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Photo by Jeff Deters

Drew Noble runs for a gain against Paola last fall. Noble could be a versatile weapon for Eudora this fall as he could see time at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end.

In football terms, versatile can mean a lot of things, but mostly it means options.

A versatile ball carrier who can run and catch gives the offense the ability to stretch the field. And if the ball carrier can also throw, the offense has a unique weapon that is a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Such might be the case with Eudora High seniors Evan Cleveland and Drew Noble. When the Cardinals take the field for their season opener against Spring Hill Sept. 4 at Eudora, Cleveland could be the team’s starting running back. He also could be the starting quarterback or lineup at wide receiver. And Noble could be the starting quarterback, or lineup at wide receiver or tight end.

In short, they could be anywhere.

“We’re hoping it works that way, and they’re both good enough athletes where they can help us other places besides just quarterback,” Eudora football coach Gregg Webb said. “And that gives us some different looks. We’re hoping that some of our versatility offensively is having those guys be different position players. And they both should be better this year.”

Last year as a junior, the 5-foot-7, 154-pound Cleveland logged time at quarterback, tailback and also lined up in the slot at wide receiver. As a runner, Cleveland had 65 carries for 385 yards and rushed for 7 touchdowns. He also connected on 17-of-28 passes (60 percent) and threw for one score – the only touchdown pass of the season for the Cardinals, who rushed 2,923 yards last year. Cleveland also returned three punts for 28 yards and had 22 tackles and one interception as a defensive back.

“It gets difficult memorizing the plays and everything,” Cleveland said.“It does get tough. I’ve got to memorize pretty much the whole playbook. I’m in usually every snap on special teams, defense and offense. So sometimes it gets tiring, but that’s what I’ve got to do to help make us better.”

And Noble, a 6-foot-3 gunslinger, completed 13-of-38 passes for 211 yards last year. Noble again showed off his strong throwing arm during 7-on-7 this summer.

With the options that Cleveland and Noble bring to the EHS offense, they could line up at different positions play after play without ever substituting out of the game, which Webb said could help the Cardinals.

“Most teams in high school aren’t sophisticated enough to read substitutions,” Webb said. “It doesn’t really matter personnel-wise all that much, but some of them are (sophisticated enough). And so that makes it better.

“We’ve been in games where we sub people, so they sub people. And it is a little different look when we’re double tight and power I than when we’re five wide. So they might have a different defensive scheme for both of them, which they should.”

Eudora’s offense will look quite a bit different than last year’s, as all-state running back Ryan Fisher was lost to graduation. The Cardinals, though, have other weapons and could look to pass the ball more this year.

Senior Brian Katzfey, who has showed good leaping ability during basketball and track, is out for football for the first time this year. And junior wide receiver Christian Richardson gives the Cardinals speed on the outside.

“I’m really excited because there’s going to be certain plays for each player,” Cleveland said. “So it’s going to be really hard for the other team to scout against us. It’s going to be awesome spreading the ball around.”

Eudora begins football practice on Monday, and Noble said the team’s goals are crystal clear.

“Everybody always wants a state championship,” Noble said. “That’s what we’re looking for just like every other year. It’s no different.”

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