The NKyTribune is featuring players on each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2023 season on Friday, Aug. 18. We will then provide focused coverage of local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Blake Lehmann
NKyTribune sports reporter
After Jake Owens’ unexpected resignation as Scott’s head football coach on July 28 due to personal reasons, the program was forced to scramble to find a new leader just three weeks before the season kicked off.
The school hired Steve Hensley to fill the role. He joined an Eagles’ coaching staff that’s been able to sustain the winning attitude that Owens instilled during his seven-month tenure.
“Coach Owens really changed all of our mindsets and (Hensley) is keeping it going,” said junior offensive and defensive lineman Nate Marshall. “He told us he’s very excited and I’m honestly happy to see him here.”
An imposing force on the front line at 6-foot-1 and 300-plus pounds, Marshall has the most varsity experience among linemen on the Scott roster.
He saw action in 12 games as a freshman in 2021 and started the first four games as a sophomore before a broken bone in his right hand ended his season.
The Eagles are glad to have him back at offensive guard and defensive nose tackle. He’s the team’s only returning starter up front on either side of the ball, but he views everyone on the line as equals.
“I feel like over our summer workouts we’ve all just molded together as one unit,” Marshall said. “There hasn’t really been a leader for our line, we’re all doing it together.”
The starting quarterback, leading rusher and top receiver on Scott’s 4-7 team last year also graduated. The top returning skill player is senior Dylan Giffen, who caught 26 passes for 322 yards and six touchdowns.
“I love the motivation we’ve all got, the drive everybody’s got,” Marshall said of rebuilding the Eagles’ offense.
Five of the team’s top six tacklers last season also graduated. The only returnee in that group is senior Boomer Klusman. Marshall’s size and experience at nose guard makes him another key piece of this year’s defensive unit.
“I like offense more to be honest,” Marshall said of being a two-way starter. “On defense, I do like nose guard because it’s just me against one guy.”
The Eagles held their first full-contact scrimmage games against Cooper and Cincinnati Western Hills last Friday. Marshall was satisfied with his team’s performance on both sides of the ball, with one exception.
“We’ve got to catch the ball a little better, but our receivers are working hard every day to get that done,” he said.
Scott is moving up to Class 5A this season and will compete in a new all-Northern Kentucky district with Boone County, Conner, Cooper, Dixie Heights, and Highlands. To get to the playoffs, the Eagles have to finish among the top four in the district standings and Marshall said they “know we can compete no matter who we play.”
“We’ve all got this mindset that if we keep it together and keep pushing, we’ll have an undefeated season,” he said. “That’s always the goal.”
SCOTT EAGLES
2022 SEASON: 4-7 record, lost in first round of Class 4A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 5A, District 6 with Boone County, Conner, Cooper, Dixie Heights, Highlands.
HEAD COACH: Steve Hensley (17-15 record in three seasons at Ludlow, first year at Scott).
2023 SCHEDULE
Aug. 18 – at Campbell County, 7 p.m.
Aug. 25 – NORTH BULLITT, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 1 – vs. Newport Central Catholic at CovCath, 7 p.m
Sept. 8 – at Holmes, 7 p.m.
Sept. 22 – CONNER, 7 p.m.
Sept. 29 – at Boone County, 7 p.m.
Oct. 5 – COOPER, 7 p.m.
Oct. 13 – at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.
Oct. 20 – HIGHLANDS, 7 p.m.
Oct. 27 – LLOYD, 7 p.m.
OTHER 2023 PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEWS