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Player Profile: Matthew Bailey

By Joe Winkel  @JoeTheShowQCSN

When asking Moline Head Coach Mike Morrissey about what his star player Matthew Bailey brings to the table for his ball club, the first thing he said might have been the most intriguing. 

“His credibility comes to the table immediately.”

Credibility is an interesting word choice, especially when describing a football player. But take a moment to examine the work, on and off the field, that Matthew Bailey puts in then it is easy to see why that is the right word to choose.

“He does the right thing off the field, and when he steps on he is one of our best players.” is what Coach Morrissey said about Bailey when asked about him standing out amongst everyone else. “He does things the right way.”

When it comes to Moline superstar Mattthew Bailey, the right way is taken in a multitude of ways. Whether it’s being a lead by example player on the field, his commitment to compete with being a multi-sport athlete and always in the weight room, or his stellar work ethic in the classroom, Bailey sets the standard for himself high as well as his teammates. “When it comes to teammates, I try to find the ones who are willing to work and get better every single day.” Bailey, and this Moline team, are committed to getting better and competing for a conference championship in 2021.

In the spring Bailey was at the top of the WB6 in receiving yards and was an impact player on both sides. Anytime the ball was in his hands there was a chance something big was on the horizon, or anytime on defense a play came his way he would be the first one in to make the opposition feel it. Offensively, the Maroons did a multitude of things to get 7 in Maroon and White the ball. From throwing deep his way, to lining him up under center at QB and letting him go full “Mike Vick Madden 04” mode. Bailey changed games with his presence. “We are going to do things to get him the ball.” is what Morrissey said about how they tend to use Matthew on offense this season. When Moline has possession, make sure to find out where 7 is lined up because he might just be one second away from turning a game on its head.

As impressive as he is on offense, Morrissey and Bailey both rave about the defensive side of the game. “Defensively he is just so aggressive from the safety position…he is going to come down hill and he brings it.” Morrissey proclaimed about Matthew’s ability in the secondary. He also stated the football IQ of Bailey is top notch. “He understands what he is doing, he always reads his keys and is in the right place all the time” Bailey commented on his knowledge of the game and how it has progressed over the years by saying, “Playing football as a QB helped me learn DB and WR as well…I knew what coverages the defense was doing and how to beat those coverages so as a DB I know how the QB is thinking and how they are trying to beat me. As a WR, I know where the QB wants me to be for me to be open.”

Bailey is clearly talented on both sides of the ball, but what does he prefer? Both him and his head coach know that Bailey loves to make the opposition feel it, “He only weighs 185-190 pounds, but he brings it.” Morrissey said of Bailey’s defensive aggression. “It is exciting when you have a guy like him because he can make up for so many things and  cover so much ground on the defensive end.” Bailey smiled and gushed at the mention of defense being his favorite position, “as a DB I love coming down and hitting people…it’s the best mindset to have.” It is a terrifying thought when someone as talented as him actually enjoys inflicting punishment on the opponent. Look for Bailey to make all of those moments count this season.

Bailey is only getting better, and with Moline looking to regain their seat at the head of the Big 6 table success will come with players like Bailey leading the way. With multiple Division 1 offers on the table, this won’t be the final few months of his football career. On and off the field Bailey is a prime example of what can happen when you dedicate your craft and just be determined to get better every day. Expect this season to be a culmination for the conference’s newest star, but most importantly it will be great to see him be happy sharing those moments with his coaches and teammates as one of the league’s best leaders.  Bailey fits perfectly the “Total Effort” mantra that Mike Morrissey has stamped out at Moline since day 1 of his coaching tenure. And with that effort, Bailey has proven in a very short time that he is the one at the top of the hill in the Big 6. There are a great number of fantastic players in the Western Big 6, and all will have their moment in the spotlight, but it is only fitting that the season is kicked off by Matthew Bailey, because when it comes to the WB6, Bailey is at the head of the table.

The Moline Maroons had an interesting Spring campaign for the “2020” Western Big 6 football season. A team that had competed at the top of the conference for the first 3 seasons under Head Coach Mike Morrissey had almost an entirely new lineup going into the shortened spring season.

There were plenty of ups and downs for the Maroons during the spring, and plenty of growing pains for a roster that was inexperienced and constantly shuffled new starters in and out due to injury. The one thing that was a constant for Moline though was that they were competitive. In their 6 game slate, they led in 5 of the 6, had 4th quarter leads in 4 of those 5 games (were tied in the 5th) and 2 of their 4 losses were in overtime to Alleman and at the gun vs the conference champion Sterling Golden Warriors. Rallying to win 2 of their final 3 games to end the season, the Maroons look to back that experience into regaining their spot near the top of the league in 2021.

“We are fortunate to have a lot of guys back with varsity experience this fall. Some were put into that role in the spring before they were truly ready but developed over the course of the spring and started to feel more comfortable with the speed of the game.” Coach Morrissey said in regards to the carry over from the end of the spring season into the start of the fall.

