Week One Power Rankings

Olathe South's Russell White.  KC Star.

1. Olathe South (0-0): The Falcons are pumped to kick their season off with rival Olathe East.  Nothing would set the standard for 2012 like a great performance in week one from what could be the league's best team in the defending 6A state champ Falcons.

2. Lawrence (0-0): The Chesty Lions handled SM West pretty easily in week one last year.  Do the same this year and it will validate LHS, because we know SM West is going to be much improved from 2011.  More than anything LHS will be praying that the injury bug that has plagued them in recent years is gone.

3. Olathe East (0-0): Olathe East has won 12 of their last 13 season-opening games.  The Hawks will come prepared to win--the fact that the first game is against rival Olathe South just provides more incentive for the team.

4. Lawrence Free State (0-0): The Firebirds have spent the majority of their offseason practicing on turf but their first game will be on the grass at CBAC against Olathe Northwest.  I'm not expecting a change in the potency of the Kyle McFarland led offense, however.

5. SM West (0-0): The Vikings were embarrassed in week one at Lawrence last season, yet they still managed a solid seven-win season and Sectional berth.  You know they're chomping at the bit for a chance to dim LHS' preseason expectations, just a bit, early on.

6. Olathe North (0-0): Game One of the Gene Wier Era Part II is at a stadium (the new SM North District Stadium) that didn't exist the last time Wier was coaching at Olathe North.  It will be the first of many nuances around the league for the coaching legend.

7. SM East (0-0): There's nothing like taking on your rival in week one.  The Lancers will be dressed in all black and SM South in all white.  This will be Jordan Darling's first chance to make an impression on the league.

8. SM South (0-0):  See SM East.  The Raiders' schedule is manageable this year and nothing would get things started on the right foot like a victory against their rival.  That 95th Street border gets more and more intense with each student who transfers or is denied transfer, between the two schools.

9. Leavenworth (0-0): Leavenworth has preseason expectations for the first time in over a decade.  How the Pioneers do in the early part of their schedule (at SM North, SM South, SM Northwest) will be key.

10. Olathe Northwest (0-0): The Ravens will have to play to their strength, the offensive line, early on in 2012.  How effectively they can establish a run game to keep possessions away from Free State's offense could be essential in week one.

11. SM Northwest (0-0): The Cougars may be sitting very low in terms of expectations but the program is in good hands under new head coach Linn Hibbs and there's really no telling how soon they could possibly click and surprise us all.

12. SM North (0-0): The good thing about starting the season at the bottom of the Power Rankings is that there's only one way to go--up.  That's cliché but the Indians have a week one opponent in Leavenworth who they're familiar with and you know Dennis Grayless' team will come prepared for a dogfight.

Sunflower League 2012: Five Key Questions

Gene Wier has won six titles titles with ON.

How long will it take for Gene Wier to return Olathe North to dynasty form, if ever?

There's a few things to keep in mind with regard to Wier's return to the school that he established as one of the nation's top dynasties in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  First off, despite the rough 5-4 record this past season, Olathe North had all but returned to dominant form in the latter years of former head coach Pete Flood's tenure.

The Eagles went 10-2 in 2007, claimed a state title in 2009 going 13-0, and lost in the state title game in 2010 going 11-2.  For all intents and purposes, 2011 might have just been an enigma and you have to wonder about the kind of impact Flood's departure had on the Eagles' late-season collapse.  Were the players distracted by the rumors of Flood's possible exit?  Were there behind the scenes events taking place that detracted from success on the gridiron?  Ultimately, nobody knows the potential impact those events had.

While Olathe North doesn't return a ton of talent in 2012, the coaches could literally grab 11 kids from a gym class and find a way to go .500.  There's just too much talent at that school to not win big.  Really the only unknown is how long Wier plans on staying with the program before presumably retiring from coaching.  Remember, it took Wier 16 seasons before he finally captured his first state title with Olathe North in 1996. 

Even with an inexperienced offensive line, is Lawrence capable of winning a state title?

