ROCKETS MAKE “ALL THE RIGHT MOVES” AND SHOULD MOVE
ON TO THE AA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN 2007
Team Preview by: Jared Neumeier
BEAR RIVER VALLEY – If my pre-season prognostications of 2006 were judged by my abilities to grade and project Utah’s northernmost teams, I’d have not only my sports writer’s license revoked, but they would rip off my stripes and make me watch old re-runs of the Rhinos and Longhorns games from a few years ago. I did, incorrectly project the Bears of Cache Valley (Logan, Utah) #1 last season for the AAA; they actually finished 3rd/4th. However, I made up for it by projecting the Rockets 10th, and they finished 5th.
That may not sound too far off, but I really did not expect them to end up with the #1 ranked offense in the AA.
Now don’t tell me YOU did, either!
However, it wouldn’t be hard to have expected them to re-tool under head coach, Jim Greene and General Manager, Rob Horne, and make some kind of a turnaround in the weaker competition of the AA Division… which they did.
The Rockets actually “owned” every team… except the Vipers and Muddogs. Well this season, the Muddogs are gone (to the AAA)… and the Vipers…, well may not have made the same degree of improvements in the off-season the Rockets have.
There has been a little bit of early pre-season “buzz” about the “Weber State Guys”, the Rockets recruited. Some people have already projected the Rockets ahead of the Vipers this year.
I will, for my part, do the same… however, I do it tentatively.
The Rockets are returning a talented, and now “veteran” RMFL quarterback in Mike Jenkins, but I think they have also kept their offense on a par with last year’s #1 ranked unit AND… really improved their defense.
THAT… will be the difference.
Both the Vipers and Rockets still have a few question marks, but these are proven team that I think will emerge #1 and #2 in the Rocky Mountain Division of the AA. They play two head to head match ups in 2007, so whoever emerges as the top division team will have to do so by beating the other one “fair and square”.
At this writing, I just like the Rockets chances a little more. I could change my mind tomorrow.
KEY ADDITIONS:
Nick
Greene – Defensive Back
Tyler
Debry – Linebacker
Terry
Larsen – Wide Receiver
Vince
Henry – Center
Eric
Jones - Linebacker
KEY LOSSES:
Nate
Jackson – Running Back
James
Eyre – Linebacker
Luke
Eyre – Linebacker
Josh
Westerguard – Wide Receiver/Defensive Back
Dan
Curtis – Wide Receiver
Brennan Burningham – Offensive/Defensive
Line
OFFENSE:
Last season I pre-ranked the Bear River Valley offense to be about 10th… of 12 teams. I was wrong. The Rockets shocked the RMFL and thoroughly humbled my prognostication racket by running up big offensive numbers all season, finishing ranked #1 in offense in 2006. I really couldn’t have been more wrong. The Rockets were ranked 3rd in rushing (behind Vipers and Blaze) and 2nd in passing (behind Muddogs) and made the biggest turnaround of any team between 2005 and 2006. Certainly, it can be said that A LOT of it had to do with an influx of some new offensive weapons and the discarding of the winged-T scheme that they ran in 2005. Quarterback, Mike Jenkins (20 TD’s, 6 int., 133.71) was phenomenal. Jenkins would have won the passing title in any other year had not the Muddogs’, Jordan Kjar played so MVPish. Jenkins passed for more than 1400 yards, completing 65% of his passes in leading the Rockets to the #1 offensive ranking last season. Also returning will be the much heralded backfield mate, star tailback, Mike Messinger. Messinger may have finished 6th in the AA in rushing with 541 yards and 7 touchdowns, but he averaged an eye-popping 8.7 yards per carry for the Rocket offense. That mark was second in the league among all full time running backs. The Rocket offense will be without the “other” running back of 2006, Nate Jackson, who elected to play a little east of the Bear River Valley up in Logan with the Cache Valley Bears in 2007. Jackson will be replaced by a great Rocket veteran, Cade Lee. Lee isn’t the runner Jackson was, but he’ll unselfishly make holes for Messinger and protect Jenkins on passing plays. At tight end, the Rockets project the very athletic, Marvin Mays to take over the position and will be asked to run block and support pass blocking as much as he will be asked to make key possession receptions. A couple of new wide receivers give the Rockets even more hope for another big season in the passing attack. The Rockets lost Josh Westerguard and Dan Curtis, their key receivers from 2006, both to LDS missions. They will be replaced by Terry Larsen and Daniel Grant. They like Larsen’s catching ability as well as his collegiate quality speed. Larsen will be a more than adequate replacement for their top receiver, Westerguard and should become Jenkins “go to” guy. Will they be up to the task of Westerguard and Curtis who together combined for 30 receptions, over 500 yards and 8 touchdowns in ’06? Probably. Along the offensive front, the Rocket line will be of good size, not the biggest, but far from the smallest as the return to make this offense go. Vince Henry (6’5, 275), fresh out of playing for Weber State, will play center, Matt Hess (6’0, 250) and Trip Ladeau (6’5, 270) will play guards. And Todd Miller (6’3, 245) and Joel Laursen (5’11, 260 will play the tackle positions. The Rockets must suffer through one season without their all-star right tackle, Brennan Burningham, who is serving a one-season RMFL suspension. Burningham’s play will be sorely missed and might be the one cog that keeps the Rocket offense from returning completely to form in 2007. It will be interesting to see how this good offense from 2006, transitions in 2007. They are missing 4 extremely key performers from last year in Jackson, Westerguard, Curtis and Burningham… and I don’t think these are guys easily replaced, particularly Westerguard and Burningham. But, head coach Jim Greene has proven to be a good coach and Jenkins has certainly proven to be a good quarterback. When you have a good coach and good quarterback, there is only so far you might drop. With Kjar and the Muddogs graduating to AAA, Jenkins will be the best quarterback in the AA this season. When you have the best quarterback… you usually have the best offense. Bryan Freeman comes on to the team to do the place-kicking and the team is very confident in his strong leg. I don’t expect any real “drop” in the Rocket offense, however, I do believe the rest of the field will improve a bit and some may catch up with the Rockets in ’07. Projected Offensive Ranking: 1st .
