The high school football season begins on Aug. 28. The Sun-Times is counting down to kick off with previews of the top ten teams in the preseason Super 25. The series begins today with a look at No. 10 Fremd.
A quick glance at Johnny O’Brien’s junior season statistics show the Fremd quarterback emerged as a star last year. He threw for 3,442 yards and 39 touchdowns with a 70% completion rate while leading the Vikings to their best season since 2009.
But numbers never tell the entire story. Fremd checks in at No. 10 in the Sun-Times’ preseason Super 25 football rankings, and that isn’t because of O’Brien’s stats.
Fremd earned its ranking in the final two quarters of last season. The Vikings lost 31-28 at Naperville Central in the second round of the Class 8A state playoffs, but their second-half performance was especially memorable.
O’Brien and Fremd faced a 21-0 hole at halftime—on the road, in the playoffs. The Vikings came out swinging in the third quarter. O’Brien threw three touchdown passes in the first six minutes of the half. He connected with Marquan Brewster on a 15-yard TD with 4:41 left to cut the Redhawks’ lead to 31-28.
That was as close as it would get, but the memory of Fremd’s refusal to go down easily and O’Brien’s brilliance in the clutch lingered all summer. He finished 34 for 49 for 464 yards with four TDs and two interceptions. O’Brien threw only four interceptions all season. O’Brien committed to Northwestern in June.
Brewster returns for the Vikings this season, along with 10 other starters.
“There was some doubt hanging over our heads last season,” Fremd coach Lou Sponsel said. “There was a question after three losing seasons, something our program hadn’t been through in 30 years. But these guys took ownership. Our families and players and coaches bought in and we ran with it. These guys have confidence now.”
The bond between Sponsel and O’Brien is obvious, and O’Brien credits his coach with sparking last year’s breakout season.
“I put in a lot of work,” O’Brien said. “But the big thing was [Sponsel] let me take over the offense. He let me play more free and kinda gave the keys to me, is what he would say.”
“Johnny has always been a special one,” Sponsel said. “We knew it. We were just waiting for the other pieces of the offense to fall into place.”
O’Brien says that came down to his timing with his receivers. Brewster and the other receivers locked that down last season. This year’s extra step forward was off the field.
“Senior year is where you take over and it is my team now,” O’Brien said. “I’ve been getting to know all the guys in the locker room and the weight room. When we are actually friends outside of football it is just better for our success.”
Senior offensive lineman Owen Jakubczak has also committed to Northwestern. The Vikings’ run game wasn’t dependable in the big moments last season. That has to change.
“We have three new starters [on the offensive line] and they are good,” Jakubczak said. “[Trey Reeves], our left tackle, is a smaller guy and he’s insanely athletic and one of the best offensive lineman we’ve had in a long time. He’s definitely going to make a difference.”
Fremd opens the season against Lake Zurich, one of the area’s most dependably solid programs. The Vikings were 9-2 last year and should be better this season. Excitement is high in the hallways.
“Last year really started something,” Jakubczak said. “Even one of my teachers mentioned that school spirit has been through the roof in everything since our run last year.”
@michaelsobriensports Northwestern recruit Johnny O’Brien talks about his breakout junior season. #ihsa #football #fremd #northwestern ♬ original sound – michaelsobriensports