It's becoming cliche, but LHS will go as far as quarterback Brad Strauss is capable of taking them.  If he gets injured again the way he did late in 2011 then you can all but cash in LHS' title hopes.  And that's not a dig on their talent but rather a testament to the type of value Strauss adds to the team as a runner, passer and even defender.  LHS has plenty of talent at the skill positions surrounding Strauss and the offensive line will develop in time, but it's imperative that Strauss is consistently putting up 150-250 yards of total offense a game if the Chesty Lions plan on making it far into the playoffs. 

Will teams like SM South and Leavenworth actually be in contention for the league title?

I'm not sure either of these teams will be in position to compete for a league title, strictly speaking, but both should be vastly improved from 2011.  Leavenworth returns a ton of experience at seemingly every group on offense and defense.  SM South took some lumps last year by playing a ton of juniors and underclassman, but the move could pay tremendous dividends for the Raiders this season and into the future.  At the very least both teams each possess one of the league's top running backs.  Leavenworth's Jason Randall can basically be penciled in for 1,500 all-purpose yards and SM South's Gabe Guild will be aiming for that elusive 2,000-yard rushing mark.  At the high school level, especially in the Sunflower League having a big-time running back is going to win you a couple games.  But a couple isn't the number these teams are aiming for.

Who really is the best quarterback in the Sunflower League?

It's all about what you're looking for.  For dual-threat quarterbacks, you've got to go with Strauss or Free State's Kyle McFarland, both of whom have the potential for 1,000-yard passing and rushing seasons (in fact, barring injury, I'll be surprised if they don't both reach those marks).  The best pro-style quarterback in the league is SM East's Jordan Darling, hands down.  He displayed tremendous decision making and accuracy all summer in 7-on-7 events and those type of efforts generally translate well into the passing game.  For an all-around winner look no further than Olathe South's Frank Seurer.  He's won just under 80% of the games he's started during his time with the Falcons and he has an uncanny ability to make big plays and throw precision passes when the game is in its most crucial stages. 

Other thoughts as August 31st is now less than a week away?

I'm sensing a boom or bust type of season for Olathe East.  Either they win six or more games like they always do, or they really struggle to stay above .500.  Their lack of returning talent is a concern but I would still slot them as the #3 team in the preseason rankings.  You can't bet against Jeff Meyers when it comes to harvesting new talent during the offseason... SM West is flying under the radar but the Vikes have a chance to do some damage this year.  After a brutal four-game stretch to begin the season (at Lawrence, Free State, at Olathe North and at Olathe East) the Vikes should be favored to win their final five games and district.  Break even in the first four games and they're very likely looking at a solid 6-3 or 7-2 record heading into the playoffs... Olathe Northwest, SM North and SM Northwest all remain unknowns at this point in time. 

[Not So] Bold Sunflower League Predictions for 2012

Kyle McFarland.  Lawrence Journal World.

1. Lawrence and Free State quarterbacks Brad Strauss and Kyle McFarland, respectively, become the fifth and sixth quarterbacks of the last 10 years to accumulate over 1,000 yards passing and rushing in the same season.  They will join Free State quarterbacks Ryan Murphy, Camren Torneden, Dylan Perry and Olathe North great Dustin Moomau on the list of quarterbacks from the Sunflower League to do so over that time period.

2. There will be movement out of the Sunflower League cellar.  As in, this won't be your older brother's SM South and Leavenworth.

3. Gene Wier's Olathe North ballclub won't win a league title for the first time in his last nine seasons as head coach of the program (Olathe North won SL titles from '95 through '02, the last eight seasons Wier spent at the school before heading to Texas).

4. This will be the proverbial "Year of the Quarterback" in the Sunflower League, with headliners such as Jordan Darling, Frank Seurer, John Blazevic, Strauss and McFarland leading the charges of their respective offenses.  At least one of those players will find themselves among the Simone finalists in December.

5. Lawrence will win 10 or more games for the first time since 2005 and Olathe East will add their 13th consecutive winning season and 11th consecutive playoff berth.

