GMC Football Blue Division overview

A season-ending injury to South River High School running back Doug Ryan dealt a critical blow to the defending Greater Middlesex Conference Blue Division champions' hopes at repeating.

Ryan, who rushed for 1,284 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, despite missing two games with an ankle injury, broke his leg in a tri-scrimmage last month. The Rams still have plenty of talent on offense, but Ryan's absence opens the door for the rest of the division.

With the exception of Highland Park, which promises to be vastly improved from its 2-8 record of a year ago, it appears every school has a legitimate shot at the division crown.

Cardinal McCarrick, which suspended its program in the middle of last season due to a shortage of players, has left the division to play an independent schedule.

Dunellen (6-4)

The Destroyers graduated Tim Francisco, a devastating blocking fullback who rushed for 536 yards and was arguably the team's best linebacker. The rest of the backfield returns intact, which bodes well for Dunellen. Quarterback David Johnson (559 yards), wingbacks Rob Young (648 yards) and Nassan Anderson (667 yards) combined for 2,715 yards on the ground. Coach Dave DeNapoli calls his double-wing attack, which has been giving division foes fits for years, "offense in a phone booth." Dunellen had its string of five consecutive division titles snapped last season and also failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Paul Appleton moves form tight end to fullback. Danny Russomano and Uzoma Ojinnaka will anchor his old position. Dunellen is solid up front with newcomers Preston Gibney and Adrian Brown joining returning starters Conrad Paddyfoot, Jamie Desmelyk and Antonio Brito in the trenches. Dunellen's offense will remain its best defense, keeping the pigskin away from opponents with time-consuming drives.

Highland Park (2-8)

With just one returning letterwinner (Jeffrey Mathis) on defense a year ago, the incredibly young Owls allowed 39 points or more in each of their defeats. An injury (dislocated elbow) to stellar two-way lineman Jason Griggs (6-foot-2, 270 pounds) in the third game of the 2013 campaign created a huge void up front. Griggs, who should be regarded as one of the conference's top linemen, returned for the final two games of the season, helping Highland Park register its only on-field victory with a 42-19 trouncing of Manville (the Owls' other win was a forfeit over Cardinal McCarrick). Running backs Dylan Boynton and Nasir Boykins had their baptism by fire as freshmen a year ago, but both proved they could start on any team in the division. Highland Park's deep backfield includes senior Darnell Ettiene, senior Jose Ruiz and junior Ogenbi Nuodine. Pound-for-pound, Ruiz (155 pounds) is arguably the team's strongest player. The quintet will run behind a veteran offensive line that could be the team's strength. Rookie quarterback Ryan O'Shea, who was the school's starting varsity baseball shortstop as a freshman in the spring, succeeds Andy Powell. Of the 38 players on coach Rich McGlynn's roster, at least eight have never played organized football before. Regardless, expect the Owls to be more competitive.

Metuchen (4-6)

The injury-plagued Bulldogs endured a slow start last season, dropping their first three games before rebounding to win four of the last seven. Expect Metuchen to not only be improved, but to contend for a division title. Offensive tackle Tommy Gorman, who has committed to Bucknell, is among the league's best, while guard Rob Gilman also stands out. Devin Miller, who has an outstanding pedigree as the younger brother of current Rutgers offensive lineman Dorian and former Oklahoma star receiver Dejuan, will join them up front at tight end. Jake Lebovitz and Trevor Firgau were battling for the starting quarterback position in training camp. Coach Bob Ulmer has equal confidence in both. The graduated James Nicolaisen passed for 663 yards last season. Receivers Evan Collier (394 yards, 5 TDs), a returning starter, and Tyler Valovcin, a third wideout last year, are solid. Danny Briggs (341 yards, 2 TDs receiving) moves from wideout to running back, but may still see some time at receiver. Peter DiMeglio (RB) and Joe Cammarano (FB) will also be featured in the backfield, helping to replace the graduated Stephen Walsh (10 TDs) and Andre Corvil (who missed most of last season with injuries). Josh Hall (WR/CB), who played as a freshman, returns to the gridiron following a two-year hiatus. Gorman will also play defensive tackle for the first time in his career. Joe Hronich (MLB) and Justin Briggs (S), Danny's younger brother, will help anchor the defense along with newcomer Dan Blanchard (DT).