Moline has multiple key players back, as stated earlier, but none bigger than the pair of QB Alec Ponder and all around superstar Matthew Bailey. Ponder led the Western Big 6 in passing yards during the spring and Bailey was near the top of the league in receiving and also played QB, RB, and was a dominant force in the secondary on the defensive end. Ponder was huge in the final 3 weeks of the season, especially a 400 yard game against Galesburg and another huge performance against Geneseo in their final game of the year. “Alec is a gamer!” proclaimed Morrissey when asked about his star QB. “We joked around that if he had been that consistent in practice early on we would have gone to that system much earlier! But we have to keep in mind that everything was new to him when he got to Moline. Once he got comfortable with terminology and reads he really started to build confidence mentally. He’s a really talented QB that can make any throw at any time.” Ponder will be at the center of attention (comes with the territory of the game’s most important position) for Moline this year, and the team might go as he goes, but make no mistake that he can win ball games on his arm talent alone. If games have shootout written on them, he can throw this team into a winning situation, and he will have multiple playmakers to disperse the ball for this offense to click.

Ponder can be the star for this team, but Moline has a true game changer in the other half of this two headed punch returning for the Maroon and White. Matthew Bailey is one of the most talented players, if not the most talented player in the conference. Bailey is a game wrecker and can do it from multiple positions. Whether he is going over a DB to make a spectacular catch, or coming down from the safety position to lay out a running back, Bailey can make highlight plays.

What Coach Morrissey likes the most, though? His effort and leadership combined with the standard he holds himself to.

“Matthew is a very talented player but he’s also committed himself in the weight room and as a multi-sport athlete which I feel has helped him tremendously. He’s as competitive a young man as I’ve ever been around and has the ability to change a game on any given play. Our expectations of him are the same as always, a total effort every time he steps on the field. He already holds himself to an extremely high standard and he’s developed as a leader of this team both on and off the field. That’s as important as anything to our success this fall is to have a lead by example type of player, who also happens to be one of the most talented in the program.”

This team has one of the highest ceilings in the Big 6 this season. They have a lot of skill and the team had some valuable moments in the spring to learn and grow from. Can that translate into results? Coach Morrissey was ecstatic when talking about the improvements his guys have made from the end of spring to now. He feels a lot of players are ready to make that next step to contribute to a winner.

“Our guys up front on both sides of the ball didn’t get much credit last year because of our struggles at times but they were all young guys who have improved. Caleb Singleton is a Jr Nose Guard that we feel can be a factor defensively. Nate Parker, Mark Runkle and Noah Mahieu were all starters on the OL as sophomores and showed some really good things in the spring at times. Christian Raya is a Jr LB that had to play last year and is always around the football. Grant Sibley is a young man that we’ve asked to do a lot for us as well. Played QB, WR, FS and CB last spring as a sophomore and is as tough as it gets. He’ll be a two way starter for us this fall. There’s a lot of young men that have committed to being great football players this off season, we’re excited to see who steps up!”

We’ll soon find out where the Maroons land when it comes to competing at the top of the league in 2021. One thing is for certain, this team will be electric and one of the most exciting teams to watch this fall. All that is left is to see if this team turns close losses into wins and they will be right back at the top of the conference sooner than later.

For the Rock Island Rocks, the 2021 season is a chance to finally take back the reins at the top of the Western Big 6 conference. After a few years of limited success the Rocks have bounced back under coach Ben Hammer with last year’s 4-2 campaign and the previous year getting success in the playoffs. With the league as wide open as it has been in years, this is the best chance the Rocks have had in years to regain the conference crown.

The Rocks lost some key contributors from the spring squad, but return one of the top quarterbacks in the conference in Eli Reese. After splitting time for two seasons with now graduated QB Devin Swift; Reese took over after Swift was injured in-between weeks 1 and 2 in the spring and was very productive, throwing for an average of more than 220 yards per game, and a total of 16 touchdown passes. Now knowing the team will be under his control, Reese can finally look to roll and keep things going from his strong play back in March and April.

“Eli has a tremendous knowledge of our offense.  For the skill players, it is like having another coach on the field,” Coach Hammer said about his senior QB.

The Rocks also have one of the best line units in the conference. Both on offense and defense, their line play is going to be a problem for opponents this season. A big question mark is on the defensive end. The Rocks have been at or near the bottom of the conference statistically on defense the last few years, mainly against the run. They will need to improve that in order to cash in this year. Although Coach Hammer doesn’t see his defense as a negative for his club. 

“A lot of people who don’t know much about football see it as defensive struggles.  We play a very aggressive style of football from all standpoints. Looking for turnovers, fakes on special teams, onside kicks, going for it on fourth down, etc. These all will sometimes put your defense on the field more than a team that isn’t as aggressive in their systems. At the end of the day no matter how many are scored, if you have at least one more you still win.”

Whether or not the defense will be able to turn things around is a question mark, but Coach Hammer is confident that they will be fine regardless. Offensively on the perimeter the Rocks will have to replace their top four receivers, but look for the Rocks to be able to plug and play some talent with some of their athletes coming up through the ranks. They also lost top rusher Marriyon Rogers, and we may see a running back by committee type approach from the Rocks as they look for valued production from the backfield.