DEFENSE:
I wasn’t quite as far off in projecting the Rockets defense last season. I had them at 9th… and well, they finished 4th. I actually think this may be the unit that underwent the best off-season improvement. Although they gave up more rushing yards than 3 other defenses last season, their pass coverage was stifling. The Rocket defense only gave up 331 total net passing yards in 8 games, which is only about 40 net yards or so a game… and they just got better. Last year, they were really, however, only about middle of the pack in sacking the quarterback and getting turnovers, but with two new ex-Weber State linebackers and a Weber State cover corner, it will be truly ‘tough sledding” trying to move the football against these guys. Their pass defense was already great, now their run defense might be even better. Along the defensive front line will be 4 returning Rocket veterans. Jason Best (6’5, 270) and Cody Anderson (6’0, 225) will key the defensive end slots and Earl Tayler (6’4, 240) and Dave Curtis (5’11, 250) will shore up the defensive tackle positions. They were all key to the successful Rocket defense last season and they were all effective in tying up blockers and setting up their linebackers. Only Curtis (23-1/2) finished the season with more than 10 tackles. Their linebackers even picked up most of the teams sacks. Which sets up well… for newly acquired Tyler Debry (5’10, 225) and Eric Jones (6’2, 205), both of Weber State University. Jones lead the entire Big Sky Conference in tackles in 2005 and may lead the RMFL in 2007. They will join the Rockets sack-master from 2006, John Walker. Walker recorded 6 sacks and 24 tackles to lead the linebackers of last season. With teams having to worry more about Debry and Jones, look for Walker to have another big season. Finally, coach Greene’s nephew, Nick Greene, joins the team out of Weber State, as well. He is expected to be that cornerback for the Rockets that never need safety help… allowing the team to focus on shutting down the great rushing teams like… the Vipers, for instance. Rich Gaines will grab the other corner slot, a spot held so well last season by two-way playing Josh Westerguard. We’ve just about covered the whole Rocket team and we haven’t even mentioned their 2006 all-star (Jenkins made the team, but could not play; Burningham made the team, but was suspended), Adam Whitaker. Whitaker lead the Rockets last season in tackles and interceptions and even recorded a sack. He returns healthy and hungry and will be joined in the defensive backfield by another new addition, Clark Funk. Coach Greene says he loves Funks “field vision” and should help make an impact in 2007. The coaches are also pleased with the early play of defensive back, Dallin Robinson, another newcomer with a lot of talent and speed. Rocket veteran, Nevada Grassi, should also see plenty of field time at linebacker. This unit looks promising and I’m not ready to pronounce them the best defense in the AA…yet. But I think they will be VERY close. Projected Defensive Rank: 4th .
COACHING AND INTANGIBLES:
For those who live in the Northern Utah area and are reasonably familiar with this football team, you would know that, ironically, there are a lot of ties between this team and the Vipers. The Rocket head coach, Jim Greene, used to play for the Vipers and some of their players use to hail from the Vipers. The Rockets even added another ex-Viper to the coaching staff, Tyler Stevens. I say ironically, because it will be the Rockets and the Vipers that seem to be the clear cut #1 and #2 seeds for the coveted AA playoffs. The only question is… who earns what? Last season, the Vipers did “own” the Rockets, but it appears that as a team, the Rockets have made up some real ground and I think the differences have been erased. I think that behind Jim Greene and some top notch Rocket management, the Rockets take that final step and do edge past the popular favorite, Vipers for that top seed in the Mountain Conference. Both the Vipers and Rockets start on the road the first two weeks of the season going into Idaho…and they both need to play to their potential and win those games… setting up a week #3 showdown against each other. I predict that the winner of that game will end up with the #1 seed… and be home for the playoffs. To the loser, a trip to Montana, and a far tougher road to the AA Championship of 2007.
OVERALL RANKING: 1st
