2021 football schedule set

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
Mustangs will split 10 nonleague and league games; loop foes again will be vs. Jefferson County; and the program has a very unusual -- and potentially beneficial -- eight home games at De La Salle.
 
According to Mullen football head coach Jeremy Bennett, there are three things that stick out concerning his team’s 2021 schedule.

One is the difficulty of it. Another is the opportunity to uphold the program tradition, particularly at home at Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium. And another is the expected chance  – and hope – to shake off the coronavirus (COVIDS-19) pandemic and make a concerted effort to return to normalcy.

“Yeah,” the second-year Mustangs coach said, “first of all, part of the excitement of coming to Mullen and being a part of it was to play the best, and that’s what we do.

“We know a lot of the people and there will be some trial by fire, but we have to get out there.”

The Mustangs will have five nonleague games and five in the Jefferson County-based group that was the  Class 5A Metro West in 2019 and changed to the 5A Jeffco in 2020 during the pandemic.

The five in nonleague are accomplished – Cherokee Trail, parochial-rival Regis Jesuit, Legend, Valor Christian and Eaglecrest. League play will have its own gauntlet of sorts with matchups against Ralston Valley, Arvada West, Columbine, Pomona and Lakewood.

Bennett remains confident … and eager.

“We have a great, young football team and I think when you set the bar high, it’s not to set us up for failure, but it’s the opportunity to do great things and learn and grow,” the coach said. “I’m excited for the schedule. It’s probably the toughest in RPI and it’s why I came to Mullen.”

Interestingly, Mullen will be at home for eight of the games and they will be in a row – its opener and regular-season finale will be away and wrap around perhaps the longest home stand anyone can recall.

“It’s definitely unheard-of,” Bennett said. “It should have been seven with a break in there – he said Arvada West passed on a Thursday game at 4 p.m. and wanted to switch to Friday at 7 -- but we had an opportunity.

“Last year, if we would have played a full schedule, it would have been rough. But scheduling issues this (coming) year worked out for us.”

In 2020, it was a shortened season that had a delayed start. Mullen finished 1-4 in the regular season, 1-5 overall after teams that didn’t qualify for the playoffs were given a sixth game. Four of them were away.

Bennett admitted that 2020 was a difficult year to take over a program, but his second season leading Mullen figures to be accompanied by most individuals who have received vaccines. County health restrictions shouldn’t be as demanding and a better understanding of how to deal with the coronavirus and being more confident in handling it should be significant changes.

“Hopefully,” he said, “they’ll let us fill De La Salle.”
 
REGULAR SEASON

Aug. 27 – At Cherokee Trail, Legacy Stadium, 7 p.m.

Sept. 3 – Vs. Regis Jesuit, Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium, 7 p.m.

Sept. 10 – Vs. Legend, Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium, 7 p.m.

Sept. 17 – Vs. Valor Christian, Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium, TBA

Sept. 24 -- Vs. Eaglecrest, Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium, TBA

Oct. 1 – Vs. Ralston Valley, Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium 7 p.m.*

Oct. 8 – Vs. Arvada West, Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium, 7 p.m.*

Oct. 15 – Vs. Columbine, Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium, 7 p.m.*

Oct. 22 – Vs. Pomona, Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium, 7 p.m.*

Oct. 28 – At Lakewood, Jefferson County Stadium, 7 p.m.*

--- * -- Denotes league game.

Playoffs: TBA.
 
Back