6. The winner of the colossal week five Olathe South vs. Lawrence matchup will finish the regular season undefeated and claim the Sunflower League crown outright.

7. Olathe South's Braden Smith will garner scholarship offers from the rest of the "Who's Who" of college football powers within the next six months, including Alabama who is close to offering but hasn't yet pulled the trigger. SM West's Austin Chambers will also see his offer list grow and at least one other player in the league who does not currently have an FBS will receive one.

8. There will be at least four players on my post-season Elite Eleven team that I did not do a Player Spotlight on and that may or may not have been mentioned, in an capacity, to this point in time on the Sunflower League Football Blog.

9. Some time around week six I will get slightly tired of blogging five or six times a week and struggle to get all of my posts up on time and people will get to work and see I haven't posted and email me with innocuous comments like "Are we getting stats this week?" or "I haven't seen the new Power Rankings, when should I expect those?"  And I will receive at least ONE not so innocuous email from at least ONE not so innocuous parent/patron/"kid who goes to his high school football team's games to 'be seen' and hit on girls and make resoundingly shallow masculine statements common of male high school students of that age who go to games to 'be seen'"/grandparent/creepy uncle about how I am not writing enough about their team, our about how deeply, personally unfair it is that I spelled so-and-so's name wrong or about how I "really have no idea what I'm doing or writing about, do I?"

10. I will enjoy writing about the Sunflower League in 2012.  Thoroughly.

Can't Miss Sunflower League Games in 2012

Olathe East and Olathe South last faced off in
the regular season finale of 2011, with Olathe
South coming out on top, 36-18

Week 1 - Olathe East at Olathe South
ODAC, Friday, Aug. 31st

Nothing says high school football is back like the annual week one clash of Olathe rivals.  This year's game features defending Class 6A champs Olathe South against a younger, inexperienced group from Olathe East.  But don't be quick to rule this game a victory in Olathe South's favor.  Neither team will be at their peak in week one and anything can happen in these Olathe clashes, as evidenced by past games.

Week 2 - Olathe North at SM East
SM South District Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 6th

I, like most people, am interested to see the kind of impact new quarterback Jordan Darling will have for SM East this year.  This second week Thursday night contest should fill us all in pretty well.  You know Olathe North is going to field a solid defense and secondary and it will be fun to watch the chess match between head coaches Chip Sherman and Gene Wier, who have a combined nine state championships as head coaches.

Week 3 - SM West at Olathe North
ODAC, Friday, Sept. 14th

SM West head coach Tim Callaghan got his assistant coaching start and learned the ropes under Wier at Olathe North in the 1990s and early 2000s.  Wier left in 2003 to coach in Texas, the same year Callaghan took the head gig at SM West.  Nine seasons have past since they were last on the same staff at Olathe North in 2002, but the protégé will meet the mentor for the first time on opposite sides of the field in what should be a week three thriller.

Week 4 - Leavenworth at Olathe Northwest
CBAC, Friday, Sept. 21st

This could be a sort of fork in the road type of game for both of these teams when they meet in the fourth week of play.  Leavenworth's early schedule is manageable and a 2-1 record would not in any way be surprising for them heading into week four.  Olathe Northwest on the other hand has a rough three weeks and could easily be 1-2 or 0-3 if things don't go their way early on.  Case in point, the implications of this game (while probably not league championship worthy) will be huge for each of the respective programs.

Week 5 - Olathe South at Lawrence
Lawrence High School, Friday, Sept. 28th

This game pits the two tops teams from my Preseason Power Rankings in a matchup that could be epic.  Sure, we're two months out and much remains to be seen on how both teams fair in their first four games (neither teams has an easy opening schedule, by the way) but it has the potential to be the best non-district/playoff game of the season in terms of hype.  Get ready for a big one if this ends up being a clash of undefeated squads.

