Marshall Football has been a synonym for dominance in the Madison area in recent memory, and the expectation is nothing different for the season ahead.
2023 Year In Review
The Marshall Cardinals were red hot yet again last season, going 8-1 in the regular season and grabbing a share of the Eastern Suburban Conference with Horicon Hustisford.
Their season ended in a Level One playoff matchup at the hands of a 14-6 defensive battle with Howards Grove.
The Cardinals eclipsed 40 points in six of their eight wins last year, and they boasted a more balanced offense than most in the area.
Quarterback Brady Kleinheinz tossed 1,229 yards with 17 touchdowns to just five interceptions.
Senior running back Matthew Motl (1st Team All-Eastern Suburban) spearheaded the ground game with 1,053 rushing yards and 15 trips to the end zone.
Sustained Excellence
Head Coach Matt Kleinheinz, who has led this team to a 29-5 record in the last three seasons, said culture is key when it comes to sustained excellence.
“We’ve just had a lot of good groups come through,” Kleinheinz said. “When [the younger players] come in, they don’t really have a choice, if they want to be a football player in our program, but to conform to the culture that we have.”
He went on to say an example of that culture could be a player waiting on JV their junior year before earning all-conference honors their senior season.
Key Returners
Flex option Max Timpel (2nd Team All-Eastern Suburban) will be back after serving as the true Swiss army knife for Kleinheinz’s squad last season. He led the team in receptions (24), yards (518) and averaged 7.1 yards per carry on 30 rushes. Timpel’s impact as a defensive back (37 tackles, 1 forced fumble) also earned him a 1st Team All-Conference nod.
Senior receiver Mitchell Pletcher (2nd Team All-Eastern Suburban) also returns as one of the main options in the Marshall passing game.
Offensive lineman Noah Kilian returns for his senior campaign after earning 2nd Team All-Conference honors as well.
The 2024 Season Ahead
Marshall kicks off its 2024 season against non-conference opponent Johnson Creek on Thursday, Aug. 22. This will be a rematch of last year’s season opener, when the Cardinals took the win 46-28.
The game will be broadcast on Daily Dodge TV with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
Check out Marshall’s full 2024 schedule by clicking HERE.
Find the full interview with Coach Kleinheinz below.
