Why Moniteau football’s Brendin Sankey is ‘excited’ for move to RB, chance to reignite Warriors’ offense
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Moniteau football players practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Braden Beachem runs a footwork drill during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Bryan Hazlet does a footwork drill during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Carter Knight does drill work during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Brendin Sankey sprints during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau head coach Clay Kohlmeyer works with quarterback Weston Cook during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau quarterback Weston Cook throws a pass during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Carter Knight does drill work during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Bryan Hazlet works on conditioning during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau head coach Clay Kohlmeyer works with quarterback Weston Cook during football practice Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau football practices Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau football team practices Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau football practices Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau football practices Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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(L-R) Moniteau’s Brendin Sankey, Levi Lacava, and Braden Beachem during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Levi Lacava during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Levi Lacava during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Braden Beachem during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Braden Beachem during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Brendin Sankey during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Brendin Sankey during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
CHERRY TWP — Brendin Sankey was a serviceable quarterback last year despite Moniteau football’s 0-10 record.
He completed 91 of 193 passes (47.2%) for 1,019 yards, six touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He was second on the team with 179 rushing yards — the team had just 575 in nine contested games — and a TD. He also caught eight passes for 161 yards an two TDs.
So with a new head coach who happened to be his former quarterbacks coach, Clay Kohlmeyer, it would seem preordained the senior would be back under center in 2025 looking to improve his stats and the Warriors’ record.
Not so fast.
Sankey is projected to be Moniteau’s No. 1 running back this year. And it’s hardly a demotion for the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder, who never really considered himself a quarterback to begin with.
“I’m excited, honestly,” Sankey said during the first day of practice. “I mean, even though it didn't go our way, it was fun (playing) quarterback. But I think ... I wasn't really a quarterback. I could just, kind of like, throw it a little bit, not very well. I'm not accurate. I can just throw it far and hope someone catches it.”
Sankey said he began playing football in eighth grade and was asked to compete at QB right away, but he “kind of regret(s) that decision.”
So as Kohlmeyer installs a Power-I offense that will rely on pounding the rock, one of the Warriors’ best athletes is making a position change that should still see him get the ball a significant amount each game.
“Quarterback's not gonna throw a lot (in this offense), so I want to get the ball in his hands,” said Kohlmeyer, who expects to turn to Weston Cook, a sophomore, at QB because he likes the idea of grooming a passer for several years.
It’s the preseason, and every team is 0-0. Moniteau is optimistic for a new year. Part of that optimism comes with a new coaching staff and scheme. Part of it is what Sankey and his teammates think they can do running the ball.
The Warriors are not big — Kohlmeyer said 31 players signed up this year, and the offensive line will have to rely on chemistry and athleticism more than size and force.
“It's very simple, very simple run scheme, blocking,” junior left tackle Braden Beachem, who is returning after a lost 2024 season to a torn ACL, said. “Just block the gaps, (block) your guy.”
The line still has some question marks to sort out, particularly at right tackle, but Beachem and sophomore guard Bryan Hazlet should provide some stability up front.
Kohlmeyer said the running back group — Sankey, Levi Lacava, Liam Allison and fullback Aiden Shakley — took to the scheme the fastest and is probably the strongest position on the roster right now. That’s without Kole Scott (68 carries, 257 yards, TD), a senior who is now at Slippery Rock High.
Sankey and Beachem think the backfield has a good mix of speed and power. Sankey brings the burst — Beachem called him “faster than heck” — while Shakley has earned the nickname “Shake and Bake.”
“‘Shake and Bake’ will try to run somebody over instead of running around,” Sankey said.
But it will still take work for the run game to come together.
“Oh, it might be a little tough, but I got all the guys around me to help me out a little bit, make sure I know what I'm doing, and then the right coaching staff around me to help me out,” Sankey said.
As long as it leads to a few more wins after a difficult junior year, that’s all Sankey cares about.