Week 6 - SM East at Lawrence Free State
Free State High School, Friday, Oct. 5th

If you like offensive slugfests, this game in Lawrence in early October could be just what you're looking for.  While both teams claim they pride themselves on defensive efforts, we know that in their heart of hearts they both prefer offensive fireworks to anything on the defensive side of the ball.  Set the early over/under line on combined total offense at 800 yards.

Week 7 - SM South at Blue Valley Northwest
BVDAC, Friday, Oct. 12th

Forgive me for listing a game which involves a non-Sunflower League foe... but SM South might as well circle this game now.  It could be the make-or-break moment in their bid for making the playoffs.  A win in this first district game will basically set the Raiders up so that they would have to win one of their next two games (against a paltry Blue Valley North and/or what should be a solid Olathe East team) to qualify for the playoffs.  Blue Valley Northwest is never an easy out, however, and a win here for SM South would signal huge strides for the program.

Tyrone Jenkins and LHS will do anything
in their power to beat their talented cross-
town rival two years in a row.

Week 8 - SM Northwest at SM North
SM North District Stadium, Friday, Sept. 19th

I always throw the Hula Bowl on here for nothing more than the sake of posterity.  This game was as big as any SL matchup in the early 2000s, but since then it's faded quite a bit and it doesn't carry the same luster it once did.  Still, it's always a hard-fought game (these schools hate each other) and the winner sets themselves up well to qualify for the playoffs.

Week 9 - Lawrence Free State at Lawrence
Lawrence High School, Friday, Oct. 26th

Last season LHS played running back Tyrone Jenkins at quarterback and somehow managed to beat Free State (in inexplicable fashion), effectively earning LHS a playoff berth and ending Free State's season at 6-3.  You know that game has been in the back of the Free State players' minds all offseason, and likewise LHS would love nothing more than to beat their crosstown rival in consecutive seasons.

2012 Player Spotlights: Jordan Darling

Jordan Darling. Rivals.com

Jordan Darling
SM East

Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 235 lbs.
Year: Senior

Stat to Note
Last season at Waco-Midway High School, in Waco, Texas, Darling threw for 16 touchdowns and just over 1,800 yards in 16 games while splitting quarterback duties.

Scouting Report
We've all heard plenty about Darling this offseason.  His transfer to SM East and subsequent commitment to to the University of Kansas.  His exploits this summer with the Lancers, including leading the unit to a first place finish at the Army Strong Border Challenge 7-on-7 Tournament.  This is life with big-name transfers, as we've discovered in the past with players like Orange Mooney and Brett Ginn.

What we're all really waiting to see is how big of an impact Darling can make in the Sunflower League.  I think deep down every high school football player, at some point in time, wonders how good he or his team would do against Texas high school football competition (where Darling did exceptionally well at a major 4A school last season).  Perhaps Darling's 2012 campaign will provide a sort of measuring stick for all of that.

Darling's going to be playing in a pass-happy offense that suits his ability to fire the ball early and often.  He's bigger and and as physically gifted as John Schrock, who starred for the Lancers two years ago and is now making a push to be the starting quarterback at Colorado.  He's also a better passer than Dakota Collins, last year's much maligned Lancer quarterback who showed flashes of dominance but failed to consistently stay healthy.  Let's just hope Darling can play through the entire season so we can truly gauge his impact for SM East.

2012 Player Spotlights: Frank Seurer

Frank Seurer.

Frank Seurer
Olathe South

Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 180 lbs.
Year: Senior

Stat to Note
In last year's 6A state title game Seurer completed 4 of 5 passes for 183 yards and one touchdown, including a bomb that went for 99-yards burning the Wichita Heights secondary.

Scouting Report
Seurer seems to find a way to get the job done regardless of the circumstances.  When you watch him play there's not a whole lot that jumps out at you.  He's not physically imposing, he doesn't have an absolute cannon for an arm and he doesn't have Mike Vick's scrambling ability, but what he does have is a knack for winning.  And in his two years as the starting quarterback at Olathe South he's won as many big games as anybody.

