Watch - Big Reds 2014 Season Preview Trailer

It's that time of the year, ladies and gentlemen. Big Red alum Will Gardner (c/o '09) has put together a preseason preview video for the upcoming season. If this doesn't get you excited, nothing will. Two days until kickoff!

Opponent Watch: Novi Detroit Catholic Central

Senior TE/DE Caleb Hendershot

(Photo by Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press)

Team: Novi Detroit Catholic Central
Location: Novi, MI
Head Coach: Tom Mach
2013 Record: 11-3, 3-2
Nickname: Shamrocks
Colors: Royal Blue/White
Conference: Catholic League - Central
Enrollment: 2,134


Muskegon and Detroit Catholic Central have several things in common. Both are tradition-rich programs that have seen their fair share of success, with both schools claiming at least one state title in the past decade. On the other hand, both programs have felt the sting of defeat;  Each team is eager to put last season behind them and dive head-first into a classic East v. West showdown.

In an interview with MLive's Tom Barry, Shamrocks coach Tom Mach believes his team has what it takes to make it back to Ford Field this fall:

“Our kids have practiced really hard for us,” Mach stated. “We don’t have the secret formula to winning a state championship every year, but if we work hard and get better each week, then we will have what it takes to win it all. We can put ourselves in a good position this year.“We’re really young, though. We graduated a lot of seniors last year and we have a lot of guys who will be playing their first varsity game in the opener (Aug. 29 at Muskegon). There’s no way to predict how well we can do when you’re playing in your first game. I like what I see, though. I’m optimistic that we have what it takes to be a fine football team.”

Key Players:

Cameron Hendershot: A senior TE/DE, Hendershot will be one of DCC's team captains this season. After racking up 58 tackles and 12 yards per catch in 2013, Hendershot will be a go-to player both on offense and defense for the Shamrocks.

“This team has put in a ton of hard work and has a great attitude,” the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Hendershot said. “We’re going to do more to finish every play and do what’s best for the team. We look a lot better on the lines. We can still improve on our skill positions, but we are getting there.”

DCC Senior Jordan Jenkins (46) attempts to tackle Brother Rice QB Alex Malzone (12)
Jarrad Henderson / DFP

Jordan Jenkins: Jenkins was the team's leading tackler last year, notching 89. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker should be even better this year, and a tough match-up to handle.

The Shamrocks lost their starting quarterback, two leading running backs, starting linemen, and their top DB's to graduation. A lot of young guys will be filling in, but talent is there.

Senior quarterback Joe Fanning (6'1", 190) was DCC's back-up to Sean Birney last season, so expect him to be your starter unless someone else impresses.

According to last year's official roster, Francesco Russo (6'0", 255) and Graham Gausden (6'4", 260) are their largest listed returning lineman. Size isn't everything, and one thing we know about the Shamrocks is that they boast the top lines in the state year in and year out. No word on who their starting lines may be this year, but something tells me they will be pretty good.

 As far as receivers go, DCC has size, size and more size. The Shamrocks have several receivers returning that are 6'0" and above that could pose a problem to Muskegon's DB's.

Prediction Based on Flimsy Evidence:

Both teams have lost key players to graduation, but Muskegon happens to return more firepower. The game will be played in Hackley Stadium, a place Muskegon has been nigh unbeatable over the past decade. DCC is a legit threat and will be one of the top teams in Division 1 this year, but the Big Reds will pull through this year. Next year's game may be a different story.

Maxwell: Muskegon 24, Novi Detroit Catholic Central 21

Najee: Muskegon 42, Novi Detroit Catholic Central 22

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Alumni Update - Ronald Johnson Cut By Seattle Seahawks

Muskegon and USC fans everywhere were excited when it was announced that Ronald Johnson (c/o '07) had been signed by the Seattle Seahawks last week. Unfortunately the excitement did not last long, as it has been announced that the Seahawks are parting ways with Johnson:

Johnson, 26, had been signed since the start of training camp, and was attempting to come back from a broken ankle suffered in the 2012 pre-season camp with the Philadelphia Eagles. Coach Pete Carroll and the rest of the coaching staff likely weren't confident in the strength of Johnson's ankle, and made cuts to make space for future transactions.

While being cut from the Seahawks means his playing career is put on hold, Big Red Nation will continue to support 'Rojo' as he makes his next step toward making an NFL roster. Stay tuned for more news.



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Alumni Update - Ronald Johnson Signs With Seattle Seahawks

Former Muskegon star Ronald Johnson (c/o '07) has been given another shot at his dream, signing with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

According to Pro Football Talk’s Curtis Crabtree, Johnson, 26, will be taking the roster spot of tight end Anthony McCoy, who has been placed on the injured reserved after injuring his left Achilles Tendon last Tuesday.

Johnson (left) and Carroll (right) at USC.

Michigan's number one recruit coming out of the 2007 class, Johnson has not played in any games since being drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 draft out of USC, where he played for current Seahawks coach Pete Carroll through the 2009 season.

