Page 10 Fall Football Preview, August 28, 2026
by Mike Shaughnessy SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Rosemount football players’ ambitions for 2026 will come as no surprise.
“ State championship or bust is how I’ m looking at it,” senior defensive back Connor McNamara said.
“ Yeah, sky’ s the limit for us,” said senior defensive lineman Jack Noonan, one of the team’ s captains.“ This group’ s really tight. Our junior class has had a lot of success. They haven’ t lost a game since fourth grade, so obviously they’ ve been very successful. Our( senior) grade has been progressively getting better throughout high school.”
The Irish coaches, of course, will remind the players that a lot has to happen before they can think about big games in November. But they’ re also not discouraging the players from having big dreams, as long as they’ re putting in the work.
So far they have been, coach Jeff Erdmann said. The summer program was especially productive.
“ We’ re pleasantly surprised that we’ re ahead of where we thought we might be,” Erdmann said last week on the second day of fall practice.“ Our install was significantly smoother this summer, especially from the offensive perspective. This is our second year with this offense and we are further along than we were last year by leaps and bounds, so we’ re very excited about where we’ re headed.”
Rosemount has reached at least the state quarterfinals 10 times since 2006 and has played in three Prep Bowls in that period. But in 2025 the Irish were in need of a bounce-back season.
After going 1-8 in 2024 they decided they needed to be more proficient at running the ball and made that a point of emphasis. It worked, as the Irish ran off an eightgame winning streak that included victories over teams such as Lakeville South and Shakopee, and won the Metro South district. They finished 8-2 after a turnoverplagued 14-0 loss to St. Michael- Albertville in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs, a game several of the Irish’ s returning players say still nags at them.
“ It definitely gives us something to keep thinking about,” said McNamara, also a captain.“ More motivation.”
Erdmann, in his 28th season as Rosemount’ s head coach, said the Irish will remain committed to the run game. But now that the Irish are more comfortable with the offense, they can expand the playbook.
“ If we’ re going to run the ball we need to have great execution in our option game and we have to have the guys up front take care of business,” Erdmann said.“ We think we’ re strong in both those areas. Because we feel like we’ re more advanced with where we are in our offense, it allows us more time to develop our pass game. We think we have guys we can throw to, and we have two quarterbacks that can sling it.” sunthisweek. com
Irish’ s ambitions are high, with talent to match
Week 1 game against Centennial will test Rosemount
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Enthusiasm is high at Rosemount football practices heading into the season opener Sept. 3 at Centennial. The Irish were 8-2 last year and won the Metro South district.
Schedule
Games 7 p. m. Fridays unless noted Sept. 3( Thur.): at Centennial Sept. 11: Eastview Sept. 18: at Prior Lake Sept. 25: Shakopee Oct. 2: Farmington Oct. 9: at Lakeville North Oct. 14( Wed.): Eagan Oct. 23: at Lakeville South
Rosemount
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Contact is supposed to be at a minimum for the first week of fall high school football practices, so even Rosemount coaches can get in on the action.
Finn Macken, a junior which has a powerful co-captain who was rushing offense and a Rosemount’ s co-MVP four-game winning streak last season, went into against Rosemount. The fall camp as the No. 1 Irish will counter with quarterback, although experience at several the Irish like their depth positions, including at the position.“ Things Noonan on the line, are coming a little easier senior co-captain now than they did my Charlie Wielinski at freshman year,” Macken outside linebacker said.“ It’ s a fun offense and McNamara in when everybody’ s firing the secondary. Wyatt on all cylinders.” Alexander, a state
Several of Rosemount’ s qualifier in discus at the running backs from last 2026 Class 3A track and season have graduated, field meet, returns to the but 205-pound junior defensive line interior. Jaidon Jackson will be“ I think we’ re going back. He saw some snaps to be super-physical” on on varsity last season. defense, said Noonan, Other returnees on offense a North Dakota State include 230-pound commit.“ Coach( Parc) tight end Wyatt Bakke Williams is the best and 275-pound senior defensive coordinator in lineman Max Meger. the state, and he’ s putting
The defense expects us in spots where if we to be tested by Week 1 just do our jobs, we’ ll be opponent Centennial, See Irish, 11