KNIGHTS
POISED TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP DOWN THE ROAD TO BECOMING A “PLAYER” IN THE
NORTHERN CONFERNCE PLAYOFF PICTURE
Team preview by: Jared Neumeier
Kalispell – The Glacier Knights are the most popular team in the RMFL.
Popular in that they are not necessarily the most “well known”, but popular in the fact that this is a football team that always shows up, always plays hard, plays with class… and (except for the Mountain Home Bengals in 2004) send you home happily with a win.
This season, the Knights hope to become A LOT LESS POPULAR.
The Knights, themselves, are tired of being a Montana doormat for the other 4 teams in the Northern division and are planning to draw the line in the sand… in 2007.
The goal: nobody counts them as an automatic win, not in Missoula, Hamilton, Great Falls or Helena. The Knights are here to compete.
Of course I write these previews to toss out my two cents worth on whether all the hype is real… or imagined. Well, in the case of the Glacier Knights, there really is no hype. They have made few changes in the off-season and they expect that the great cast of characters from 2006, with the help of some very good coaching, can be a much bigger player in the 2007 playoff picture than others might expect… and, I think they will.
No, I don’t see Head Coach and GM/ Ron Latray and his Knights of shining armor of glory making a gallant playoff run this year, but I do see them winning at least one game… maybe more. And in a highly competitive parity-driven Northern conference of the RMFL, a loss to the Knights, might just be the ticket for someone’s early summer.
The Knights return with a familiar cast, including their award-winning all-star, Jason Zielanski, who will at least initially continue to serve a dual role on offense and defense. But what gives the Knights most hope is that they have a new quarterback in Darrin Turner who seems to possess all of the right physical tools to help move this offense out of lethargy. Further, the team has received some extremely beneficial coaching support and with a group of players that benefit from experience together… this should be the season the Knights will start on the road up and out of the depths and into RMFL playoff country.
It took the Great Falls Gladiators a couple of years to finally cross that boundary… and they did it. The Knights will do it too.
Not this season. Not all the way. This will be the start… and the end being taken lightly.
Darrin
Turner – Quarterback
Andrew
Wallaway – Running Back
Thomas
Evans – Wide Receiver
KEY LOSSES:
Corey
Carlson – Defensive Tackle
Sheldon
McCool – Running Back/Defensive Back
Jaysen
Inman – Offensive Line
OFFENSE:
Since
the earliest beginnings of the team, the Glacier Knights have always struggled
offensively. Annually, since the first
season (2004), the Knights have spent every off-season looking for answers.
Particularly bigger, better, stronger, meaner… offensive linemen. Since the first season when the offense
averaged a paltry 77.5 total net yards per game, the main reason the Knights
have not lead the RMFL in “Sacks Allowed” is because they haven’t attempted too
many passes. Unfortunately, the line
play has not exactly opened up gaping rushing holes as well as they are
annually at or near the bottom in rushing yards as well. But, for the sake of this preview, the
question is, “have they improved”? The
answer: “hmmmm”. The Knights will be
putting on the football field pretty much the exact same offensive line in 2007
as the 11th ranked unit from 2006. A unit that was second to last in sacks allowed and second to last
in average yards per rush. Having said
that, however, I will say that there are a couple of reasons for hope for this
gamey bunch from picturesque northern Montana.
The Knights are pleased to get on board, Coach Dave Cervantes to coach
the Glacier offense. Cervantes has more
than 25 years experience and head coach, Latray is hoping a fresh angle and
approach can help turn this unit around.
The Knights have also gotten help from coach, Darrin Woeppel, who has
redesigned the offenses blocking schemes as well as taught better blocking (as
well as pass rushing) skills. The Knights welcome in another new quarterback,
the tall, mobile and strong-armed, Darrin Turner (6’7, 225 lbs). Turner certainly has all of the physical
tools to be successful and if he also has a quick release, he might be able to
help his offensive linemen by getting the football to his targets quicker… and,
if necessary, taking off and getting some big rushing yards if opposing
defenses get too focused on rushing to a spot in the backfield. At press time, Turner isn’t a guaranteed
starter for the Knights, but all signs seem to point to Turner as getting first
shot at being the Knights offensive “Savior”.
Perennial all-star, Jason Zielanski returns to the backfield as the primary
running back along with fullback, Kevin Brown.
Last season, as the teams primary ball-carrier, Zielanski was stuffed
early and often, getting only 79 yards on 33 carries to lead the Knights behind
some shaky offensive line performance. In
the off-season, the Knights picked up running back, Andrew Wallaway, who they
hope may take over the tailback position at some point, allowing Zielanski to
focus on the positions that made him famous, defense and special teams. For the many of you who don’t see the
Knights play, the biggest player on their offense, is the fullback, Brown. At 6’2,
280 pounds, not too many linebackers look forward to taking him on as a lead
blocker. The 6’3, Thomas Evans will go
to tight end, described by head coach, Ron LaTray as a guy with speed (only 195
lbs) but blocks like a 250-pounder.
