By Randy Gregory, Michigan Sports Radio
Rockford began the 2024 football season by hosting (and beating) the eventual state champions from Detroit Cass Tech. This year they have decided that rather than possibly taking a bot of a breather in the schedule, they will kick things off by hosting a powerhouse program from Saline that is certainly one of the favorites entering the 2025 campaign.
The Hornets (who are from the Ann Arbor area) return 18 starters from a team that finished a deceptive 7-4 and fell to national player of the year Bryce Underwood and Belleville 42-7 in the district finals. Three of the four losses were the first three contests of the year that Saline had won on the field handily. But due to a self-reported residency violation and subsequent ineligible player ruling, they were forced to forfeit those three games.
The Hornets are coached by Kyle Short, who is in his second year at the helm. Short is very well known in Rockford circles as a former talented quarterback for the Rams who was hampered by injuries for a good share of his time as a player for the Rams. Short played his college football at Grand Valley where he was an All-GLIAC safety. He was previously an assistant at Hudsonville and Rockford before taking the offensive coordinator position at both Detroit Catholic Central and Belleville.
The Hornets feature a diversified offense that features Miami (Ohio) commit Tommy Carr. Carr is the younger brother of CJ Carr, who was recently named the starting QB at Notre Dame. But that is the tip of the iceberg on that side of the ball as Lincoln Keyes (Georgia commit) returns as an explosive tight end. He is joined by running back James Rush who committed to Princeton. Up front the leader is junior lineman Louis Esposito the IV, who recently committed to Michigan.
Defensively, the Hornets feature senior defensive end Isaiah Harris (who is also a Miami (Ohio) commit. He is joined by a pair of junior linebackers in Bryce Barbarino and Dawoud Issa. Both of the junior backers are garnering considerable interest as recruits as well.
The Rams return 12 starters as well and will be led by what should be an outstanding defense boosted by the return of senior linebacker Sam Cummings, who missed the entire 2024 season with a knee injury. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 28 at Carlson Munger Stadium.
If you can’t make it to the game you can watch at michigansportsradio.com
