COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Colerain senior quarterback Shawn Billups is honest about how difficult it was for the Cardinals to finish winless in 2023.
“It was hard,” Billups said. “It was an experience I never want to feel again.”
But, that pain is what has motivated Billups and his teammates this offseason. The 2023 season was the first time that Colerain had an 0-10 record since 1973, according to records from the Colerain athletic department. It doesn’t want history to repeat itself again.
“Not winning a game - that’s my drive, that’s our drive,” Billups said. “We went 0 and 10. I want to go back, show what we can do.”
New offensive and defensive schemes and changes to the coaching staff have brought a fresh energy and intensity to summer practice.
“It’s a real turnaround from our last year,” Billups said. “It was bad for us but we’re going to shock everybody this year.”
Second-year head coach Carl Huber doesn’t make excuses for last season. The impact of an 0-10 season has lingered on in the community. But, that’s why Huber, the coaches and the players are eager to start a new chapter.
“Last year was very difficult,” Huber said. “It hasn’t stopped. It’s tough to walk down Colerain Avenue with the expectations around here and how I performed my first year as the head coach here. But, I feel a lot different about the season going in. I’m really looking forward to this upcoming season.”
Colerain opens this season against visiting La Salle in a renewal of a rivalry in which less than four miles separate the schools. La Salle has won three consecutive meetings with Colerain’s most recent win over the Lancers in 2018.
“We keep that in the back of our head,” Huber said. “It’s been six years since we’ve tasted that victory in this community.”
Colerain senior middle linebacker Hayden Danielson, a three-year starter, understands what the critics will say about the Cardinals this year.
The Grand Valley State verbal commit insists this is a different Colerain team. He can’t wait to step out onto the field Aug. 23 against La Salle.
“I’m so excited,” Danielson said. “Every single year I’ve been in high school we’ve lost to them and so it’s been close games and it’s been blowouts. I’m excited to go out there and smack their faces in and really show people what we’re about this year. And set the tone off right and show that Colerain football is different and we’re back.”
