When Jim Corkum took over the Concord High football program in 2021, laying the foundation was the goal. The Crimson Tide went 0-5 in 2020 but improved to 3-6 last year.
Now entering his second year with the program, Corkum looks to take another step forward.
“I think ultimately we did take a step forward (last year),” Corkum said. “Now that means no longer just competing against good teams but beating some of the better teams in our division.”
The Tide certainly have the personnel to do it, with a larger varsity roster (50), larger senior class (20) and larger program numbers (80s) than Concord has had in recent years.
Senior Zack Doward is a three-year starter and returns at quarterback with plenty of protection with four returning senior starters — Rasheed Ahmed, Nate Feudner, Noah Blake and Doug Smith.
“I’ve been feeling great about our offensive line,” Corkum said. “Most of our offensive line is returning, and our coaches have been doing a phenomenal job all last season and this season. It’s definitely been a bright spot in our offense.
“I’ve been very happy with (Doward) at the quarterback position. He has a good grasp of the offense. He’s a good leader.”
Seniors Matt O’Rourke (wide receiver), Isaiah Turner (wide receiver), Divon Duncan (slot receiver) and Austin Wells (tight end) give Doward several targets to throw to, while Duncan will also line up as a running back.
Also likely to see a significant number of carries out of the backfield is junior Eli Bahuma, who missed all of last season to an injury. Senior Peyton Enis-Yearout gives the Tide additional depth and experience at running back.
Defensively, the Tide returns Wells, Ahmed, Feudner and Blake on the line; Duncan, Smith and Doward at linebacker; and O’Rourke, Enis-Yearout and Turner at defensive back.
“We’re really fortunate, we have a good core group of seniors who got a lot of playing experience as juniors,” Corkum said. “There’s no adjustment period. They know exactly what they’re getting into when they get on the field. In that respect, we’re in good shape in some positions. Our question is depth and whether we can keep people healthy.”
Bahuma should also get some time at linebacker, while fellow newcomers Brett Tuttle (sophomore wide receiver/defensive back), Aidan Diachenko (junior lineman), Oscar Humelsine-Perez (junior tight end/linebacker), Nate Galbraith (sophomore running back/linebacker) and Theo Schneible (sophomore running back/linebacker) should also make an immediate impact.
Having those additional varsity numbers has already paid off as Concord prepares for a competitive season.
“It was great during preseason,” Corkum said. “We were running three full groups and then could put an offense and defense on the field, so that’s been a positive.”
The Tide put in a lot of work in the offseason and were already eager to hit the gridiron for another season. The NHIAA’s realignment of football’s four divisions has raised the excitement level even more.
Expanding the Division I playoff field from eight teams to 13 gives Concord a legitimate shot at the postseason, and the realigning from four conferences into three means the Tide will almost exclusively face teams it hasn’t played since 2018 or earlier (Manchester Central being the exception).
It’s an exciting albeit very competitive schedule, one that has Concord facing the defending Division I champions Londonderry (11-1 last season) in the season opener on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Memorial Field.
“That’s who we want to compete against,” Corkum said. “We want to be going against those teams. I saw the schedule, and I liked what I saw. You’ve got to play the schedule that’s in front of you, but I like that we play those teams.”
The other teams in the newly formed D-I Central conference are Central, Salem, Pinkerton, Windham and Alvirne.