77 Days to Kickoff: Kankakee

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NBCSportsChicago.com preps reporter "Edgy" Tim O’Halloran spotlights 100 high school football teams in 100 days. The first 75 team profiles will focus on teams making strides across Chicagoland and elsewhere in the state. Starting July 30, we’ll unveil the @NBCSPrepsTop 25 Power Rankings, leading up to kickoff on Friday, Aug. 24.

School: Kankakee

Head coach: Omar Grant

Assistant coaches: Ben Clark, Brad Burns, John Geary, Sam Jordan, Del Trowell, Mike Krol, Lawrence Johnson, Benny Phillips, Albert Zika, Rob Johnson, Boaz Phillips

How they fared in 2017: 3-6 (1-4 Southland Conference), Kankakee failed to qualify for the IHSA playoff field. 

2018 Regular Season Schedule:

Aug. 24 @ Yorkville

Aug. 31 @ Bradley

Sept. 7 vs Ottawa

Sept. 14 vs Crystal Lake Central

Sept. 22 @ Rich Central

Sept. 28 vs Rich South

Oct. 6 @ Bloom Township

Oct. 12 @ Crete-Monee

Oct. 19 vs Rich East

Biggest storyline: Can the Kays reload and get big contributions from a strong underclassmen group this fall?

Names to watch this season: OL Keegan Trost and RB Antonio Pittman

Biggest holes to fill: The Kays will need to replace 17 graduated starters from a season ago.

EDGY's Early Take: Head coach Omar Grant and his staff have continued to work hard to get the Kays back to winning ways. This year, they are looking to get back to the playoffs after a berth in 2016. Kankakee will be young this fall and will need to survive a rugged non-conference schedule. But if they can make weekly improvements, this might be a team that could wind up challenging for a state playoff spot. 

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