Time will tell on if this team can get the Rocks their first league crown in over half a decade. It has been overdue for the Rocks, and with this year being a wide open race, it is as good a time as ever to regain a conference ring. The bar at Rock Island is always set high, and the next few months will tell us if this Rocks team can clear it. If they can, it could be a memorable fall for the red and gold. 

 

The spring of 2021 righted nearly two decades worth of wrongs for the United Township football program. As the horn sounded in Sterling to cap their come from behind victory and 4th in a row to close the spring campaign, the “what if?” feelings for many finally melted away. Beating the conference champions (giving them their first WB6 loss in the process) in the fashion they did proved that this UT team was different and that they had climbed the mountain. As time passes now, it is time for a new crop of stars to don the orange and black and lead the charge. After graduating more than 20 seniors, this UT team is enduring a face lift, but one that is met with anticipation of the youth and talent coming up ready to contribute.

The energy radiating from the Soule Bowl after the Panthers finally exorcised the demons of the past can be felt all over the community when talking to anyone about the program. Coach Nick Welch and his staff has changed the outlook of this group in such a short amount of time. From day 1 on the field, even the untrained eye could tell how much different things were moving in regards to the program. The buzz was back. Now moving into a season with so many unknowns, the excitement is as high as it has ever been, with the possibilities of what this team can produce on the field. The Panthers are going to be replacing nearly every starter, but the freshman and sophomore levels were very successful in the spring, and there are some seniors now who are ready to take the reins as leaders in Fall 2021.

“Without a doubt we lost a ton of senior leadership from the spring but as expected we have had some great senior leadership throughout this summer,” said Welch. “We have been led by seniors Trent Roberts, Tyler Bohnert, Darrell Stewart and Antwan Hawthorne, who will be the captains for the 2021 season. Those 4 have done a great job of helping our team continue the work that was established from the previous groups of seniors. We will be a very young team this Fall with potentially 7 sophomores starting on the varsity and it’ll be up to the seniors to lead our team to the success we hope to have.”

Roberts was eye popping in his limited action in the spring before his season ended due to injury. Expect him to be a name called from the defensive line position a lot this fall. Bohnert was another who made heads turn when his number was called. Coach Welch has always spoken highly of Bohnert’s football IQ, and in the spring vs Alleman his number was called unexpectedly and he dominated in a Panther victory. As Welch said, he expects up to 7 sophomores to see the field this season and all of them are talented. The underclassmen are full of talented skill players with potential game breaking ability. The biggest thing looming over this young group will be can they form an identity fast enough to contend at the top of the league this fall. Coach Welch believes so.

“I don’t think our identity changes in regards to who we are,” said Welch. “For example, we get off the bus and run power and counter on offense. That is a clear identity and that will not change heading into the Fall. What will change is how we get to that final product might have to be a little more creative than we had to be in the Spring. Defensively, we are continuing to build that identity and we are working to figure out what exactly we want to be on that side. Although statistically we weren’t great against the pass in the spring, we did a nice job for most of the season in stopping the run. We want to continue to do that and make teams become one dimensional.”

The defensive side was much maligned the last 2 seasons, but make no mistake, when needed they bowed up and made a big difference in all 4 Panthers wins during the spring. A big key this year will be if they can turn teams over and create more possessions for the offense. If so that will factor big into their success. Offensively, balance could be the name of the game for UT. After dominating the ground game last year, the Panthers will look to try and keep that mentality of over powering the opposition. This team, though young, will have the same type of explosive playmakers on the perimeter as it did the last two years. Expect the speed and skill of UT to shine this fall.

This won’t be easy. The Panthers, by far, have the most potential outcomes of what their team can be this season in the league. If things take longer than expected to develop this team could struggle, but if the kids show they can make things happen, the sky’s the limit for this group. There are challenges unlike any other for this team, but Coach Welch and the players are more than willing to stare them in the face and say “bring it on.” “I think there are always challenges as you enter a new season, and this season will not be an exception,” said Welch. “I feel entering practice today that we are further along than we were at this point the past two summers and it isn’t even close.”

You can only be young for so long, and this team is going to go through growing pains, but they are in good hands. Nick Welch and his staff has led a tidal wave of change through the UTHS community since the day he was hired as head coach. It might take some time, but these new faces are going to be prepared to continue what the two classes ahead of them built for them. “At the end of the day, though, you cannot replace experience. We will be a very young team this fall and it will take a couple games for them to adjust to the speed and physicality of the game without a doubt,” Welch said in regards to his group going into week 1. “ ‘You’re young until you’re old’ — that quote is a great description of our team. Although we are young, we hope our young guys can grow up quickly and adjust to the demands of varsity football.”

Who knows what to expect when it comes to the orange and black brigade in the fall of 2021. They might have a new cast of characters, but if history has taught anyone anything it’s that doubting this program will get you a quick reality check. The Panthers program is back, and we will sit back and wait to watch what new stories these youngsters get to tell on the field.