Once again, Austin Owens and Shane Bear, the teams leading receivers
from 2006 will be back out at the wide out positions, hoping to improve on some
very weak numbers last season. They caught
only 5 and 4 balls for 73 and 98 yards respectively. Hopefully, the only real change to the offense, Turner, can help
with the turnaround. Across the
offensive line, you will see the same primary 5 as last season. Robert Adame (6’2, 260), Jasper Howell (5’11,
255), Kevin Reed (5’8, 230), Steve Biggs (6’2, 260), and Tiger Andrews (6’,
260; none of which are small men, and they are all strong players, but when
opponents can throw up some 300+ pounders across the line from them, life gets
interesting in the Knight backfield at times.
Hopefully, new to the team, place-kicker, Kyle Burgess, gets a chance to
make a difference in a few Knight games in ‘07. Projected Offensive
Ranking: 10th.
DEFENSE:
After the Knights first season, as they have continued to see overall improvement from season to season, they have begun to really begin to take pride in the defensive side of the ball. In fact, the Knights defense has really not been too bad and have really begun to make an impact over the past couple of seasons. Although no RMFL team has given up more points that the Knights have last season or any of the past three seasons, many have yielded more yards. I made a bit of a rebuttal to a point made in the Snake River Sabercats preview by their defensive coordinator, Rob Castleman. Castleman felt his bottom ranked defense wasn’t that bad because they hadn’t given up as many points as some other teams (i.e. Glacier Knights). But what I will say on behalf of the Knights defense is that it is precisely because of how weak their offense has been that has lead to many of the points they do end up giving up. When you are constantly taking the field in your own territory, it is difficult to hold teams down from scoring forever. Hence, the evaluation of the Knights defense must include how much improvement the offense might do. If the offense can mount more drives and score more points in 2007, this Knight defense is going to look a lot better. This may be the season they don’t lead the RMFL in points allowed. Only a couple of new names dot the projected starting depth chart of the Glacier Knights, the rest of the unit, including Zielanski return for a some more of what they did in 2006… only better. Across the defensive line is expected to be Will Wheat (6’2, 220) and Eric Bachofner (6’, 210) at the defensive end positions, and Steve Biggs (6’2, 260) and Red Dutton (6’3, 280) at the defensive tackle spots. Biggs and Dutton are nice big bodies and proven gamers, it would help if the Knights can avoid having to use them at offensive line as well, though. Tony Rojo (6’2, 245) headlines the linebacker corps that also includes Kevin Reed (5’8, 230) and Sean Rhodes (6’5, 215). Rojo lead the group ith 25-1/2 tackles in 2006. This is a group that is committed to not necessarily upping their tackles total (as that might mean that teams are having longer drives), but keeping the opposition from scoring as much. This will be a goal, highly impacted by their own offense’s ability to control the ball themselves. Jason Zielanski will man his familiar safety position for the 4th season of play and expects to play just as much as an extra linebacker in running downs. He will be joined in the defensive backfield by the familiar group of Dre Wilson (cornerback), Corey Campbell (cornerback) and Greg Johnson (free safety). Campbell came in late last season and earned a starting spot right away, so he will be looking to make a bigger impact throughout the season. Greg Johnson did not see as much action in deference to Beau Herman, who is usually a big part of the Knight defense and conspicuous by his absence on the 2007 depth chart. There is certainly not a lot of movement or improvement in personnel on the Knights defense, however, this was a pretty good group that WILL be helped out tremendously if the offense can gain improvement in 2007. Projected Defensive Ranking: 8th.
COACHING AND INTANGIBLES:
Certainly, the Knights have gone out and elicited some coaching help they have never before had. This, I think will be the difference for them in 2007. Head Coach and GM, Ron Latray is a good coach with a great football mind, however, his is only one guy, and a guy that has tried to… and in some cases HAD to be a player as well. The Knights also received some help from Elvis Hilliard, who has a son that is trying to make a go of an NFL career and brings some more football expertise to the Glacier camp. All things combined, along with the fact that even with the same guys… learning to play with each other just a little better and a little more, the Knights will be an even better and more competitive team in 2007. Again, this team is not playoff bound and I don’t see them winning a lot of games… yet. But look out, Montana, this is a team that has been growing together… with nothing to lose. This is a dangerous unit that WILL upset at least one Montana rival at home.
OVERALL RANKING: 10th
