Alum Chris Jaax aims to restore Bishop Carroll football’s winning tradition
For just the third time in the past three decades, the Bishop Carroll football team has a new head coach.
Chris Jaax, a 2001 Carroll graduate, is tasked with returning his alma mater to glory following the retirement of Dusty Trail.
The program that once stood as a perennial Class 5A power — and claimed a state title as recently as 2017 — has slipped in recent seasons, finishing 3-6 in 2023 and 2-7 in 2024. Last fall’s win total was the school’s lowest since 1992.
But Jaax insists he’s not walking into a rebuild. The Golden Eagles have a prime opportunity to make a statement on Friday in the season-opener at Wichita Northwest, one of the top teams in Class 6A.
“This is Bishop Carroll football, so yeah, the expectation is we’re going to be a good football team,” Jaax said. “The biggest thing with the kids is just restoring their confidence in who they are and what they’re capable of. So I don’t view this as a rebuild in any way, shape or form.”
The foundation for a turnaround is already in place. Carroll returns 23 players who started at least one game last year, bringing back valuable experience on both sides of the ball.
The offense will feature returning receivers Nick Wineland, Harrison King, Drew Ferguson and Laine Graf, while the line will be anchored by veterans Zane White, Zack Anderson, Sam Murphy and Quentin Mauler. In the backfield, junior Cooper Herrman — who started the 2024 opener before suffering a season-ending injury — is healthy again. There’s still an open quarterback battle between senior John Corrigan and junior Jonah Mull.
Defensively, the Golden Eagles bring back plenty of familiar names: Blake Bowmaker, Landon Steven and Aedyn Acosta in the secondary; Sean Armbrister and Ridge Trail at linebacker; and Mitchell Frank, Jack Duling and Zach Helten on the defensive line.
“We’ve got a lot of experience with a lot of guys who saw time for us last year,” Jaax said. “The biggest thing for us on defense is going to be stopping the run. We want our guys to be physical up front and I feel like they’re hungry. They want to do the things it takes to be successful. So that’s been real encouraging to see that kind of mentality from them.”
Jaax has emphasized physicality and commitment in the weight room this offseason, hoping to restore the pride that once defined Carroll football. His plan is to marry that toughness with a spread offense that can lean on a powerful ground game.
The Golden Eagles may be coming off their leanest stretch in decades, but under Jaax, they’re acting like a team that expects to win now — just like it used to be at Carroll.
“I was a Carroll kid growing up and I’ve been a part of some of our really good teams as a player and a coach,” Jaax said. “Carroll has had a big impact on me and I feel like I have a good understanding of the players and the community and the parents. I am really excited about the opportunity to lead these young men.”
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