The 2022 Ohio Wesleyan football team finished a game away from a share of the North Coast Athletic Conference championship, and head coach Tom Watts and the Battling Bishops look to return to conference title contention in 2023.
"We have a seasoned crew, a really good group of seniors who have worked really hard in the offseason" Watts said. "They know how close we came (to a conference championship) last season and are using that as a chip on their shoulder. I feel like we're in a good position to compete with any team in the conference."
On defense, the Bishops return a trio of all-conference players.
Senior end Marquel Henry (Dayton/Chaminade Julienne) ranked second in the NCAC in sacks with 6½, tied for eighth in the league with 9 tackles for loss, and was a first-team All-NCAC selection for the second straight season.
Junior tackle Terrell Burton II (Reynoldsburg) and junior end Tyler Yanka (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange) also are returning starters. Senior nose guard Chase Kelly (Mount Sterling/Madison Plains) looks to round out the starting line. Sophomore end Nick Missler (Bellevue), sophomore tackle Kevin King (Akron/Cuyahoga Falls Woodbridge), and sophomore tackle Tim Root (North Royalton) also will contribute, as will freshman end Jack Novak (Chagrin Falls/Kenston), an all-conference selection in high school.
At linebacker, junior Seth Anderson (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) was a third-team All-NCAC pick last season after leading Bishop linebackers in tackles. Junior Bryar Ramey (Polk/Mapleton) and sophomore Colton Yarbrough (Port Clinton) should move into starting roles, and junior Drew Grup (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) is back. Sophomore Charlie Hornacek (Barberton), a transfer from Otterbein, and freshman Grant Johnson (Dalton), an all-state honoree in high school, should contribute right away.
Both Bishop safeties return. Junior free safety Drew Thornton (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) was a third-team All-NCAC selection in 2022 after leading the team in tackles and pass breakups. Junior strong safety Sammy Stoner (Dublin/Jerome) shared the team lead in interceptions with 3. Junior Anthony Tressler-Hughes (Delaware/Buckeye Valley), junior Moses Romero (Findlay/Liberty-Benton), and sophomore Abram Beer (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch) also will see time at safety.
At cornerback, sophomore Dom Costa (Granville) and sophomore Jake Smothers (Radnor/Buckeye Valley) look to take over starting roles, with senior Tyler Neal (Massillon/Canton Central Catholic) and sophomore Joe Larkins (Twinsburg/Ginn Academy) also returning.
An experienced line will pave the way for the Ohio Wesleyan offense, anchored by a pair of returning all-conference picks in senior tackle Brandon Planey (Mount Gilead/Galion Northmor) and sophomore guard Blake Dichler (Creston/Norwayne). Senior Brock Beier (Bellevue) is back at left guard, and senior Jalen Buffington (Cleveland/Ginn Academy), who finished the 2022 season as the starter at left tackle, slides inside to take over at center. Senior guard Sean Kessel (North Olmsted/Lutheran West) also has starting experience, sophomore tackle J.D. Wallace (Cincinnati/LaSalle) is back, and freshman Hayden Bricker (Bellevue) will be heard from.
Senior Kaden Buza (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) returns at quarterback after throwing for a school-record 23 touchdowns last season. Senior Austin Womack (Hurricane, W.Va.) also returns.
They will be throwing to a group of receivers led by sophomore Josh Hurst (Port Clinton), who was named NCAC Newcomer of the Year after hauling in 59 passes, including 8 for scores, last season; and senior Jakii Alston (Pickerington/Central), who won all-conference honors as a return specialist and ranked among the league leaders in all-purpose yardage. Senior Caden Calhoun (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) and sophomore Tyler Webb (Port Clinton) are back as well.
Senior Alex Woods (Amherst/Steele) and sophomore Ian Staten (Sugar Grove/Berne Union) return at tight end, and sophomore J.T. James (Hurricane, W.Va.) moves inside from wide receiver to further shore up the position.
Sophomore Devon Haley (Granville) and senior Marquis Henry (Dayton/Chaminade Julienne) take over at the running back spot, with freshman Tim Davis (Brookville), a 2-time, first-team all-district choice in high school, also looking to make an impact.
On special teams, senior Gabriel Chlebowski (Toledo/St. John's) returns as the placekicker and punter, with freshman Ethan Shipps (Dublin/Scioto), freshman Sean Putt (Mansfield/Senior), freshman Josh Gates (Avon Lake/Lutheran West), and freshman Dallas Gerhart (Gahanna/Lincoln) providing keen competition. Alston, Webb, Calhoun, and Thornton will handle the returns.
Ohio Wesleyan opens its season on Sept. 2 at nearby rival Otterbein and opens the home schedule the following week with a non-conference game against 23rd-ranked Wisconsin-River Falls. The NCAC schedule kicks off on Sept. 16 against Wooster, and includes contests against defending champion DePauw on Sept. 23 amd co-2022 runners-up Wabash on Sept. 30 and Denison on Nov. 11.
