Rochelle tight end Ethan Wells felt that he became more comfortable within the Hub offense as the varsity football season progressed this past season. One of several sophomores who had their numbers called on the varsity level, Wells will be looking to increase his role in run blocking and pass catching when the Hubs eventually take the field this coming year.

Wells will benefit from a strong connection with quarterback Josh Lloyd, who Wells has been teammates with since middle school. While he hopes to catch more passes next season, Wells said he’s ready to help his team do whatever it takes to win and qualify for the playoffs.

“Coach [Kyle] Kissack emphasizes consistency in everything we do,” Wells said. “I hope we dip into the passing game more, but if the running game carries us into the postseason, that’s all that matters… I hope to improve on my blocking because we are a run-heavy team and I want to be trusted to hold a block while we run the ball toward my side of the field. I also want to sharpen up my routes for whenever we decide to pass the ball. I’m hoping the connection that Josh and I have built throughout the years will transition over to the varsity level next year.”

Wells said he wasn’t expecting to be pulled up to the varsity team this past season, but he said he prided himself on his ability to stick with the team and handle any defenders who came his way. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound tight end was often split out to draw defensive backs away from the football, paving the way for Rochelle’s signature rushing attack. After adjusting to the speed of the varsity level this past season, Wells said he’s ready to step up for the Hubs next year.

“It was a huge change of pace from the freshman and JV games I was used to,” Wells said. “I definitely became more comfortable at my position and I thought I improved greatly. I hope to be a lot more consistent than I was last year. My role last year was to do the best I could with whatever I was thrown. I hope to be a crucial part of the offensive line and an important piece of our passing game next year. I think that we should definitely make the playoffs. We had an outstanding record with our senior class when we played JV together this past season.”