CACHE VALLEY BEARS POSITIONED TO BEGIN MAKING PLANS FOR AN RMFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE IN 2007

Team Preview by: Jared Neumeier

LOGAN – This time last season there was a little uncertainty surrounding the expansion Cache Valley Bears. Even with an expansion franchise there were still some unresolved issues with some of the players coming over from the Rhino-Raiders… and it may have had some effect as the season played out.

That was then, this is now.

The Bears prepare for the 2007 campaign with no personnel issues and a full year of experience under their collective belts and seem to have made all of the right off-season recruiting moves to “get to the next level”.

And the “next level” for this team would be the RMFL Championship game.

Quarterback, Ryan Harris returns after a quiet, but successful 2006 season to lead the Bears offense, an offense that will be greatly “beefed up” by some additional talent and experience along the offensive line. Further, the additions at offensive line will free up key defensive linemen from having to play away from their strongest positions and even worry about playing iron man football. That, combined with what may turn out to be the best receiving tandem in the Rocky Mountain Football League and expect the offense to shoot up near the top of the league in yards and points in 2007.

But this team is built around it’s defense and even with the #1 defense in 2006, the Bears did not stop off-season recruiting to make it better… and the have. Key linebacker and defensive back additions combined with what will likely be the most fearsome front 4 in the western United States and the Bears have the look of a team of destiny.

Further, the Bears have depth at all positions and will be one of the few teams that would be least affected by injury to any one player, even the quarterback.

The Bears are also one of the teams that drew an extra home game and expect that opportunity to play into their advantage. With a cable television deal and a roster full of talented, hungry and motivated football players, there is no reason to think that this team won’t stay focused and truly play up to their potential in 2007..

KEY ADDITIONS:

Caleb Eastman – Quarterback

Jimmy Walker – Offensive Line

Kerry Shepard – Linebacker

Grant Calverley – Offensive Line/Tight End

Peter Shields – Tailback/Fullback

Trent Nate - Fullback

KEY LOSSES:

Justin Oswald – Running Back/Defensive End

Mike Pierce - Linebacker

OFFENSE:

Perhaps I was just one season early on proclaiming Bears quarterback, Ryan Harris, the “next Troy Dougherty”. Although, I didn’t exactly put it in those words in the 2006 preview, I did expect that the former Ricks College and Western Michigan product would be the offensive difference that would take the Bears to the 2006 RMFL Championship. I may have erred in that projection last season or maybe it was just the tenacity of the Rhino defense or the grit displayed by Madison’s Dougherty in the semi-final playoff game, but Harris did have a good season and the Bears did finish 4^th of 10 teams in offense (3^rd rushing, 5^th passing) and Harris did finish 4^th in passer rating with a very impressive 96.67 rating… not exactly a “bad year”. The Bears offensive line, however, did give up 29 sacks in 2006, a stat that they need to… and will improve upon in 2007. Why? Because of who the Bears have added. Jimmy Walker joins the Bears in ’07 as a guard and the former Baltimore Raven free agent will help shore up what may have been the teams biggest weakness in 2006. In fact, the entire Bears offensive line has been completely re-worked this off-season. Joining Walker will be Cory Pence (Iowa State), Grant Calverley (Utah State), Raef Maughan (Snow College) and Adam Kennedy at center (2^nd team all-conference, Snow College). This unit, which finished 5^th in the AAA in 2005, may emerge as the top unit in the AAA in 2007… and so will go the Bears. Not only does the re-vamped offensive line improve the offensive line, but it also frees up a couple of Fiefia boys to jump back over to full time defensive line where they cause the most terror of all. Joining Harris in the backfield will be David Fiefia, who played sparingly in 2007 and should have plenty of juice in the tank. Gone is the teams leading rusher from 2006, Justin Oswald, but they have added to Fiefia’s presence another Utah State product in Peter Shields and a USU fullback in Trent Nate. For good measure, the Bears picked up one of the Bear River Valley Rockets star backs, fullback, Nate Jackson as well to handle the rock. Craig Mumford, who was the teams third leading receiver in 2006, returns to shore down the tight end slot. With the retirement of Trevor Bell of the Rhino-Raiders, the Bears may boast the best wide receiver tandem in the RMFL. The consistently dangerous and explosive Norvel Young, a former UFL MVP, returns along side the newly crowned “RMFL’s Fastest Man”, Anthony Stewart. An array of options behind these extremely talented and dangerous receivers will also get some time on the field. Billy Cate, Carl Blad and Cam Web are all receivers that could start on many other teams around the RMFL. Chace McMurdie is expected to to the place-kicking for the Bears in ’07. With more time to throw behind this revamped offensive line, Harris, Stewart and Young should all see dramatically improved numbers in 2007 and, I’m projecting the league’s new #1 offense. Projected Offensive Rank: 2^nd .

