High school football previews – Zanesville Blue Devils

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – 11th year head football coach Chad Grandstaff will be the first to tell you that 2-8 seasons are never acceptable at Zanesville High School.

The Blue Devil football team is coming off their worst campaign since Grandstaff took over the program in 2007. The two win season included four games in which ZHS was shutout and eight where their defense surrendered more than 30 points.

“Last year going 2-8, after coming off a Final Four season the previous year, that was rough. A lot of that had to do with leadership and people who play hard and play like their pants are on fire. We didn’t have a lot of that last year. A lot of those guys are gone and now we’ve got a lot better character,” said Grandstaff.

Despite the improvement in the leadership, this year’s team only has four returning starters on each side of the ball. And Gradstaff says that it’s the smallest senior class that he’s ever had. That mixed with a roster with 23 sophomores means a lot of youth will see the field.

The Blue Devils offense will rely in part on sophomore quarterback Ben Everson, who will start behind center this year.  Despite his youth, Grandstaff says his young gunslinger has shown his worth.

“He’s a hard worker who doesn’t get too high or too low. He just keeps playing. He’s progressing well,” said Grandstaff.

One of the targets Ben will be looking for this year is his older brother Andrew, a senior captain who plays receiver and defensive back. Andrew said that this year’s senior class is different then some in years past.

“We have a different mind set this year. We’re looking to get past .500 and possibly go to the playoffs,” said Everson.

All eyes will be on that week one match up when long time rival Newark comes to Sulsberger Stadium. ZHS had won nine straight against the Wildcats, until getting beat last season 41-0. And Grandstaff doesn’t mince his words when asked about that week one opponent.

“It’s going to be a huge match up. They don’t like us and we don’t like them,” said Grandstaff.

The Blue Devils will face five teams in the regular season who made the postseason last year. You can listen to live play-by-play of every ZHS game on AM 1240.

2017 Schedule 

8/25 Newark
9/1 at Granville
9/8 Tri-Valley
9/15 at South Range
9/22 Miami Trace
9/29 at Cambridge
10/6 at New Philadelphia
10/13 Dover (Homecoming)
10/20 Cincinnati Taft
10/27 at Marietta