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Coming off a .500 season, the Vikings are looking poised to break into the wins column, and become strong contenders for the Big 12 Crown. In his first two seasons, Coach Luke has seen a steady improvement going from a 1-8 record his first season to a 5-5 record in 2006. For Viking coaches, players, and fans alike, the thought of Big 12 conference contention is at the forefront of their minds. “We’ve got a lot of team speed this year,” said Head Coach BJ Luke. At Danville, we generally have outstanding team speed and this year is no exception.” While their speed will certainly help the Vikings on both sides of the ball, Coach Luke is quick to realize that his team is still developing. “We really would like to improve defensively,” said Luke. Defensive improvement has been a big focal point the last two years, and while I definitely think we have been getting better, because we are slightly undersized, our boys are going to have to play with some great intensity.” Coach Luke’s defensive ambitions will be aided by the fact that the Vikings are returning six starters this year on the defensive side of the ball. Included in that six is standout senior defensive tackle Ryan Donnelly who is coming off a very successful 2006 season. The offensive side of the ball, while only returning one starter, has some surefire weapons that should aid the Vikings in their battle this season. Such weapons include 6”5 Wide Receiver Mikel Brigham and Quarterback Kendall Carter. Carter will be making the transition from being a defensive starter a year ago for the Vikings to leading their offensive unit. While the changing roles on offense might be cause for uneasiness in the Viking locker room, such is clearly not the case. “We are a young team, but an extremely talented young team. If we take care of our business, play solid football, and grow up quickly, our talent should certainly show,” said Coach Luke. Looking ahead to their 2007 schedule, the Vikings have some critical games very early on. In Week 3, the Vikings host their conference foes, the Bloomington Raiders, who finished last season with an impressive 9-2 mark. Coming off a near shutout loss to Bloomington in the opening week of last season, the Vikings look to rebound in Week 3 this season as they set to do battle with the conference powerhouse that is the Raiders. Additionally, the Vikings defense will be put to the test the following week as they play host to Champaign Centennial and square off against highly touted RB prospect Mikhel LaShore and the explosive Charger offensive unit. The outlook looks bright for the Danville Vikings this upcoming season. Playing in the highly competitive Big 12 conference should prove challenging for the Vikings, however their young core of talent looks to shed any previous defeats and concentrate on the task at hand. blog comments powered by Disqus |
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