Suerer put up what proved to be pretty gaudy numbers lat season compared to the rest of the league.  He completed 69 passes for a resounding 1,598 yards (an incredible 23.2 yards per competion average) and 12 touchdowns.  His passing yardage total ranked second in the league, while his passing touchdowns total tied for third most.

The competitive juices are going to be flowing for the right to the claim as the Sunflower League's best quarterback in 2012.  Brad Strauss and Kyle McFarland are roaming out in Lawrence at LHS and Free State, respectively, and meanwhile guys like SM East's Jordan Darling and Olathe East's John Blazevic look to be in for special years as well.  It's Seurer, however, that could quietly sneak up and grab the torch by the end of the season.  He's returning with two years of starting experience under his belt (including a 19-5 record as a starter) to quarterback the team with arguably the most returning talent in the league.  That's a pretty good recipe for success.

SM East's Darling Commits to Kansas

Jordan Darling.

SM East's new transfer quarterback, Jordan Darling, officially committed to the University of Kansas on Monday, selecting KU over an offer from Kansas State.

Darling has spent the previous two falls playing high school football in other states.  As a sophomore in 2010 he quarterbacked Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio to a 3-7 record.

As a junior he split quarterbacking duties at Midway High School in Waco, Texas, helping the school to a Texas Class 4A state championship appearance and a 13-3 record overall.

Darling had been on KU's radar ever since talks of his potential move to Kansas City began springing up in January.  He was offered by head coach Charlie Weis and the Jayhawks in late February.

Darling is the first player from the Sunflower League in the Class of 2013 to accept an FBS offer. 

2012 Player Spotlights: Connor Rellihan

Connor Rellihan. Shawnee Dispatch.

Connor Rellihan
SM East

Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 175 lbs.
Year: Senior 

Stat to Note
As a junior Rellihan caught 48 passes for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns in SM East's 11-game season.

Scouting Report
Things are setting up nicely for Rellihan to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in his senior season.  In May, quarterback Jordan Darling transferred to SM East, all but ensuring another successful year for the Lancer's passing attack.  What's more, Rellihan will be the team's go-to receiver after playing second option to Elliot Faerber the majority of last year.

There's quite a bit to like about Rellihan's game.  For one, he has the speed to take any catch the distance, evidenced by his 80-yard touchdown reception against SM Northwest in Regionals last year.  More than anything though Rellihan is a player who goes out and give you a consistent effort week in and week out--he ranked among the league's top ten in all receiving categories throughout the 2011 season.

A great year of experience under his belt combined with a tremendous quarterback should make Rellihan one of, if not the top wide receiver in the Sunflower League in 2012.  His staying healthy and continued high-level performances will be essential to SM East on the offensive side of ball.

#SunflowerLeagueFootball #2K12

Olathe North's Gene Wier.

Believe it or not, the "quiet season" for high school football is actually nearing its completion.  The middle and end of May typically mark the beginning of the 7-on-7 season, which leads us through the summertime and into the start of practice in August.

Has it been a quiet offseason in the Sunflower League?  That would depend on who you ask.  We've had a highly touted transfer in Jordan Darling and the return of a coaching legend in Gene Wier to the school where he made his mark.  Besides that?  Yeah, it's been a quiet one.  While there are several seniors who are fringe FBS players in the league, only one senior (SM East's  Darling), to my knowledge, has confirmed an official offer from an FBS school.  I'll get to Olathe South's Braden Smith later...

But, not to worry.  Things will start heating up later this month and within a few short months we'll be looking at the start of the 2012 high school football season.  The forecast for the Sunflower League this year is an epic one.  In the meantime, feast your eyes on the Sunflower League Football Blog including player profiles, preseason rankings, recruiting news, prognostications and everything in between over the course of the next several months.  Here is a look at some of the early trends in the league.

2012 Big Men on Campus

Brad Strauss, QB, Lawrence, senior: The hype has been building for two seasons for Strauss and we'll see if the offensive, defensive and special teams threat can put together the final pieces of the puzzle as a senior.  Last season he ranked as my Offensive Player of the Year in the SL, but this season he's the early favorite for Most Valuable Player.

