Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – It has been a whirlwind 12 months for Brennen Dale.

Dale joined the West Branch program last year, earned the starting quarterback job in week three and led the Bears to a 6-2 record down the stretch including a win in the opening round of the 1A playoffs.

The junior quarterback has spent the last several months learning a new offensive scheme while adjusting to a new head coach and offensive coordinator.

That’s enough change to make anyone a little uncomfortable.

As Dale enters his first season as the unquestioned leader of the West Branch offense he’s moved past the uncomfortableness.

“I feel comfortable,” Dale said. “I feel like I’ve adapted and I’ve grown as a football player, I’m reading the defense better and I’m just excited for what’s ahead.”

Dale didn’t look or play like he was uncomfortable last season.

In fact, it was the exact opposite.

The 6-foot, 170-pound Dale completed 60 percent of his passes while throwing for 954 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games a year ago.

West Branch averaged 26.4 points per game in eight games with Dale at quarterback scoring 30 or more points four times.

“I learned a lot last season,” Dale said. “It took a while to get adjusted to the varsity speed. Now that I’ve played more it’s slower and I’m seeing things and reading things better.”

Dale was learning on the fly last season after taking over the full-time starting role in week three.

He spent the offseason learning the offense being implement by Nestor who was hired in December after serving as an assistant coach at Mount Caramel high school in Chicago.

“I think it’s gone really well,” Dale said. “There is obviously going to be a learning curve and some bumps but I think we’ve adjusted well.”

For any coach having a returning quarterback is an advantage.

For a first-year coach like Nestor the experience of Dale was extra important.

Nestor has already seen Dale settle in.

“It’s the most important position on the field and when you have a quarterback returning with that level of experience it makes it easier on everybody else,” Nestor said. “He knows the system, yes we brought in some new things, but if it’s a new guy it takes a lot longer for him to get comfortable and we have a guy that is comfortable and he’s only going to be a junior.”

Dale was a true dual-threat last season rushing for 377 yards and 11 touchdowns to go with his nearly 1,000 passing yards.

In the new offense Nestor has brought Dale has the ability to use either his arm or his legs to make plays.

More importantly for Dale, he has the full trust of his new head coach.

“I have the freedom to run, the freedom to pass and the freedom to make changes if I need to,” Dale said. “I have the keys and I’m excited for it.”

The development of Dale will be important for a West Branch team that will be replacing its leading rusher, top eight pass catchers and three multi-year starters on the offensive line.

Despite those losses Dale has liked what he has seen from the players around him including a large number of Bears that will be seeing the first extended varsity action of their careers.

“There are lot of juniors that are ready to step up,” Dale said. “I think we are well prepared.”

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