Missouri Military Academy football is starting with lower numbers this year but with cadets passionate about football.

Head coach Robert Rosenbaum said the approximately 20 cadets he has this season is lower than it has been in his five years at MMA. However, there are some boys who show some promise and passion for football.

Rosenbaum said Callahan Evans was the starting quarterback from midseason on last year and will be the first returning quarterback Rosenbaum has had at MMA. He leads the four returners for their team which also includes Brexten Castillo, Batsuuri Batnasan and Holden Goosey.

“They enjoy it,” Rosenbaum said. “Brexten is in tune with it. Evans is an athletic kid who plays baseball for me, so he is a utility player for me. I enjoy coaching and seeing the growth in the kids is huge.”

Castillo was pretty much a newcomer to football last year but has good athleticism and confidence he also showed during wrestling season. Batnasan, or BT according to Rosenbaum, is from Mongolia and hadn't played football before but has shown an aggressiveness and good athleticism for his bigger size. Goosey has been with Rosenbaum every year he has coached at MMA and will fit in nicely because he is familiar with the system.

Emmett Long is a kid from Columbia, Missouri, who will probably be the backup quarterback and has prior football experience, which is more than most of the cadets. Another newcomer is Shane Fleck, who has good speed that should be a good fit for running back. Jamison Boocher is one of the better tacklers and Luis Sass-Zaragoza, or Sassy according to Rosenbaum, has good size to be a linebacker, have each played football before despite being new faces.

“I do have some kids where I’m seeing some nice athletic ability out of them,” Rosenbaum said. “We’re just trying to get some other kids recruited.”

Rosenbaum said some say football just isn’t for them and another reason for a lower turnout is some show more interest in the JROTC Raiders. He understands why they want to pursue that instead because it aligns better with their military aspirations.

For whichever kids he is able to add to the team, Rosenbaum said MMA has a junior varsity game at South Callaway on Aug. 31, which MMA only lost 12-0 last year. The first varsity game will be at home on Sept. 11 against Veritas Christian Academy to give them more time to prepare for the season. There are six varsity games scheduled for this season, closing with a home game against Pleasant Hope with Marion C. Early, Halfway in a rematch from a 32-22 MMA victory a year ago.

Because MMA doesn’t have the offseason practices and youth programs of public schools, Rosenbaum said it takes the Colonels longer to figure things out and gel as a team. He said MMA started to gel around midseason last year and hopes they can do that before the first varsity game.

“Everything is condensed,” Rosenbaum said. “I tell my kids when we’re out here that we’re behind. We’re behind because these guys have all played together and been together and now they are in high school. This is a process. We go out and touch on everything that I feel is pertinent the very first week and try to evaluate what we’re seeing.”