Danvers quarterback Matt Andreas drops back for a pass last season. Item File Photo
By Mike Alongi
They say that if you have two quarterbacks, you actually have none.
But that’s not the case for the Danvers football team. With seniors Dean Borders and Matt Andreas leading the way, the Falcons hope to be a dynamic offense in 2016.
Last season, Borders was the man under center to start the year and Andreas was the starting tailback and starting safety on the defensive side. But after an injury to Borders early in the season, Andreas stepped into the quarterback spot and shined. He rushed for 10 touchdowns and threw for five more in eight games, and continued to contribute at quarterback even when Borders was able to come back late in the season.
The duo, along with a host of senior play makers like Danny Lynch and Mike Nestor, helped the Danvers offense thrive all year and win the Division 3 Northeast title.
“Each guy basically played half of the snaps last year,” said Danvers head coach Shawn Theriault, who is entering his third season at the helm. “They’re both smart, tough athletes who can do a lot of things out there, and we’re excited to see what they do this year.”
This year, Borders will retake the role as starting quarterback and Andreas will pretty much play everywhere, according to Theriault.
“Dean will take the majority of the snaps at quarterback this year, and we’re going to move Matt around,” he said. “He (Matt) will play some running back, some wide receiver, even some quarterback this year. This is a role we’ve envisioned for him for a while because he can just do so many things out on the field.”
And don’t forget, Andreas will once again be the starting safety and defensive captain, a role he didn’t relinquish once he became quarterback last year.
But the two-headed quarterback tandem is only a part of the Falcons’ offensive attack this season. Senior tight end Kieran Moriarty will be a huge factor in the passing game, while senior center Bruno Abbatessa is also returning as the key cog in the offensive line.
And if that wasn’t enough, Danvers also has a new offensive coordinator this year who has quite the pedigree.
Bruce Rich will be joining the Danvers coaching staff after a 38-year coaching career at Chelmsford High. He has been the head coach for the past 20 years, and in that time his teams have won seven conference championships and made five Super Bowl appearances. His 2007 team won the Super Bowl with his son Tim, who is also on the Danvers coaching staff, at quarterback. Rich will be bringing in some new concepts this year, but he’s not going to mess too much with a good thing.
“Bruce has brought in some schemes and plays that we had never run before, so I think he’s helping make us more diverse,” said Theriault. “But at the same time, he’s a smart guy and knows we have a ton of great athletes, and he’s just going to put them in positions to succeed.”
In addition to the four offensive starters returning, Danvers is bringing back five experienced defenders in 2016, including Andreas and Moriarty. Also returning are defensive captain and linebacker Quin Holland, defensive lineman Zach Turner and linebacker Tahg Coakley.
However, all of Theriault’s players can make impacts on both sides of the ball. He says that Coakley and Turner are going to do great things on offense this year, while Abbatessa will be a force on the defensive line.
All of these factors point to the Falcons having a solid year in 2016, but Theriault knows that the first objective is getting through the tough Northeastern Conference.
“The NEC is always a tough league, and we obviously play in a tough section,” he said. “All the other teams are well-coached and have great players, but so are we. I think the kids are pretty confident after a great summer, and we’re ready to go.”
The campaign begins Friday with a non-league matchup at home against Winthrop.