Cardinals Welcome Head Coach Jerrad Hansen

The 2020 Miller Cardinal football season will feature plenty of new names this year. Last year’s 9-2 team graduated 13 seniors, leaving just 23 total on the current roster. “A lot of new guys will get their opportunity to step up and shine” said new head coach Jerrad Hansen.

Hansen is an ‘04 Pierce City grad and played football at William Jewell. Hansen recently coached the Southeast Lancers out of Cherokee Kansas. He has also held assistant spots at Diamond, Pierce City, Orrick, and Marshfield.

A full backfield will be a new sight as well with plans to run an option offense out of the flex bone and a modified wing T. Seniors Joel Kleeman and Jeffrey Lung and juniors Brenden Thom and Logan Nield are returning starters.

Of course 2020 being what it is, pandemic response has been a top concern. The Cardinals jamboree was canceled and non practice related quarantines have already occurred with players and staff. Coach Hansen explains, ”We’re taking extra precautions, wearing masks, social distancing where we can. At the end of the day it’s football. You gotta hit, you gotta run, you gotta tackle.” When asked his thoughts about the alternative season, ”We’re committed as a conference and as a school to play this fall. Obviously if, God forbid, the schools shut down, all options are on the table.”

Senior Jeffrey Lung says, ”We’re working pretty hard in practice right now. We’ve got a couple of injuries, hopefully they get healed up and we’re ready to go.” Coach Hansen chips in,” We gotta keep getting better every single day.”

The Cardinals start the season with a road trip to Cabool on August 28. Home opener is September 4 against Pleasant Hope.

MHS Football

2020 SCHEDULE

All Games Start at 7 p.m.

8/28 at Cabool

9/4 Pleasant Hope

9/11 at Strafford

9/18 at Diamond

9/25 Ash Grove

10/2 Sarcoxie

10/9 at Lockwood
with GC

10/16 at Pierce City

10/23 Marionville