Football: Check out Darren Cooper's predictions for Week 0 in North Jersey

Rest easy, dear reader: Artificial Intelligence was not used to write this story. Besides, most long-time North Jersey football fans would say I don’t have much intelligence anyway.

I hope everyone had a grand, enjoyable, fun summer. The Cooper family is healthy and just got back from a trip to Louisiana, where it was 108 degrees and dry.

Now I turn my attention to the 2023 North Jersey high school football season. This is Week 0 starting Friday. Yes, I don’t know why we don’t call it Week 1 either, I never have. It has something to do with the full National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) national calendar.

State of the Program: Take an inside look at HS football teams in Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Sussex

Speaking of NFHS, you probably don't know who they are... every year I think I should do an FAQ story for new parents/coaches and players, answer the questions before they’re asked.

In a nutshell, some answers to the most often asked questions:

Who runs HS football in New Jersey?

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) runs high school sports in New Jersey, but they’re under the bigger umbrella of the NFHS. They make the rules.

How come my kid didn't make All-County?

We – meaning myself and the members of The Record and NorthJersey.com staff – do not pick the All-County teams for Bergen and Passaic counties. It is picked by a panel of coaches.

Why isn't my team ranked higher than that other team?

The North Jersey football polls aren’t solely based on if Team A could beat Team B then they should be ranked above them. If that were the only factor, the polls would never change, an awesome Group 2 team probably could not beat a quality Group 5 (think Rutherford vs. Hackensack). Complain all you want. That’s how it is.

North Jersey rankings: Football preseason Public Top 20 and Non-Public Big Six rankings

Who are you?

I am your resident prognosticator, predictor, I am the bulletin-board maker, the trash talker. Every year – at least once – some kid, coach or parent enjoys chiding me because I picked against their team.

It’s all part of the game. Doing predictions has always been one of the easiest (shhh) and most fun parts of the job as high school sports columnist. Last year I aimed for 90 percent, and I came pretty close. I went 5-0 on the public school state finals. I totally botched the Bergen-Bosco state final though, but who in their right mind would have thought that one would end up 45-0? When I’m wrong, I will admit it. When I’m right, I get to say that too.

I get to travel this weekend to Baltimore for the Bosco game, then out to Cleveland to see Paramus Catholic. I am sorry to miss the Grasso Classic at Overpeck, but I hope that event sticks around for years to come.

Here we go, Week 0, these picks are man-made.

Friday, Aug. 25

Passaic Tech at Lenape, 5 p.m.

Ok, so we start the 2023 season exactly where we left off in 2022, with the Bulldogs. They begin the 2023 season in North Jersey as our No. 1 team, and why not? They were Group 5 finalists, they bring back a quarterback, a bunch of tough nuts on defense, and two of the best all-around players in Travon and Trashon Dye, who are heading to Syracuse.

I’m not saying they will run the table though. Ridgewood…Clifton… whoa. Not going to be easy. They start off with this rare intersectional matchup down in Lenape, which was 6-5 last year. Wayne Valley beat them to start the season. Wayne Valley was good.

The pick: You’ll see many of the picks this week talk about merging the talent together, and getting everyone on the same page. This is a spot where Passaic Tech is already ahead of the game because of everyone they bring back. My pick is Passaic Tech.

Don Bosco at Archbishop Spalding (Md.), 7 p.m.

This is where I will be on the sidelines Friday night. I love a good road trip.

I love a good quarterback too, and Spalding has one: Malik Washington, a junior who already has offers from Arkansas, Duke, Maryland… and trust me, more are coming.

The first thing Bosco coach Dan Sabella said to me the other day was Malik was "really special." I know he wasn’t kidding with me. Spalding won its conference last year. I’d love to tell you if that’s good or not, but I don’t know how that compares with the North Jersey Big Six, etc.

