1A North football preview: Wayne Badgers

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

WAYNE BADGERS

The Hurry-up — Wayne finished 0-9 in 2015, and 0-4 in the 1A North. The Badgers did not make the Class 1A playoffs.

In one word, head coach Rick McCartney described Wayne High School's first ever football season as "overwhelming."

"Our players and coaching staff haven't been exposed to football too much over the years. The responsibility and the weight of being the first-ever football program in Wayne County was a lot for us to handle," McCartney explained.

But in 2016, McCartney feels like his players and coaches have done all the necessary preparation in order to make them a respectable team in the 1A North.

"We have had a great offseason," McCartney said. "Our coaches have been to a few clinics, our players have made a commitment in the weight room and in seven-on-seven drills … we are a night-and-day team mentally and physically this year. Hopefully we're able to play some competitive football this season."

Quarterbacks — Senior Connor Rees will be the returning starter at quarterback for the Badgers. McCartney praised the senior for his hard work in seven-on-sevens this offseason and said that he is intelligent and has improved on his pre-snap reads. Sophomore Garret Chappell will be Rees' primary backup and will play at times for the sake of development.

Running backs — Garret Chappell will be the Badgers' No. 1 back, with juniors Barlow Pace and Jay Jackson rotating in at halfback and fullback. McCartney called Chappell a hard-nosed runner and thinks he will surprise a lot of opposing upperclassmen with his strength.

Receivers — Devon Barlow and Jaylen Jackson are both returning seniors and captains. McCartney said that they have both made significant strength gains this offseason and their size (6-foot-2 and 6-4, respectively) makes them valuable assets to a growing football program.

Offensive linemen — Last year, a Wayne offensive lineman averaged just over 175 pounds. This year, the Badgers have upped their size to a 205-pound average. Junior Braden Erickson was a big part of that, putting on 30 pounds this offseason to become the anchor of the line. Transfers Justin Johnson and James and Jacob Oldroyd have also bolstered the front five.

Defensive linemen — Erickson and Jackson are slated to start at tackle, while Devon Barlow and Jaylen Jackson cover the ends. Expect the Badgers to use some of their newfound size from the offensive line on the defensive front as well.

Linebackers — Senior captain Ethan Lee will be the leader at his outside linebacker spot after missing all but three games last season. Chappell will also be an impact player on the opposite side of Lee, while Barlow Pace and Calbert Taylor man the middle.

Defensive backs — McCartney admitted that improving the defensive backfield was a must after how many big-yardage plays were allowed last season. Rees will be the senior leader in the defensive backfield, with juniors Luke Dahl and Logan Stevens aiding in coverage. McCartney said that this trio sees the field much better and will be able to limit the big plays more effectively.

Key Players

Connor Rees, QB/DB — As a returning senior, a lot of responsibility lies on the shoulders of Rees to make sure that this year's Wayne squad doesn't repeat their results from a year ago. Everyone wants to be known as the quarterback who won their team's first game.

Garret Chappell, RB/LB — Only a sophomore, Chappell has the opportunity to grow into the most important player in the program's young history. His size and strength have improved, but he'll need to stay healthy to give the Badgers a chance to win some games.

Ethan Lee, LB/SB — A returning senior and a captain, Lee will be crucial in setting a winning example for his young teammates to follow. His leadership will be felt mostly on the defensive end, but he can make some plays on offense as a slot back.

Key Losses

Jaden Harker, OL/DL

Name To Know: Instead of one player, McCartney wants people to know about his four senior leaders, Connor Rees, Ethan Lee, Devon Barlow and Jaylen Jackson. After a winless season, these seniors decided to stick with their team and have made it their mission to make everyone buy in to the Wayne program. "With what they went through last year, they are tough," McCartney said. "What they do, the team will follow."

2016 Schedule

Aug. 19 — GUNNISON VALLEY, 4 p.m. (Lost, 43-8 in 2015)

Aug. 26 — MILFORD, 7 p.m. (Lost, 61-0)

Sept. 2 — at MONTICELLO, 7 p.m. (Lost, 35-0)

Sept. 9 — MONUMENT VALLEY, 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 — LAYTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, 4 p.m. (Lost, 32-13)

Sept. 23 — KANAB, 7 p.m. (Lost, 42-0)

Sept. 30 — RICH, 7 p.m. (Lost, 34-6)

Oct. 7 — at ALTAMONT, 7 p.m. (Lost, 20-2)

Oct. 14 — at DUCHESNE, 7 p.m. (Lost, 40-0)

Oct. 21 — at PAROWAN, 7 pm. (Lost, 68-20)

Verdict: The good news for Wayne is, they probably can't do much worse than they did last season. Fortunately, they've had a great offseason and have some good pieces returning. Unfortunately, their schedule doesn't do them any favors, especially with an improved bottom end of the 1A North. It's not impossible for them to steal a game somewhere in that schedule, but being more competitive is the goal that they should be striving for.

Projected finish in region: 5th