 Johnson will be given every chance to compete and earn a roster spot for the upcoming season, as Seattle's team is littered with players who were 'no names' and 'passed over' during their college and pro careers. This seems to be the perfect environment for Johnson to thrive, and display some of the magic he showed us so many times while donning the Big Red uniform.


*In order to make the team, Johnson must make all three NFL-mandated roster cuts over the course of the pre-season. The dates for these roster cuts can be seen below:

NFL Roster Cut Dates:

August 26, 2014: Prior to 3 p.m. CDT, clubs must reduce their rosters to a maximum of 75 players on the active list.

August 30, 2014: Prior to 3 p.m. CDT, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the active/inactive list.

August 31, 2014: Beginning at 11 a.m. CDT, clubs may establish a practice squad of eight players by signing free agents who do not have an accrued season of free agency credit or who were on the 46-player active list for less than nine regular season games during each of any accrued seasons. A player cannot serve on the practice squad for more than three seasons.




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Muskegon basketball standout Deyonta 'DD' Davis turning heads at NBPA Top 100 Camp in Virginia

The University of Virginia made room for some of the nation’s top basketball talent on Tuesday, as the NBPA Top 100 Camp made the campus it's home. The camp brings together the top-100 or so players in the nation to compete in drills and learn from former and current NBA players and coaches.

With several future NBA players in attendance, the camp had two participants from the state of Michigan this weekend, Saginaw Arthur Hill's Eric Davis and Muskegon's Deyonta Davis.

Deyonta Davis, a 6-9, 210-pound senior forward, is a 5-star prospect according to ESPN and a high 4-star according to recruiting sites Rivals, Scout and 247. The Michigan State commit is considered to be the top 2015 basketball prospect in the state of Michigan. 

Davis has performed well at the Top 100 camp so far, earning praise from coaches and staff:

The fact that Davis was the ONLY player at the camp who wanted to get an early-morning practice in with the coaches speaks to his dedication to the game. With a work ethic like that, the sky is the limit.

Davis performing a vertical jump drill:

I'd say that's pretty good, yeah?

While Davis is turning heads at the Top 100 camp, his summer camp tour is just getting started. Davis has been invited to participate in both the Nike Big Man Skills Academy (June 23-25) and the LeBron James Skills Academy (July 8-13).

After a summer of competing against the best prep players in the country, Davis should return to the Redmond-Potter Gymnasium a stronger, more developed player than the one who led his team to a 28-0 state championship season. Perhaps the 2015 basketball season will end the same way 2014 did? We can only hope.

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Muskegon 2014 football schedule released.

Don't look now, but we have just over 70 days until the Big Reds enter Friday-night lights of Hackley Stadium on August 28. We have known for awhile that Muskegon will face Detroit Catholic Central in the season-opener, but what we did not know has how the rest of the schedule would shape up...until now. Today Muskegon released their football schedule to MLive.com, and this is what we have:

Muskegon High School 2014 Football Schedule

Initial thoughts:

8/29 - DCC at Muskegon. DCC is another powerhouse from the Catholic League that Muskegon will try to vanquish. Both teams made it to the State final last year, with both losing by big margins. With two passionate fan bases, this should be yet another classic East vs. West face-off.

9/05 - GRCHS at Muskegon. The final game of this home-home series, this game should be a solid match-up. Christian had a great season last year considering star receiver Drake Harris didn't play a single down his senior season. That being said, I still suspect this game to be a Muskegon W. Christian lost quite a few key guys from last season's team, and figures to take a step back this year. We will find out when both teams take the field on September 5.

9/19 - East Grand Rapids at Muskegon. - I could understand this choice if this game was played maybe five years ago. EGR has one of the richest football traditions in the state, having won 11 state titles including five ina row from 2006-2010. Since winning the 2010 championship, the Pioneers have a combined record of 18-13 over the past three years. That being said, it's always a treat to see two historical powers duke it out for bragging rights under the Hackley Stadium lights.

10/24 - Mona Shores at Muskegon. - Once the doormat of the city in terms of high school football, Mona Shores has emerged as one of the premiere teams of West Michigan under the leadership of former Muskegon head coach Matt Koziak. Led by quarterback Tyree Jackson, the Sailors had the most explosive offense in school history, putting up a school-record 344 points last seas en route to a 7-3 record. Mona Shores is losing a few key players, but with Jackson calling the shots on offense, expect the Sailors to be one of the best teams in Muskegon. In my opinion, this game is a perfect way to end the regular season.

My Prediction - I feel like this is a very top-loaded schedule, with four of Muskegon's five toughest games being the first four games of the season. I expect Muskegon to come out of that stretch with a 3-1 record. After that, I don't see Muskegon being challenged until they face off against Reeths-Puffer and Mona Shores, and i'm expecting both of those games to be wins. If you're doing the math, I expect Muskegon to win the OK Black title again this year. 8-1, OK Black Champions



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