regular Season Schedule:
August 25th vs Crete-Monee
September 1st @ Maine South
September 8th @ Tinley Park
September 15th vs Sandburg
September 22nd @ Lincoln-Way Central
September 29th @ Homewood-Flossmoor
October 6th vs Lockport
October 13th vs Thornwood
October 20th @ Bolingbrook
Biggest storyline: Can the Griffins live up to the preseason hype and get deep in the Class 8A state playoff field?
Names to watch this season: Senior DE Devin O'Rourke (Northwestern) QB Brendan Morrissey Senior LB John Christensen
Biggest holes to fill: With a roster hovering around 100 players and 12 returning starters back (6 offense 6 defense) the Griffins will be able to fill most of it's needs this summer.
EDGY's Early Take: Lincoln-Way East and head coach Rob Zvonar is a year removed from the merging of Lincoln-Way North and the program is in good shape heading into 2017. The Griffins will need to sort out a few positional battles but the overall talent level and depth is impressive again this fall. Lincoln-Way East has made the state playoffs in every season since starting up varsity football in 2000 and looks primed for another state playoff run in 2017.