State of the Program: Don Bosco football primed for a new fight in 2023

Bosco is going to go with transfer Deven Sisler at quarterback. I’ve heard a lot about him. Hey, transfers are all over the place. I don’t 100 percent like it, but I understand it, and hey, if you wanted to transfer jobs tomorrow for what you thought was a better chance, you can do that, so why can’t a 15-year-old quarterback?

The pick: Bosco beat Spalding last year in Ramsey. Now, the roles are reversed. Bosco has the new QB, Spalding has the star. It’s such a QB game now. Spalding will have to match the Bosco trademark physicality, but I like Spalding to get the win.

Saturday, Aug. 26

Paramus Catholic at Cleveland Heights (Ohio), 1 p.m.

Do you think I’m smart enough to go from Baltimore to Cleveland this weekend? Hey, man-made intelligence here. I can’t remember the last PC game I covered. It may have been when they lost to Wayne Valley a few years ago.

Paramus Catholic dominated the summer headlines as the issue with head coach Greg Russo resolved. He’s not suspended for the first four games. He’s not suspended at all. But how good are the Paladins? Who’s the quarterback? I think this will be the most talented Paramus Catholic team in the last 5-6 years, but now they have to play together.

State of the Program: Paramus Catholic football closing the gap on state powerhouses

Cleveland Heights is 1-0 after beating Berea-Midpark last week. Let me tell you a secret. North Jersey football coaches used to complain about how we (meaning New Jersey) started our season so late and other teams started early, and it was an advantage for the teams that already had a game under their belt.

Then the NJ team would romp. I think – although no one has even said this to me – it’s a total advantage for the team starting fresh. PC can watch every play from the Tigers' first game, study their personnel and counter it. What does Cleveland Heights have to go on? Nothing. Also, PC is 100 percent healthy and fresh.

The pick: I like the Paladins to go on the road and get the first big win under Russo. PC hasn’t won a game out-of-state since 2017 against Archbishop Wood in Pennsylvania. They did beat St. Ignatius in Ohio back in 2013.

Montclair vs. Clifton, 2 p.m. at Westwood HS

I do like traveling early in the season. I have multiple kids, so the chance to get in the car and drive for a few hours in peace and quiet is heavenly.

The big news Tuesday was the SFC moving the Grasso Classic from Overpeck to Westwood. My friends tell me the field at Overpeck Park wasn't up to snuff. How and why that happens, I don't know. Bergen County is missing out on a cool showcase.

Anyway, I think this is the best game of the five. Montclair had a weird ending to its season last year. They beat Ridgewood in Ridgewood, were all set up for the playoffs, and then boom, the NJSIAA said they had been using an ineligible player and they were done.

Last year, Clifton finished 5-5, breaking in a new quarterback, Romelo Tables, who’s now a junior. I’m also going to tip you off on the best prospect in North Jersey people don’t know much about – Trumain Lawson of Clifton. Some college is going to get a stud when they get him.

The pick: It’s going to be close. Whoever wins this game sets themselves up with some momentum and becomes a contender to Passaic Tech in Group 5. I will go with Clifton just on a hunch that they will make a couple of big plays on offense.

Quick Picks

Let’s do the rest of the Grasso Classic games: I can’t wait to see West Milford put it all together, but they may be a year away. I like Nutley in the first game. I like Wood-Ridge over Wallkill Valley, because I think the Blue Devils' offense is still super. I also think Westwood has the goods to beat South Plainfield.

On Saturday, the late game, it’s a good one, I will take Ramsey over Cedar Grove.

A real interesting intra-state game puts Northern Highlands against Willingboro. The transformation at Highlands the last couple of years is just amazing. I will take Northern Highlands.

I am going to go with Notre Dame over Wayne Valley, and Orange over Wayne Hills.

Another big one is New Jersey No. 1 Bergen Catholic against Red Bank Catholic. The Crusaders take on the team that was in the Non-Public B final last year. Hey NJSIAA, we really just need one class for non-public football now, I promise. RBC is good. Bergen Catholic is still the best. I think the Crusaders win by a couple of scores.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ football: Darren Cooper predictions for Week 0 in North Jersey