FALL SPORTS PREVIEW: FOOTBALL
Kruse takes over helm, hopes to improve on 3-6 campaign
A new starting quarterback and a new head coach. One would think the 2025 Panthers will look far different than the 3-6 version of a year ago.
But considering Jason Kainz’s replacement, Ryan Kruse, has more than gotten his steps in along the TMB sideline as an offensive coordinator, this year won’t be a complete overhaul.
“Offensively, it will be very similar; I’ve been doing the offense for a while, so there’s not going to be a lot of changes,” Kruse said. “It does change some every year with the kids you have and what you’re good at. It sometimes looks a little different, but the system is pretty much the same. We’ve had years where we couldn’t throw and basically had to run the ball every play, and last year we struggled running and threw it more than any high school team it seemed like.”
Kruse started coaching upon his arrival in Tracy in 2006 under thenhead coach Derek Flann and was the defensive coordinator for a number of years under Kainz. He’s been the Panthers’ offensive coordinator for the last six years. He said while TMB lost its record-setting quarterback in Trevor Smith, he expects to compete in every game and grow throughout the year.
“We have a lot of guys with experience, but a lot are in a different role as far as leadership,” Kruse said. “Some played part time last year, or just offense or defense and now will be full-time players both ways. So, some good experience but growth is still needed.”
The numbers this year are rather low, with 27 in grades 9-12 out for the team. The Panthers lost five players from last year’s team in Smith, Noah Knakmuhs, Dalton Timmerman, Taylor Swenhaugen and Xavier Trierweiler. Coincidentally, there are five seniors again this year in David Schuh (RB/OLB), Griffin Zick (WR/S), Sy Sanders (OT/DT), Lawton Verlinde (OG/DT) and Connor Lanoue (WR/CB).
“Our numbers overall are lower than we would like,” Kruse said. “I don’t think this is much different than teams around us; it seems to have gone down it seems like every year. I think we have a good group of seniors and juniors who will all contribute and some younger kids that will help with special teams and being able to rotate in. We’ll be relying on some sophomores and freshmen for sure … they’re going to be vital back-ups and play a lot of special teams.”
This year’s schedule will feature a number of teams somewhat unfamiliar to the Panthers, who will play in the six-team Mid-South Conference (Adrian/Ellsworth and Wabasso are both now 9-man teams).
TMB will open the season by hosting MACCRAY before traveling to Wells the following week to take on United South Central for the first time since a 20-14 section semifinal win in 2013 on the way to a state tournament berth.
In Week 3, the Panthers will open Mid-South Conference play against annual powerhouse Springfield, who has had TMB’s number the last couple of years and lost just once in 2024 — to Minneota in the section finals. TMB will then host a revamped but young Sleepy Eye United team, which is in its third year of a co-op between Sleepy Eye Public and Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s.
“They made themselves a pretty good football team when they merged,” Kruse said. “They have a lot of kids now and have had a good football team the last couple years.”
The Panthers will travel to Russell-Tyler-Ruthton and new head coach Ted Kern on Sept. 26.
“They’ve really had some athletes around there, just kind of never put it together,” said Kruse. “I expect them to be a good team this year.
This year’s Homecoming foe once again is helmet rival Murray County Central.
“I know they’re going to be really good, but I know our kids want to play them,” Kruse said. “That’s the team if any around here that we really want to beat.”
TMB will then travel to Kerkhoven before wrapping the season up in Olivia against Flann’s BOLD Warriors, who lost by just six points to Minneota in last year’s Section 3A championship game.
