Focused Maroons have talent, depth to continue winning tradition

MENOMINEE — 2024 marks the 131st season of Menominee Maroons football, and all eyes are on how the Upper Peninsula’s premier gridiron gang will follow up on a year of rebirth.

Menomninee recorded a double-digit win total for the first time since 2016, won its first District title since 2017 and reached the State championship game at Ford Field for the first time in seven years.

The Maroons’ return to Detroit may have ended in heartache after a late defensive stand sealed a 34-30 victory for Jackson Lumen Christi, but that setback could be the fuel that ignites another postseason run in 2024.

“Out of the 37 players that we took on the journey, only eight of them are gone.We’re not looking ahead to November, but we definitely have a few kids with chips on their shoulders,” Menominee coach Chad Brandt said. “If you set the table and you focus on what you can get better on today, then come in and get better tomorrow, then it can set you up to do something great later in the season.”

Menominee finished 11-3 overall last season but must replace several significant contributors including All-U.P. performers in quarterback/defensive back Trevor Theuerkauf, running back/linebacker Landan Bardowski, center Tyler Smith and linebacker Torin Davis. All-conference selections Eli Beal (tight end), Jeremy Salmi (fullback) and Aaron Brunelle (DB) also graduated.

Aiding the Maroons’ cause is a continuing trend of the roster growing in size, which should provide Menominee with the depth necessary to survive what could end up being a 14-game season.

“Our numbers are up again. Two years ago, we were at about 40 (players). Last year, we had 50 and this season, we’re up to 60, so we continue to trend in the right direction,” Brandt said. “School enrollment is going down the other way, but our football numbers are headed in the right direction.”

While the Maroons were unafraid to air it out last season (1,869 passing yards, 23 touchdowns), Menominee’s offensive bread-and-butter continues to be running the ball behind a mauling offensive line.

Right tackle Lucas Thoune, left guard Brennan Swanson, right guard Cam Gauthier and right tackle Wyatt Cornell all return as starters after paving the way for the Maroons to rack up 3,313 yards and 49 touchdowns on the ground a season ago.

Junior Tanner Theuerkauf steps into his older brother’s role as Menominee’s primary playmaker after earning unanimous West-PAC All-Conference First Team honors at wide receiver, while Kaiden Bell and Nathan Komp are both veteran targets in the passing game.

Menominee figures to take a committee approach to replacing Landan Bardowski’s production (214 carries, 1,490 yards, 28 touchdowns), with Landan’s younger brother, Dawson, Tanner Theurkauf, Bell, Clayton Miller, Landen Daigneau and Isaiah Odom all getting touches out of the backfield.

“Our core unit in the trenches is there and will be almost the same for two years in a row, so there’s a lot of experience there. The last names may be the same, but may have some new guys making big plays and scoring touchdowns. We have seven or eight guys that I feel could score a touchdown any week,” Brandt said.

Defensively, Menominee returns plenty of talent from a unit that gave up just 162 points (11.5 per game) and 2,497 yards (178 YPG) last year.

Linemen Hunter Thronson-Westby, Cole Cooper and Henry Dobbins form a stout run-stuffing operation, while Odom and Blake Paasch provide the Maroons with a pair of heat-seeking missiles at the linebacker spot.

Even with the turnover on the field, the biggest change for the Maroons came in the form of a facelift for Walton Blesch Field, which Menominee has called home since 1920.

Gone is the intimidating but dilapidated concrete wall and in its place are new steel bleachers, which will not only make for a safer gameday experience, but will ensure that generations of memories continue to be created at the venerable site.

“It’s exciting, and once again, this community amazes me with the support and energy it has for our kids and tradition,” Brandt said. “We’re blessed to be able to go out and play football, and we’re glad that the community has a place to watch the games and sit comfortably. It was sad to see the old stadium crumble, but there’s new excitement with the bleachers.”

The new-look Blesch Stadium will host the M&M Game against Marinette on August 30. It will be the third consecutive year that Menominee kicks off the season against its archrival.

The Maroons kick off West-PAC Copper Conference play the following week at home against Hancock before a road trip to Westwood. Menominee returns home for back-to-back games against Calumet and Houghton before hitting the road for consecutive road contests against Gladstone and Negaunee.

The Maroons wrap up the regular season at home against Kingsford (Oct. 18) and Bark River-Harris (Oct. 25).

Menominee’s nine opponents went a combined 38-43 last season.

“Same teams and the same tough schedule, and it starts with Marinette,” Brandt said. “Playing Marinette, and then playing U.P. football will have us well prepared for the playoffs.”

Menominee’s ultimate goal remains claiming the school’s fourth State championship but Brandt, who is 154-81 in 22 years as a head coach between Menominee and Stephenson, realizes that the Maroons will only return to the promised land if they focus on the micro, not the macro.

“We let the players know all of those things: winning the M&M Game, winning our conference, making the playoffs, hosting a playoff game, making a run in the playoffs…all of that can come, but only if we focus on being accountable today,” he said.

Menominee Maroons 2024 scheduleDenotes West-PAC Conference game

Aug. 30 — vs Marinette, 7 p.m.

Sep. 6 — vs Hancock, 6 p.m.

Sep. 13 — at Westwood, 6 p.m.

Sep. 20 — vs Calumet, 6 p.m.

Sep. 27 — vs Houghton, 6 p.m.

Oct. 4 — at Gladstone, 6 p.m.

Oct. 11 — at Negaunee, 6 p.m.

Oct. 18 — vs Kingsford, 6 p.m.

Oct. 25 — vs Bark River-Harris, 6 p.m.