During the 2019 season, the Iowa Central football team averaged nearly 30 points and over 370 yards of total offense per game.

This year, they could top those numbers with the amount of talent set to line up on that side of the ball beginning this Saturday.

Iowa Central, ranked sixth in the country, begins the spring season at home vs. Southern-Shreveport beginning at noon inside Dodger Stadium.

For third-year head coach Jesse Montalto, there is plenty to be excited about seeing. 

"We've got two really good quarterbacks, a difference-maker at running back, an incredible offensive line and some great skill at wide receiver and tight end," Montalto said. "Now, we get to see what we have. We're basically a different team than what we had in the fall."

Byron Jarrett and Brady Pope will both see time at quarterback in their first seasons with the Tritons. Jarrett, a former Des Moines Hoover standout, spent his freshman season at Ellsworth while Pope transferred in from Charlotte. 

"Byron sat out a year but had a really good fall game," Montalto said. "Brady is a savvy kid who understands where to go with the football. They both really bring a lot of good qualities to the field and have been pushing each other."

Jadon Washington returns after coming on late in his freshman season to lead the running back group. The sophomore ran for 276 yards and a touchdown on just 69 carries while catching six passes for 83 yards. 

"Jadon might be our best offensive player right now," Montalto said. "He came in at 150 pounds and now weighs 190. He's really changed everything about his body and game. He's gotten faster and is just a dynamic player."

Madison Ridgeway, Savion Johnson, Jayce Levy and Jalen Harris sit atop their respective position at wide receiver with Clayton Ollendieck and Chance Gibbons the top tight ends. 

Ridgeway is an Air Force transfer while both Johnson and Levy join the Tritons from other junior college programs. 

"Madison is our most explosive player on the outside," Montalto said. "Savion was with him at Ellsworth and is coming back from an knee injury, but he is looking really good. Jayce is another that could have a big, big year for us.

"Clayton and Chance are players who can dominate. They are both smart kids who can do so much and just understand the game of football."

Protecting Jarrett and Pope, along with clearing holes of Washington and the other running backs, will be a group anchored by returning All-American Richard Rodriguez. He is joined by Syracuse commit Jakob Bradford, Anthony Berry, Trey Winters and newcomer Maximus McCree. 

All five starting linemen stand over 6-foot-4 and weigh between 291 pounds and 344. 

"It's the strength of our offense," Montalto said. "Four of them are back in Berry, Winters, Bradford and Rodriguez, and McCree might be the young puppy of the group, but he could be the best out of all of them."

Mike Minikwu returns as offensive coordinator and works with the wide receivers, Justice Clegg is in charge of the offensive line, Gavin Blomberg the tight ends and helps with the line and Mitch Buhler leads the quarterbacks.

-By Dana Becker