Blue Mountain's Dylan Foose (59) and Reese Miller (33) tackle Lehighton's Jayse Lawrence for a loss during Friday's Schuylkill/Colonial Red Division game in Lehighton. The Eagles won 55-14 (Photo by Brook Koch-Guers)

If there’s an MO or catch-phrase for this year’s Blue Mountain football team, it could be this: “Turn the page. Forget the past, focus on the present.”

The Eagles had a wild final month of the 2024 season, one that included home losses to North Schuylkill and Pottsville, a quarterback change and an upset loss to Lehighton at home in the District 11 Class 4A quarterfinals, led to a drama-filled offseason.

Head coach Tom Gallagher surprisingly resigned in January, leaving to become the head coach at Elizabethtown High School in Lancaster County.

Blue Mountain then brought back Chuck Kutz as the head coach a month later. Kutz, 57, guided the Eagles to six District 11 Class 3A titles in 11 seasons from 1998-2008, including a five-year stretch where Blue Mountain went 53-9 and won five straight district crowns.

When the Eagles don the helmets and pads and host backyard rival Schuylkill Haven at the Eagles’ Nest on Friday night, the focus will finally be on the game itself.

“I thought Coach Gallagher did a great job here. He took the program to challenge for district championships,” Kutz said. “Our job is to take it to another level and challenge even further.

“That may mean the commitment level and the unity factor — I think we dropped off in the second half of the season — we have to maintain that mentality for every ballgame.”

The squad Kutz inherits is an interesting one.

On one hand, the Eagles must replace 16 seniors lost to graduation, a group that includes leading rusher Tyler Stahley (1,161 yards, 14 TDs), two-way standout Gaige Guers (39-649, 6 TDs receiving; 30 tackles, 6 interceptions on defense), standout tight end Brad Renninger (27-518, 5 TDs), eight key contributors on defense and kicker Aidan Grace.

On the other, Blue Mountain returns its entire offensive line and brings back a cache of speedy, talented players hungry to maintain the Eagles’ level of success.

“Kutz has been a head coach before. He knows what he’s doing. Him being our leader, we all feel good about that,” senior running back/linebacker Reese Miller said. “A couple of our players have been in game situations before due to injury … I trust them, they trust me. We’re working together to get these kids ready for Week 1.”

Blue Mountain at a Glance

Head coach: Chuck Kutz (19th season, 111-85)

2024 Record: 7-4, District 11 Class 4A qualifier

Conference: Schuylkill-Colonial Red Division

3 Key Players to Watch

Chase Guers, junior WR/DB

Reese Miller, senior RB/LB

Dylan Foose, senior OT/DL

3 Key Newcomers to Watch

Cohen Kirby, sophomore QB

Brody Foose, sophomore RB/LB

Kole Luckenbill, sophomore WR/DB

3 Key Graduation Losses

Gaige Guers, WR/DB

Brad Renninger, TE/DE

Wyatt Barnes, DB

Key Position Battles in Camp

Outside linebacker

Speed to burn

Offensively, the Eagles will be led by sophomore quarterback Cohen Kirby, who took over as the starter in Week 10 and completed 23-of-37 passes for 352 yards and five touchdowns in two games.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is the son of Keith Kirby, who was the starting quarterback during Kutz’s last tenure as the Eagles’ coach.

“He’s bigger and stronger,” Kutz said of the younger Kirby. “Every rep counts. It makes you a better football player, the recognition of things, arm strength as he gets older.

“He’s still a young football player. He’s a great leader, he’s a competitor. I think good things will happen for him.”

Kirby will have plenty of weapons at his disposal.

On the outside, junior Chase Guers, sophomore Kole Luckenbill and senior Josh Hoover will comprise the receiving corps. Guers and Luckenbill are speedsters that were part of one of the fastest 4×100 relay teams in the state in the spring. Senior Brady Strause, who began last season as the Eagles’ quarterback, will be utilized all over the field.

In the backfield, Miller (17-246, 2 TDs) will share the ballcarrying duties with sophomore Brody Foose (11-227, 4 TDs) and senior Carter Smith.

That entire group will follow a veteran offensive line that consists of senior Dylan Foose (6-0, 223) and juniors Ryan Clemas (6-2, 275), Vaughn Helverson (6-2, 295), Kurt Krammes (6-0, 260) and Hunter Reichert (6-0, 285).

“We have a good complement,” Kutz said. “Our offensive line is solid, lot of guys coming back from last year. Then you have guys who will stretch things on the outside with Chase Guers and Kole Luckenbill, guys that are speedsters. Josh Hoover is also a split end who has had good hands and can run those routes over the middle.

“Brady Strause, converted from that quarterback spot to do pretty much anything you ask of him. He’s had a nice summer camp of throwing the ball and catching the ball. He’s a utility guy, will do anything you ask of him and do it well.

“In the backfield, you have Reese Miller, big and strong, going to run hard for you. Carter Smith, kind of a shifty guy, along with Brody Foose. You have a good core of pass and run threats.”

Miller the defensive leader

Lost in the shuffle in the drama that surrounded Blue Mountain’s playoff loss to Lehighton was the fact that the Eagles were without Miller, who missed the game due to injury. His absence in the middle of the field was clearly evident as Lehighton used a strong running game to stay in the game throughout.

This season, the 6-1, 225-pound senior returns to anchor a defense that must replace eight players that saw extensive action last season.

Dylan Foose, Chase Guers and Hoover return, but the rest of the starters will be new.

“He led our team in tackles last year,” Kutz said of Miller. “He has a nose for the ball. He’s going to find the ball. What’s going to be important is replacing some of those down lineman who drew double teams so he has the ability to roam the field and use that instinct to go make plays.

“He’s big, he’s strong, he’s aggressive. His leadership tends to be through his play. ‘Hey, follow me.’ Very similar to a Barron Line back in the 90s. He’s the guy that people are watching, seeing what kind of plays he’s making. He has that impact on the game when he can put it together consistently.”

Blue Mountain’s Schedule

(All games start at 7 p.m.)

Friday, Aug. 22 — Schuylkill Haven

Friday, Aug. 29 — at Southern Lehigh*

Friday, Sept. 5 — Jim Thorpe*

Friday, Sept. 12 — at Northwestern Lehigh*

Friday, Sept. 19 — at Bangor*

Friday, Sept. 26 — Palisades*

Friday, Oct. 3 — Lehighton*

Thursday, Oct. 9 — at North Schuylkill*

Friday, Oct. 17 — at Pottsville*

Friday, Oct. 24 — Tamaqua*

* Schuylkill-Colonial league game

Blue Mountain’s Roster