They don’t get headlines.

They’re often overlooked.

And they usually take a beating in every game.

The guys in the trenches are the unsung heroes of most football teams. And this year at Lehighton, they could be a major reason why the Indians rebound from three straight losing seasons.

Head coach Tom McCarroll, now in his 10th year, welcomes back four starters up front on offense. With plenty of inexperience in the backfield, the O-line will be crucial to having success in 2021.

“Our offensive line, I would say, would probably be our top strength,” said McCarroll, whose team was 3-6 last season. “Given our situation with the little experience we have at running back and quarterback, having four returning offensive linemen can make that transition easier.

“We’re keeping a lot of continuity from last year. We’re going to keep our base offense very similar, however we will have some different wrinkles that people maybe haven’t seen. It’s definitely the same base offense, but there are some people in the fan base that’ll say we haven’t seen that from Lehighton in the last few years, so that’ll add a little spice to it.”

Fans have seen plenty of Brendan Zimmerman, Gauge Hartney, Rickey Houser and Cooper Hartsell on the field. The four will help give the Indians toughness at the line of scrimmage.

Zimmerman (center), Hartney (guard) and Houser (tackle) are all seniors, while Hartsell (guard) is a sophomore.

“At the end of the day, we actually have six (linemen) that started multiple games last year, it’s just the four are in their consistent spots,” said McCarroll. “A kid (at the skill position) who doesn’t have varsity experience may take two or three games to really learn how to play at game speed, but with veteran linemen the transition period can be easier.”

McCarroll believes the transition will go smoothly at both the quarterback and running back positions.

Richard Fronheiser (1,484 passing yards) and JJ McDowell (816 rushing yards) are both gone. Either sophomore Brady O’Donnell or freshman John Light will start at QB, with Zach Miller - a senior who only ran the ball 17 times a year ago - the team’s main ballcarrier.

“You look at our quarterback situation and our top two guys are a freshman and a sophomore,” said McCarroll. “But they’ve put time in. They have high football IQs. They’re very athletic, which adds to what we can do offensively. And just their progression from the spring to the summer to now, they’ve really grown a lot.”

Whoever wins the job at quarterback will be throwing the ball often. Lehighton went to the air on 42.7% of its plays last season, easily the highest percentage among area teams, and will probably do so again this year especially with the receivers on its roster.

Gone is Zach Hunsicker, who set numerous school records catching the ball, but senior Hunter Crum is back. The Rarick brothers, Ian and Aiden, will also be key targets, as will Brayden Lutz and Ethan Buchert.

“People know we’re not real shy as far as trying to pass the ball,” said McCarroll. “Receiver is probably one of the better positions that we have coming back. I think the core of our receivers across the board can kind of fill in the space that Zach provided for us.”

While many accept that the Indians will be able to move the ball, the key question is can they stop other teams?

The Indians allowed 270 yards rushing a game last year and will obviously need to reduce that number to have favorable results.

“(Defense) was a point of emphasis for us a staff,” said McCarroll. “Even though we put in a new defense last season and didn’t have time (due to the pandemic) to work on it like we would have wanted, that wasn’t an excuse to give up some of the points we did.

“Our defensive line is going to be a lot better for us, and our secondary is pretty talented and athletic. I don’t think teams are going to be able to run the ball as well, and I think we’re going to get more pressure on the quarterback which will cut down on the passing yardage.”

Lehighton opens its season against Palmerton and will be playing some different teams, thanks to the crossover schedule created with the Schuylkill and Colonial Leagues combining.

No matter who they play, though, the Indians are just looking to put up wins.

“I’ve never really been a numbers guy goal-wise,” said McCarroll. “I just want to be 1-0 and go from there That’s our focus. Playoffs or no playoffs, I think our team is good enough and our team has worked hard enough to have a winning record ... and to get back to winning ways is a big goal for our program.”

QUARTERBACKS

Sophomore Brady O’Donnell looks to be the frontrunner to take the vacated spot left by Richard Fronheiser. O’Donnell saw some snaps a year ago, even throwing a TD pass. John Light, a freshman, is right behind O’Donnell and still competing for the job. Junior Josh Little, who was banged up at the start of preseason, also figures to be in the mix.

RUNNING BACKS

Senior Zach Miller should get most of the carries at a position where the Indians have little experience, with J.J. McDowell and Chance Neeb having graduated. Sophomores Michael Yeakel and Dylan Moyer will also see time in the backfield.

WIDE RECEIVERS

The Indians welcome back senior playmaker Hunter Crum, who had 28 catches a year ago. Ian Rarick, a junior, also returns while younger brother Aiden Rarick, a sophomore, adds to a position of strength. Senior Brayden Lutz, mainly a defensive player last season, and junior Ethan Buchert add depth, while junior Luke Blauch and senior Nolan Stein will battle for the starting tight end spot.

OFFENSIVE LINE

A veteran group anchors the line, with four-year starter Brendan Zimmerman leading the way at center. Three other starters return up front, including seniors Ricky Houser at tackle and Gauge Hartney at guard. Sophomore guard Cooper Hartsell is also back. Others expected to see time are juniors Doug Endy and Owen Kovach, and sophomore Wyatt Scherer.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Junior Luke Blauch is expected to start at one end spot, with seniors Corbin Barachie and Nolan Stein vying for time on the other side. Inside will be seniors Ricky Houser and Gauge Hartney, as well as junior Owen Kovach. Adding depth will be sophomore Reese Balk and freshman Yadel Acosta-Rordiguez.

LINEBACKERS

Senior Hunter Crum returns after a solid season, while three others will battle for the other starting spot. They include sophomores Dylan Moyer and Max Bergdahl, and freshman Deven Armbruster.

SECONDARY

A young, but experienced, group makes up the defensive backfield. The Rarick brothers, junior Ian and sophomore Aiden, will probably start along with junior Ethan Buchert. Senior Brayden Lutz will move from linebacker to safety, while sophomore Michael Yeakel and junior Christian Salerno also figure to see playing time.