The 2010 version of the LeRoy Oatkan Knights football team looks to rebound from a disappointing 2009 season in which the squad posted a 3-6 record on the year, the program's first losing season in 19 years. Many players from last year's squad gained valuable experience and hope to parlay that experience into victories this season. The Knights are playing in Division 2 this season and the schedule is not an easy one as D2 includes 2009 Class C sectional champion Letchworth, Class DD sectional champion Avon, as well as Class DD runner-up Cal-Mum. The Knights open with Class B sectional finalist Livonia and end the regular season against a very good squad from Wayland-Cohocton.

LeRoy head coach Brian Moran enters his 22nd season at the helm with an impressive career coaching record of 171-48-2 (.765 career win percentage), as well as a Section 5 record 13 sectional titles as a coach. The Oatkan Knights posted an incredible 88-19 record in the decade of the 2000's, an 82% win percentage, the finest among all Section 5 small school gridiron programs. The LeRoy football program has never posted a sub .500 win percentage for any full decade in their storied 113 years of existence. The team has won 3 out of every 4 games they have played since 1970.

Senior quarterback Tyler Fenstermaker will lead this year's offense. Tyler took over the LeRoy QB duties the final 2 games of the 2009 season and led the Knights to victory in each contest, a common theme for Fenstermaker-led LR teams in the 2000's. Senior RB Rick Henry returns to the backfield after an outstanding '09 campaign in which he ran for 896 yards against some very good LCAA D1 competition (5.7 yards/carry). Joining Henry in the backfield is a trio of fast talent, sophomores Dylan Johnson and Zach Hogle, and junior Tommy McQuillen. Johnson posted a 116-yd effort in his varsity debut in Game 8 of the '09 season, and Hogle's timely running was key to LeRoy's final '09 season game win over Dansville. The speedy McQuillen led the 2009 LeRoy JVs in scoring and averaged an amazing 11.6 yards/carry, despite being injured for a good portion of the year. The O-Line returns seniors Cal Whiting, Austin Steinbrenner and Mike Bennetti, along with fellow seniors Ryan Frank and Brad Morgan. Junior Jake Risewick will add punch at TE. Do-it-all senior Mark Kelso will be making the transition from RB/QB to add muscle and hard-nose play on the line.

Defensively, newcomers Joe Simeone, Matt Lyon, Marcus Mistersaro, and Risewick will help booster that side of the ball along with top returning tackler Whiting, and the rugged Steinbrenner. Look for senior strongman Jake Harvey to deliver on defense while Jerry Green, Tim Wortman, and Zach Plath make contributions to the special teams. Fenstermaker and Johnson will use their athletic skills to aptly lead the defensive secondary.

Joining coach Moran on his staff are long time assistants, defensive coordinator Andrew Paladino and special teams coach Jim Bonacquisti. Brian Herdlein, last year's head JV coach, will make his debut on varsity as the offensive coordinator. The implementation of a bona fide weight training program, camps at Brighton and LeRoy High, and an inspiring scrimmage performance against Class AA Franklin, Class A Victor, and Class B Livonia should all pay dividends to witnessing a much improved football team that should not be taken lightly. Come on out and support the team at both Hartwood Park and on the road.