Illinois Valley Times

Before the start of the 2016 season, Marquette Academy head football coach Tom Jobst was asked how this year's Crusaders would match up to last year's squad.

It would be a lot to live up to, given that the 2015 Crusaders went 13-1 and reached the state semifinals. Jobst took a wait-and-see approach.

The 2015 Marquette Academy football team went 13-1. | Marquette Academy

“Every team has its own personality,” Jobst said at the time.

After this season's first three games, Jobst described his team as business-like. There's no question the Crusaders have been taking care of business, as they outscored their first three opponents 154-6.

For those efforts, Marquette Academy was No. 2 in the Sept. 7 Class 1A poll, behind St. Teresa, the Associated Press said.

“This is not a team that I have to worry about whether they're going to show up to play on a game night,” Jobst said. “And they come out and practice the same way.”

The Crusaders had a good nucleus returning this season, one that included seven players who received post-season honors from the Northeastern Conference. And the program has become used to success, averaging close to 11 wins per season over the last four years.

“They're playing as a team,” Jobst said. “Everybody does their jobs to a very high degree, and they support each other and just a good, solid unit.”

Offensively, it's the usual strong running game driving the Crusaders. For example, according to MyWebTimes.com, Marquette rushed for 443 yards as a team in its season-opening 55-0 win over Hiawatha on Aug. 26 in Kirkland. The Crusaders had 294 yards on the ground the next game, a 57-6 win over South Beloit on Sept. 2 at home. And junior fullback Zach Dyche had 135 yards rushing and two touchdowns to lead Marquette past Luther North 42-0 on Sept. 9 at home.

Jobst had praise for sophomore quarterback Logan Komater in his role in the offense.

“He's great with ball handling, and he's also a very good passer, so it just runs very, very well,” Jobst said.

The Crusaders have put up some gaudy statistics on defense as well. MyWebTimes.com reported that Marquette held Beloit to 46 total offensive yards, and contained Hiawatha to 90 yards and four first downs.

Jobst said the defense's strength is the same as what makes the team's offense so effective -- team play.

“Everybody takes care of their assignments, and they pursue very well and we're very aggressive,” Jobst said.

The team, given its mental makeup, isn't looking too far down the road in the schedule toward the playoffs, Jobst said.

“That's how they do it,” Jobst said. “We've been doing it that way for several years, and we never look ahead.”

Marquette’s Senior Night is set for 7 p.m. Oct. 14 against Chicago Hope Academy. The first round of the Class 1A playoffs begins Oct. 28.