Remington Whitley, LB, Olathe South, senior: You'd be hard-pressed to find a linebacker anywhere in the Midwest who put up as solid of numbers as Whitley did as a junior.  He combined for 162 tackles, four interceptions and three sacks, not to mention helping Olathe South to win the 6A crown.

SM East's Jordan Darling.

Jordan Darling, QB, SM East, senior: I'm sure some of you cringed at the thought of SM East having one of the league's most hyped players to start the season--a transfer quarterback no less--but Darling is getting a lot of love from the media and the hype meter is booming in Prairie Village.

 Kyle McFarland, QB, Free State, senior: If you're keeping score at home you might want to note that McFarland put up numbers that were as good, if not better than Strauss last season.  The problem was he didn't gain the starting position until week three and his team didn't qualify for the playoffs.  In Free State's offense there's no telling how much damage he'll do this year--and oh yeah, he's also a stellar defensive back.

Braden Smith, DL, Olathe South, junior: Gigantor.  The Human-Man-Child.  Smith's early offer list includes Ohio State, Oklahoma, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, South Carolina, Stanford, Kansas State, Missouri and TCU.  His 425-pound bench press and 500-pound squat max are impressing the top college football programs in America and his offer list should only grow more impressive as he completes his junior season.

Gabe Guild, RB, SM South, senior: Coming off a season in which he combined for just under 2,000 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns Guild is primed for a huge year in 2012.  He's going to be a workhorse for the Raiders as they work towards their first winning record in over 14 seasons.

Frank Seurer, QB, Olathe South, senior: Let's make sure we don't forget about Mr. Seurer.  Last season he came out of nowhere to pass for over 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading Olathe South to the 6A title.  He could be the best quarterback in the league this year.

Top Stories in 2012

Chip Sherman Cleared of Cancer: SM East's legendary head coach underwent a vicious battle with stage-3 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma starting last summer, and in February his cells were finally clear of the cancer after endless rounds of chemotherapy.  Sherman will undergo scans every 60 days for the rest of his life, but for now he has come out on top and we look forward to seeing what he does with the Lancers in 2012 and beyond.

Olathe South Seeks Second Straight Title: The Falcons return an absolutely loaded roster with the hopes of bringing home their second banner in as many years.  The league appears as though it will be more competitive on paper with at least seven teams looking like legitimate playoff contenders, but the Falcons are the prohibitive favorite for now.

Jordan Darling Transfers to SM East: Darling made headlines with his transfer to SM East after spending last season at Waco-Midway High School, in Waco, Texas.  He's a big kid with a great arm and he'll fit right in with SM East's pass-happy offense  In the meantime he'll be mulling a commitment to Kansas, his only FBS offer thus far.

Gene Wier Returns to Olathe North: The timing couldn't have been better for one of the state's most legendary coaches to return to the place where it all began.  Olathe North is coming off a 5-4 season in which, quite frankly, they underachieved as much as any team I've ever season. Wier won six state championships at Olathe North and he's likely just what the program needed.

Lawrence's Erick Mayo.

Semi-Early Top Three

1. Olathe South: The Falcons, coming off a 12-1 season in which they absolutely steamrolled the rest of the league, return over half of their starters including the aforementioned Seurer, Smith and Whitley.  Be afraid.  Be very afraid.

2. Lawrence: Last year's offensive coordinator, Mack Brown, left to take a Graduate Assistant job at Mizzou.  He had a great deal of influence in Lawrence's offensive dynamics last year, so we'll see if guys like Strauss, Erick Mayo and Tyrone Jenkins can keep it going in 2012 without Brown.

3. Olathe East: The Hawks under Jeff Meyers are kind of like the Kansas basketball program under Bill Self.  It doesn't matter who they lose to graduation, they're going to dominate the league and compete for a title.  I fully expect Olathe East to win another nine or 10 games in 2012, the way they always do.

