Nolte looks to rebuild Carrick football team

By: Andrew John
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 | 9:29 PM

Last year, Carrick football team didn’t have the ideal season, and they Raiders looking to rebound under new coach Brian Nolte.

Because of injuries and a small roster, the Raiders (0-7, 0-5 City League) opted to forfeit their final two games of the season. The Raiders were outscored 243-14 last season in the five games they played before forfeiting games against Perry and Allderdice.

This season, Carrick will enter with about 30 players, and Nolte is looking forward to instilling a new culture that promotes the players opportunity to get a college education while playing football at the next level.

“I like a good challenge,” Nolte said. “The opportunity to make a genuine mark on the school and the community and players to make a positive difference in these kids lives and to give them an opportunity that they might not have without football.

“The sport has done so much for me that I believe in the power of the messages that football brings to young men and women and how this can really change a community. It matters to me.”

Throughout the offseason workouts, Nolte has been trying to preach the little things will go a long way in life.

“Take care of the little things and be perfect in every aspect of your life that you’re dealing with: grades, attendance, work,” he said. “It’s all the little things that go into making a good human being.

“A program’s success isn’t always about wins and losses. It’s easy to point at a winning program and say they are successful, but I think a true measure of a successful program is the winners that it produces.”

The Raiders will lean on senior quarterback and cornerback E.J. Williams, a transfer from Northgate, to provide senior leadership for a fairly young and inexperienced team.

“I want to do really good and change something here. We have a lot of good kids here that really could change something,” Williams said. “We are trying to change the culture from the negative to a positive.”

Senior lineman Cody Rump will anchor the offensive and defensive lines for the Raiders, and senior Chris Malicki also returns to the line.

Nolte was hesitant to point out any underclassmen who will play key roles. But Nolte loves the idea he will have a chance to grow the program with some freshmen and sophomores on the roster.

“They are going to go through the process that I’ve used at other schools that has been successful in promoting young men and being able to get them recruited and sent off to college,” Nolte said. “They get to go through that process a little bit longer and be a little bit more refined when they are able to come out and be ready for the next level.”

Carrick will play an independent schedule and will not be eligible for the City League playoffs. The Raiders will kick off their season Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. at Bishop Carroll.

Carrick will play only two City League games: Westinghouse on Sept. 19 and Perry on Oct. 4.

“We were able to meet up with a lot of competitive teams for us numbers wise. There are a lot of good skill teams that we’re going to play against,” Nolte said. “This should be challenging as well as exciting for the fans to come and watch our guys go against.

“We will go against a couple of teams that have some bigger recruits. We’re going to be able to show off a little bit and that’s always fun, too.”

Schedule

Coach: Brian Nolte

2018 record: 0-7, 0-5

All-time record: 330-449-47

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23, at Bishop Carroll, 7

8.30, at Albert Gallatin, 7

9.6, at Madonna, 7

9.14, Cardinal Mooney, Ohio, 7:30

9.19, Westinghouse, 7

9.27, at Newbury, Ohio, 7