Senior Kellen Broach is one of three who can play quarterback for Nile C. Kinnick. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Fourth in a series of preseason looks at DODEA-Pacific football programs.
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan – Koboyo Awesso has a knack for scoring goals and setting up teammates in soccer.
The sophomore with a strong right leg is also fairly adept at placekicking.
He showed that during Monday’s Nile C. Kinnick practice, when he booted a football off the tee for the first time … and sent it 50-plus yards downfield.
“It wasn’t hard; it was just a little weird. Different,” Awesso said.
He scored 14 goals and assisted on 14 others to help the Red Devils win their second straight Far East Division I soccer tournament title last April.
Dan Joley, the Red Devils’ 13th-year head coach, said he first noticed Awesso playing pick-up soccer games at the end of the football field one afternoon.
“I think his friends brought him over more than me,” Joley said.
Awesso fills the shoes vacated by Daniel Burke, who is now kicking for Moorpark (Calif.) College.
Thus, special teams is one area where Joley feels comfortable heading into the 2023 season, which begins Sept. 1 when Kinnick travels to Okinawa to play Kubasaki.
Another is defense, which Joley says will be the Red Devils’ strong point this season.
“We’re going to hang our hat on our defense this season,” Joley said. “It has size, speed, we’re aggressive; we didn’t give up that many points last season, and a lot of (those players) return.”
Anchoring the defense are junior linemen Devin Jackson and Kahlil Busscher. “They’re both tall and big,” Joley said. “Devin is a specimen.”
Joining that tandem are senior returners Braden Askins and Bobby Crisafulli, each three-year starters for the Red Devils.
As was the case a year ago, Kinnick is flush in quarterbacks – so much so that Xavier Wright, a senior who lined up in the shotgun in Joley’s trademark spread option, will play any number of spots on offense.
Senior Kellen Broach and junior Arashi Blockton will also see time at quarterback, while senior Trey Bennett will line up in the backfield.
Where the Red Devils are lacking may be depth, Joley said. They have enough players for a junior varsity, but because the numbers are down at other schools in the Kanto Plain, Kinnick’s JV didn’t see much playing time.
“They’ve had three JV games the last two years,” Joley said.
Thus, while the Red Devils hope to leap back into contention for their first Far East D-I title since 2018, their ranks might be somewhat thin.
“Any time you have a good defense, we’ll contend,” Joley said. “We just need a clear No. 1 quarterback and a bunch of guys conditioned to play ironman football.”
Dan Joley is now in his 13th season of coaching Nile C. Kinnick's football team. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Senior Trey Bennett returns to the backfield for the Red Devils. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Sophomore Koboyo Awesso, an accomplished soccer player for Nile C. Kinnick, is proving pretty faiir at placekicking as well. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils
2022 season record — 1-5.
Head coach — Dan Joley, 13th season. Overall record 57-42, Far East Division I title in 2018.
Returning players — 13.
Returning starters — 9.
Key performers — Xavier Wright, Sr., athlete; Bobby Crisafull, Sr., L; Braden Askins, Sr., L; Trey Bennett, Sr., RB; Devin Jackson,, Jr., DL; Kahlil Busscher, Jr., DE; Koboyo Awesso, So, PK; Kellen Broach, Sr., athlete; Arashi Blockton, Jr., QB-WR.
Strengths — Defense. Good size in the interior. Good athleticism.
Drawbacks — Lack of depth.
Overview — Contending, as long as the starters stay healthy; conditioning is a must. Need to settle on a starting quarterback.
SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 1
Nile C. Kinnick at Kubasaki
Friday, Sept. 8
Humphreys at Kinnick
Friday, Sept. 15
Kadena at Kinnick
Friday, Sept. 22
Kinnick at Yokota
Friday, Sept. 29
Kubasaki at Kinnick
Friday, Oct. 6
Kinnick at Humphreys
Friday, Oct. 13
Kinnick at Kadena
