Lake Forest's 0-4 start is the worst in head coach Chuck Spagnoli's 24 seasons. A scheme question looms as the Scouts prepare for Warren at Varsity Field on Friday, Sept. 18.

The Scouts lost to Libertyville 40-26 on Sept. 10, as we reported Sept. 11, in a game that exposed a split personality on offense. As The Athletic Scout reported, Lake Forest opened with under-center run plays, a departure from the pistol formation used in the first three games. On the first four possessions, first-down runs gained a total of four yards, leaving the offense facing second-and-9 on average. The Scouts punted on six of their first seven drives.

The second half told a different story. Two 72-yard touchdown drives featured first-down runs from the gun to Ollie Steiner and Razon Alston, averaging 7.5 yards on first-down runs. Alston capped one drive by lowering his shoulder and powering into the end zone, cutting the deficit to 28-26. The pattern was clear: the offense moved when it operated out of the pistol.

Libertyville sealed the win in the final three minutes. Quarterback Jackson Yarc hit Lukas Melton on a 33-yard bootleg completion, with 15 yards tacked on for a personal foul. The Wildcats scored again and added a pick-six for the 40-26 final. Libertyville's Brock Williams, a Texas recruit, had set the tone early with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the game's opening play.

The defense has offered reasons for optimism. Senior George Holland stuffed a fourth-and-short run to set up the Scouts' second possession. Safety Michael Knight likely leads the team in tackles for loss, according to The Athletic Scout. The defensive front of Holland, Michael Heman and Charlie Hornberger averages 230-plus pounds and has allowed the linebacker group to flow and fill gaps when all three are healthy.

After the Week 3 loss at Zion-Benton dropped the Scouts to 0-3, Spagnoli told The Athletic Scout on Sept. 7: "We had too many mistakes and didn't take advantage of opportunities … it's not our program, it's not our culture and we have to get it fixed."

Special teams remain a problem. Beyond the Williams kickoff return, the unit has been plagued by penalties and botched holds through four games. The Athletic Scout described the Scouts' inability to play "complementary football," where one unit supports another, as a consistent theme this season.

The Chicago Tribune's preseason Lake County preview ranked the Scouts ninth and noted they missed the playoffs in 2025 for only the third time in 19 full seasons.

Warren (1-3, 1-1 North Suburban Conference) arrives Friday, Sept. 18 after beating Mundelein 34-6 on Sept. 10, according to MaxPreps. The Athletic Scout called the Blue Devils "beatable" and "another winnable game for Lake Forest."

The freshman team offered a bright spot. Coach Jennings' squad beat Libertyville on Sept. 9 for its third straight win, scoring in the 40s in recent games. Quarterback CJ Pearre, running back Ethan Steiner (Ollie's younger brother), receiver Brayden Ginn and an offensive line anchored by Tal Winston have powered the streak. The frosh host the Warren freshmen at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17 at Varsity Field.