Middlesex (2-8)

After back-to-back 2-8 campaigns, the Blue Jays are looking to turn the page under rookie head coach P.J. Jankowicz, who was offensive coordinator last year and served assistantships in successful programs Hillsborough, South Brunswick and Ridge. Jankowicz also is Middlesex's boys track coach, which helps explain why turnout was impressive at 59 athletes. Offensively, Middlesex will run the "flex bone" modeled on Navy's grind-it-out attack. The development of junior quarterback A.J. Abate will be important, and he will have help from an experienced line. Defensively, most of the key players are back as well. The teeth of the schedule comes early as defending sectional champ Point Pleasant Beach arrives in week two, followed by a trip to GMC Blue Division favorite South River in week three and then a home date against perennially tough Asbury Park in week four. With so much experience in the trenches after five one-score losses last year, the Blue Jays could be a sleeper in the division and section. The backfield, featuring gifted halfback Kayshawn Wilson and fullback Matt Hode, should excel in Jankowicz's offense. Samaad Rawlins and Ryan Coke will complement Wilson, whose hard work in the offseason is paying dividends. Edson Flores anchors the defensive line, while Wilson and Rawlins will be the strength of the defense at linebacker. Carran Marks, a returning starter, leads the secondary.

South River (8-2)

The defending division champions will be hard-pressed to replace senior running back Doug Ryan, who broke his leg in a tri-scrimmage last month and appears to be lost for the season after undergoing surgery. He rushed for 1,284 yards and 20 touchdowns despite missing two games with an ankle injury last season. Ryan was also a force on defense, recording 36 tackles and two interceptions from his safety position. Combining size with speed, Ryan was an inexorable force. South River, however, returns plenty of talent on offense including quarterback Nick Lepore, fullback Cyrus Byrd, tight end Sean Darrar and tackle Richard LeoGrande. Leogrande has moved from guard. Lepore does a stellar job of running the offense but must cut down on his interceptions (10 picks last year). Darrar is the lone returning letterwinner to have caught a pass last season. He finished with a team-high 143 receiving yards. With the injury to Ryan, Byrd is now team's top returning rusher with 146 yards. The addition of Khaliyl Everett, a transfer from Edison, will be felt most prominently on defense. He will play middle linebacker alongside Darrar, who averaged just under 10 tackles per game last season and who led the Rams with five sacks.

Spotswood (7-3)

After getting off to a 7-0 start for the first time since 2000, the Chargers dropped their last three contests including a loss to South River in what proved to be a divisional championship game. After being a pass-happy offense in 2012, the Chargers relied heavily on the run last year, attempting just 29 passes for 313 yards while rushing 243 times for 1,593 yards. Expect Spotswood to have more offensive balance this year as coach Andy Cammarano has revamped the attack yet again, switching to spread wing-T formation that will operate out of the shotgun. The scheme is designed to maximize Chase Fee (550 yards, 5 TDs rushing), getting the senior running back in open space to utilize his game-breaking ability. Ryan Long (244 yards, 2 TDs) will get more carries with the graduation of bruising runner Jack Dalrymple (team-leading 560 yards, 7 TDs). Ryan Smolin succeeds two-year starter C.J. O'Connor at quarterback. Nick Bacskoczky has emerged as a favorite target. Mason White (G), Jeremy Katz (T), Mark Petscavage (G) and Lou Vacca (T) return to the offensive line, which also features rookie Derek Schneider (TE). All of the aforementioned will double as defensive linemen. Vacca should emerge as one of the best players in the division, if not the conference. Newcomers Joe Hayford, Conner McCloskey and Chris Nardine will join incumbent Long at linebacker. McCloskey will also handle the kicking chores.