If familiarity does, in fact, breed confidence, the Olentangy football team should be a pretty confident group this fall.

For starters, the Braves have more than a few returning starters from last year’s squad — eight on offense and nine on defense.

We have a ton of returning starters,” second-year Olentangy coach Wade Bartholomew said. “All of them made huge contributions to our team last year and we plan on them doing the same this year.”

Also, the coaching staff knows them better, which helps.

“We’ve made great progress in building relationships with the players,” Bartholomew said. “Last year, it was a rush and time seemed to fly by each day. At the end of the season I didn’t feel like my staff and I had the opportunity to really get to know the senior class. Throughout this offseason, we’ve been able to build up these relationships and show our players that we care about them more than just as football players.”

Offensive returners include quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, Tight end Gavin Grover, receivers Andrew Leech, Jackson Wiley and Zach Griffith, and linemen Chase Selhorst (left tackle), Micah Krenek (center), Reece Larrison (right guard) and Kyle Davis (right tackle).

Grunkemeyer threw for more than 2,600 yards last fall, finishing with 25 touchdowns to go with just eight interceptions.

Leech was his top target, finishing with 61 grabs for 668 yards and eight TDs. Wiley finished with 54 receptions, 651 yards and six touchdowns while Grover returns as the third-leading receiver from a season ago, collecting 43 catches for 377 yards and a pair of scores as a junior.

“We have a strong set of wide receivers and a good quarterback,” Bartholomew said. “We want the ball in their hands as mush as possible and we believe we have a guy who can get them the ball effectively. Up front, we have four returning starters, and are hoping we can establish a running game that’s downhill and physical.

“Our goal on offense is to be able to run and throw the ball in any situation … we like to use the run-pass or pass-run option plays that put the defense in a bind, and we’re able to go from an empty formation to a two-back, downhill running team.”

Defensively, returning starters include cornerbacks Tyler Moreland and Will Bartley, safeties P.J. Harrison and Kaden Gebhardt, linebackers Will Beinecke and Preston Flinn and linemen Kevin Porter and Daniel Stephens.

Beinecke was the team’s leading tackler last fall, closing with 132 including 11 tackles for loss. Gebhardt was a tackling machine, too, finishing with 106 to go with a team-leading four interceptions.

Bartholomew said experience is the unit’s biggest strength.

“We hope we can use the experience to make other teams one-dimensional,” he said. “Our D-line has two returning players who’ve worked really hard to become bigger and stronger.

“The biggest thing we have been focusing on is stopping the run and making open-field tackles as a team. We also hope, with our experience on the back end, we can do some confusing things coverage-wise, resulting in big mistakes and turnovers.”

Experience and familiarity are great, and the Braves have plenty of both, but Bartholomew said it’s the things that stem from them that should help his team improve upon last season’s 4-7 record.

“I believe the biggest progress we have made as a program throughout the offseason is accountability … and understanding the time commitment it takes to be good,” Bartholomew said. “Football games aren’t just won in August, September and October … the work you have to put in between December and July is just as important. Our players did an amazing job of rising to these expectations and worked really hard.”

Olentangy opens the season against visiting Toledo Whitmer on Friday, before hitting the road for tough non-league showdowns against Medina and Westerville South in Week 2 and Week 3, respectively.

“We start the season with three very tough non-league games, so we need to be ready to play big-time football from the initial kickoff,” Bartholomew said. “Our schedule is going to challenge us in terms of versatility. Whitmer is going to be big, physical and athletic with the ability to beat you in a lot of ways.

“Then, we head to Medina, which is going to stress the defense out with its electric passing game, and, finally, Westerville South is going to play an athletic, physical type of football that was super successful for them last year.”

2022 Results

(4-7, 1-4 OCC-Cardinal)

Aug. 19 — @ Westerville South, L, 30-7

Aug. 26 — vs. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, W, 34-28 (OT)

Sept. 2 — vs. Lancaster, W, 35-20

Sept. 9 — @ Olentangy Orange, L, 47-17

Sept. 16 — vs. Central Crossing, W, 41-27

Sept. 23 — vs. Olentangy Berlin, L, 38-0

Sept. 30 — @ Thomas Worthington, L, 44-23

Oct. 7 — @ Hilliard Darby, L, 42-21

Oct. 14 — vs. Dublin Jerome, W, 23-20 (OT)

Oct. 21 — @ Marysville, L, 35-32

Oct. 28 — @ Dublin Jerome, L, 24-14 (OHSAA Division I playoffs)

2023 Schedule

Aug. 18 — vs. Toledo Whitmer, 7 p.m.

Aug. 25 — @ Medina, 7 p.m.

Sept. 1 — @ Westerville South, 7 p.m.

Sept. 8 — vs. Olentangy Orange, 7 p.m.

Sept. 15 — @ Central Crossing, 7 p.m.

Sept. 22 — @ Olentangy Berlin, 7 p.m.

Sept. 29 — vs. Thomas Worthington, 7 p.m.

Oct. 6 — vs. Hilliard Darby, 7 p.m.

Oct. 13 — @ Dublin Jerome, 7 p.m.

Oct. 20 — vs. Marysville, 7 p.m.