With the loss of 13 seniors from last year's team that went 7-3 and lost to defending Class A champ Lutheran in the sectional, the South Putnam football team has been busy this offseason looking to get stronger and improve ahead of the 2023 season. 

"We have had really good workouts during class and after school preparing for the upcoming season.  This will be the strongest (weight room) team we have had in my 5 years. This class has been lifting with me since 8th grade and the gains are really beginning to show. We have also added a lot of speed and explosion work into the lifts. We have to do everything we can to beat Lutheran. We must be faster and stronger than we have ever been.  We currently have five 500 pound squatters and 12 over 405," South Putnam coach Chuck Sorrell told The Putnam County Post. 

Sorrell said the Eagles have always worked in position groups during the offseason. 

Up front on the offensive line, South Putnam looks to replace Ethan Harcourt, who will play at Wabash, and Brock Heavin, who will play at DePauw, and Sorrell notes the three returning linemen have done a great job trying to prepare the new players to be ready. 

"Every position has gotten bigger, stronger and faster since last football season. We have also had really good sessions with our incoming 8th grades and a few of them will be ready to play sometime during the 2023 season. That group is lead by Bransyn Hanley, Drew Cline, and Keenan Mowery-Shields," Sorrell said. 

When he looks back on last season, Sorrell said the way the defense played at times is something that stands out to him. 

"We return 9 of those starters and we have a chance to be really good on defense.  Also, how much Wyatt Mullin has grown physically and mentally. He will be the nucleus of our team and everything offensively will work through him," he said.

South Putnam will open the season against Putnam County rival Cloverdale, a team the Eagles soared past 70-0 last year.  

And, while the Eagles are looking to start the season off strong again, Sorrell knows it will take more work to ensure South Putnam is ready. 

"With three new coaches in the county in the past two years, we have to continue to get better to make sure we are ready to defend that crown.  All three schools are doing great jobs of building football programs so we can not look past any of them.  I think everyone will think we are down because we lost 13 seniors, but that is a good thing for us.  I feel we will have the best overall team that we have had in my five years.  We will not get there just by talking. We have a demanding summer planned to get us ready to win county, conference, and state championship games," Sorrell said.