There’s usually a predictability factor with every high school football team. Sure there’s ebb and flow with some programs, but not necessarily at the top of each classification. This season, however, is a bit more unpredictable.
Of the six state champions from last year, three have new head coaches in 2015 and another is changing a classification. It may not matter when the hardware is handed out in November, but with the season getting started in just over a month it makes for some interesting storylines.
As the season nears though, the familiar programs are still the teams to beat. In fact, in the Deseret News’ annual coaches preseason rankings four of the six defending state champions begin the season ranked No. 1 in their respective classification.
After tallying all the coaches votes, Bingham, Timpview, Desert Hills, Juan Diego, South Summit and Rich each begin the season with a bulls-eye on its back. It’s hard to argue with the coaches’ championship predictions either as Bingham (5A), Timpview (4A), South Summit (2A) and Rich (1A) won their respective state titles last year with a combined 47-5 record.
Desert Hills and Juan Diego didn’t win titles, but Desert Hills was a 3AA semifinalist while Juan Diego is moving down from 3AA to 3A and garners immediate respect from the coaches despite last year’s so-so season.
Bingham returns six offensive starters and seven defensive starters and MaxPreps has it ranked No. 13 in its preseason national rankings. For the first time since 1999 though, Dave Peck won’t be roaming the sidelines. He retired after a lengthy coaching career, and long-time assistant John Lambourne takes over as head coach.
That didn’t stop Bingham from beginning the season ranked No. 1 in the Deseret News preseason rankings for the sixth straight year. It received 17 of 19 first-place votes.
Brighton received the majority of second-place votes and begins the year ranked No. 2.
Despite missing the playoffs last year, Pleasant Grove begins the year ranked third as it returns 15 combined starters on both sides of the ball.
Herriman and Davis round out the 5A top five.
In 4A, three-time 4A state champion Timpview received every first-place vote and begins the year ranked No. 1. The T-Birds graduated the bulk of last year’s team, but historically it reloads and dominates again. Replacing last year’s Mr. Football winner, quarterback Britain Covey, will be extremely difficult though.