DEFENSE:

As I mentioned in the discussion about the Bears’ offensive improvements, that now…what was the #1 defense in the Rocky Mountain Football League, just got better… without even adding a player to an already strong roster. Now, full time along the defensive line will be Amos, Walter and Vaea Fiefia who are not just related in blood, but related in their ability to dominate opposing offensive linemen and make opposing quarterbacks have very bad games. The Bears front finished second in the league in sacks in 2006 with 32 sacks behind what may stand for a long time as the greatest sack effort in RMFL history, an amazing 48 by the Rhino-Raiders in 2006. A mark, no doubt this group would like to remove from the record books in 2007 and just might have a chance to do so. Along with the Fiefia boys, who will all be putting serious pressure up the middle in the Bears standard 5x2 set, will be Jeremy Crookston at one defensive end spot and University of Washington alum, Adam Schroeder, at the other. Crookston finished 2006 starting for the Bears at that position and was one of the team leaders in sacks with 3-1/2. This will be the best defensive front in the RMFL in 2007. Behind the great defensive line will be returning all-star linebacker, Matt Wiser (of… that’s right USU), who finished 4^th in the RMFL in tackles in 2006, including 3 sacks. Teaming up with with Wiser will be Dallas Drexler, fresh out of playing starting strong safety for the Wildcats (Weber State) in the fall of 2006. This is just the standard front set, of course, and the Bears have an array of other options including Kenyatta Green, Mike Pierce and Jarom Fano who contributed significantly at linebacker in 2006. This unit may not be the the best starting linebacker core in the RMFL, but if they aren’t , I’m not sure who is. If quarterbacks get time to pass, perhaps the Bears secondary could be had, but that is a BIG “IF”…. Both times. Cornerbacks Shaun Healy (former Blitz) and Dewey Creighton (Weber State) are solid and fast. Safeties, newcomer, Andrew Hyde and Bear veteran, Dan Sundstrom are solid players fully capable of taking advantage of the many poorly thrown and rushed passes that will, no doubt, enter the Bears secondary. Sundstrom lead the team with 3 picks last season and Hyde is hoped to be an upgrade from the 2006 options. Question marks in the secondary aside, this defense will continue to remain the best in the RMFL and should help this franchise play one more game in 2007 than they did in 2006. Projected Defensive Rank: 1^st

COACHING AND INTANGIBLES:

Although the 2006 Bears did fall a little short of the pre-season hype, contributed at least in part by my own #1 pre-season ranking, we all must remember that even with all of the collegiate talent, this was an “expansion” franchise in 2006. There were bound to be a few lessons learned and some things that GM’s Vaea Fiefia.and Dan Sundstrom had to learn during the course of the season… and I think they did. This team was the #1 ranked defense (by far) in 2006 and they came a single miraculous Troy Dougherty drive from making it into the first ever AAA Championship game. This team is well organized, well motivated, and they seem to have no problem recruiting talent in the Cache Valley area. This is not a team that is as invincible in today’s RMFL as say the Rhino-Raiders of a few years ago, but they are clearly the team best set up for a great 2007 championship run in a league where unless you improve from year to year, you drop. No drops here. Anything short of a championship game appearance would be a major underachievement for the Bears in ’07.

OVERALL RANKING: 1^st