Poised to Rise

SM South: The Raiders went 2-7 in their first season under head coach Ryan Lonergan, but they had several losses that went down to the wire and they did show positive signs with regard to coming together as a program.  This will be the first season in which Lonergan has actually had control of the program for an entire year.

Lawrence Free State: Free State was one of the few teams in a long time to go 6-3 and not qualify for the playoffs but they played in a loaded district and things didn't work out their way down the stretch.  With a solid roster returning in 2012 they could make a run in the playoffs.

Leavenworth: Yes, I know, Leavenworth.  But let's be honest, they did look better last season in year two under Kevin Kopecky, winning two games.  With one of the league's most athletic returning players in junior Jason Randall, the Pioneers could push for a .500 record this time around.

SM East's Connor Rellihan. KC Star.

Don't Forget About Us

SM West: The Vikings would be the kings of consistency if it weren't for Olathe East.  The program has had a winning record for eight straight seasons and finally overcame a pesky playoff hurdle, beating Leavenworth in Regionals last season. 

Olathe North: Gene Wier.  That's really all I need to say.  The ingredients on the Olathe North football program are fairly simple: The Best Combination of Athleticism and Size in Johnson County - just add water.  Or in this case, just add Wier.

SM East: I fully expect "Jordan Darling to Connor Rellihan" to be the proverbial saying anytime the Lancers face an opponent.  We'll see quite a few touchdowns through the air from SM East this season and if they can play a little defense you never know how far they'll go.

 Question Marks

SM Northwest: With most programs the talent meter rises and falls about every five years.  After a plethora of talented players went through SM Northwest in the late 2000s (Alex Carder, Mark Fancher, Bryce Atagi, etc.) the program hit a bit of a lull, and has only combined for 15 wins the past three years.  Can the Cougars turn it around in 2012? 

SM North: Losing Mason Perez to graduation is not going to be easy.  He was the heart and soul of the Indians in 2011 contributing big plays and touchdowns left and right.  It's been seven years since SM North had a winning record, but that won't stop this year's team from competing with effort and intensity the way they always do.

Olathe Northwest: The whole Dalton Rook, Connor Middleton and Willie Cauley trio was fun last season, but all three will be lost to graduation.  Coming off a 5-5 season this really could be a make or break point for the Ravens.  They're teetering on the middle of the see-saw--on one side is continued success, and on the other is the two and three wins seasons they were accustomed to in the past.  It'll be interesting to see which side they fall on.

SM East Lands Big-Name Quarterback Transfer

Jordan Darling.  Photo courtesy
Rivals.com

In 2011 the Sunflower League had a big-name transfer in Orange Mooney.  This season we have an even bigger name, as it appears that Jordan Darling's transfer to SM East is complete.

My sources had indicated as early as December that Darling would be transferring to SM East, but it wasn't until this past week that things were finalized.

Darling is your prototypical gunslinger.  He stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 225 pounds with a cannon attached to his right shoulder.

This week he received his first FBS offer from Charlie Weis and Kansas, but it's expected that many more are to follow. 

He's received heavy interest from Oklahoma and Ohio State throughout his prep career.

Darling first entered the high school scene as a sophomore at Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio.  Lakota West went 3-7 that season, but Darling wasn't to blame.  He emerged as one of the top high school football prospects in Ohio for the Class of 2013, and big expectations set in.

However, Darling didn't return to Lakota West in 2011.  Instead, he transferred to Midway High School in Waco, Texas to be closer to his mom, a major in the U.S. Army, before she was deployed to Afghanistan.

Darling split time at the quarterback spot for Waco Midway (who plays in Texas Class 4A) helping to lead the Panthers to a 13-3 record and an appearance in the 4A state championship game where they lost to Lake Travis.  During the regular season Darling passed for just over 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Darling will battle it out for the Lancer's starting quarterback spot with the incumbent Nick Pirotte, who passed for 850 yards and five touchdowns in six games filling in for Dakota Collins in 2011.

One thing is for sure--SM East's stock is rising for 2012.