Countdown to kickoff: Hornets will lean on depth, returning experience to make return to playoffs

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MT. STERLING, Ill. — For a Brown County football program that has won 65 percent of its games over the past two decades with 16 playoff appearances and a handful of conference titles, the way the 2023 season played out can be described in just one way.

Painful.

Injuries took a toll on the Hornets’ depth, leading to a 3-6 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

“Yeah, that sucked,” senior Tyce Fullerton said bluntly.

Fullerton felt the pain as much as anyone. Expected to be a primary offensive weapon and a defensive thumper, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 against Winchester West Central. Nearly a year later, he’s healthy, the Hornets have improved their depth and head coach Tom Little and his staff have options at several positions.

It’s a welcome conundrum that has bred competition throughout the preseason.

“Guys are fighting for positions,” Little said. “We have a lot of skill players who deserve to get the ball.”

It’s going to allow the Hornets to have fewer starters going both ways.

“What sets us apart is the kids we have,” senior tight end Drew Markert said. “It’s not just 11 guys on each side. We have kids we can sub in. We have guys who will come in and we won’t miss anything. I think depth is a big key for us.”

Having guys hungry to play breeds competition.

“Pushing each other to make each other better will help us in the end,” Fullerton said.

The Hornets expect to be dynamic offensively.

The return of the Fullertons — Tyce will resume his role as a starting wingback and his younger brother, Trey, is back as the starting fullback — is a good building block as Brown County has to replace the production of Angel Duarte. Now playing at Monmouth College, Duarte rushed for a single-game record 278 yards against Jacksonville Routt and finished the season with more than 1,100 yards.

Senior wingback Kanye Mitchell is as fast as almost anyone in the Western Illinois Valley Conference, and the Hornets have a handful of underclassmen capable of playing a role.

“They can all make plays,” Markert said. “You can put the football in the hands of any of the running backs and they can make plays. It will be a fun thing to watch.”

Senior quarterback Maverick Henry and junior quarterback Vince Little give the Hornets a strong leader in the huddle regardless of which one is on the field, and they offer versatility and depth.

“We can do a lot out of this offense,” senior guard/linebacker Tanner Sitze said. “We’re learning new stuff and trying new stuff, and hopefully it will give us an edge out of it.”

Defensively, the Hornets allowed 30.7 points per game last season and surrendered 42 or more points to the top three WIVC teams — Camp Point Central, Calhoun and Greenfield-Northwestern. Those three opponents finished a combined 33-5 and all are back on the schedule.

The Hornets open at Greenfield-Northwestern and travel to Calhoun in Week 8. The Week 5 matchup at home against Central could decide the WIVC North title if the Hornets’ defense can stand tall.

“Pride,” Fullerton said. “Pride and defense. Our defense is looking really good. We’re all flying to the ball and playing with intensity. We’re just looking to hit somebody. Not making the playoffs, we’re really ready to get back. That’s the pride thing kicking in.”

It’s showing in how aggressive the Hornets have been.

“We just want to hit hard,” Sitze said. “And scare our opponents.”

And put Brown County back where it belongs.

That’s playing in the postseason.

“We’re not just trying to get there, but make a run as well,” Fullerton said.

That will put the past to rest.

“We’re going to use it as motivation,” Markert said. “We have to stick to the basics to be at our best.”