2023 Record: 4-8
Head coach: Tyler Mattingly
2023: After ten straight successful seasons, the Elizabethtown football team hit a major road block with Ross Brown stepping down and Alfredo Silva taking over the program as the team struggled with a 4-8 season. Both the offense and defense was effected as the Panthers limped through the first half of the season, but managed to finish strong before dropping their second playoff game. This season, there will be a fresh start in more ways than one with Tyler Mattingly taking over after several successful season running the offense at South Warren before taking a break from coaching. Mattingly will definitely have his hands full with losing nearly 90% of the offense and defense, but will look to put his stamp on the team with plenty of new faces.
Offense: The Panthers scored just 240-points in 12-games ( almost half less than the 405 in 2022) and Mattingly will look to find replacements at all skill positions. With Greyson Hainer gone (2,023-yds and 18-TDs), junior Caleb Irwin could be the next man up. The running game took a big hit with Hainer (359-yds 5TDs), Durbin (257-yds 5-TDs) and Brayden Dean (143-yds) graduated. Senior Conner Johnson will step up in the backfield. The receivers also took a major hit with Durbin (44-catches 637-yds 4-TDs), Tyain Jurnett (25-catches 341-yds), B. Dean (14 for 271-yds) and Alex Evans (21-catches 227-yds) all gone. Walter Johnson and Tae Townsend will be targeted in the passing game this season. The Offensive Line took a hit with Hayden Flores, Reuben Karger, Eli McCowen and Carter Moberly all gone. Only Will Lynch returns so Mattingly will work hard to put together a line and subs.
Kicking Game: Ryna Bowen, who hit 22-of-25 PATs and 4-of-6 field goals should be back for his senior year.
Defense: The Defense also took a major hit allowing 407-points after just 205 the previous season and Mattingly will look to replace a big chunk of that side of the ball as well. The Defenseive Line lost CaMarcus Caldwell, Jay Brekinridge, Alex Evans and Kuashawn King, but Bryson Olsen, Tre Durham, Chance McCarthy and Gage Elkins will man that side of the ball. The Linebackers lost Carter Moberly and Braydon Dean, but Conner Johnson, Will Lynch and Jonovan Stewart will toe the line. The Defensive secondary lost JQ Williams and Tyrin Jurnett, but Tre Townsend, Walter Brown, Lex Bratcher and Miller will man the backfield. The Panthers had only two QB sacks last season, but intercepted 15-passes. Surely those numbers will go up this season.
Summation: Imagine taking over a program which just three years ago played in the State Finals and you had to replace almost 90% of the starters. Tyler Mattingly could have a few struggles this season, but it’s also a great opportunity to put his stamp early. Also, the schedule didn’t do them any favors with battles with Meade County, Taylor County, Hart County, Bardstown and CAL on the horizon before they move up to 4-A next season. Still, Mattingly has been able to put together good offenses before so now it will be a chance to do so and restart a struggling program. Fans might want to be patient early with three of their opponents having been in either the Final Four or State Championships in the last three years as the team gets use to a different system.
