EARLY 2009 Wasatch REVolution team preview

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Questions, questions questions……

the 2009 Wasatch REVolution have many questions to answer on their journey to compete for the RMFL AAA Championship. As a first year expansion team, how will they stack up against 2008 AAA semi-finalists like the Utah Shock, Cache Valley Bears, Utah Wolverines and Idaho Falls Mustangs? Luckily for the REV, they don’t face to Idaho Falls Mustangs in the regular season, however, the REV does play the Shock & the Bears and, as if to add salt on a wound, the REV play the Wolverines TWICE! That will be a fierce rivalry.

How will the REV compete? What type of players will they field? Who will be counted on when “crunch time” hits? What kind of depth do they have? How well will the REV respond to game adversity? What type of schemes will the coaches implement? These questions – and many more – will all be answered throughout the 2009 season.

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COACHES

The REV are expected to field an extremely competitive team in 2009. With Head Coach Eric Drage running the show, expect the REV to have a balanced attack in both the running and passing games. As former offensive coordinator of the Utah Wolverines, Coach Drage led the team to the AAA championship game relying heavily on the passing duo of QB Charlie Peterson and WR Joe Mapson. Under his stewardship, the Wolverines ranked #1 in total yards. They weren’t without weaknesses though as they also were in the bottom half in rushing and #1 in penalty yards. Look for more discipline, balance and consistency from the REV in 2009. Assistant Coach Andy Boyce joins the REV offense also.

On the defensive side of the ball, Defensive Coordinator Ev Matagi brings a ton of experience to the REV as a long time coach in the RMFL. Coach Matagi is notorious for his high pressure, high speed defenses. He also has recruited outstanding athletes to implement his scheme. Coach Matagi’s philosophy – “winning begins with me” – holds every position accountable and promotes an extremely competitive spirit in practice. Look for Coach Matagi to lead one of the top defensive teams in the AAA. Assistant Coaches “ROCK”, Justin Walker and Mike DeVoe help Ev.

OFFENSE

Offensively, the REV look to have some unique offensive players. Last year, QB Charlie Peterson completed 63% of his passes for over 2200 yards with 26 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He led the AAA in passer rating at 122.45. While Peterson was solid, he had much vaunted and highly talented WR Joe Mapson to throw the ball to. What will Peterson do without his sidekick? 18 year old QB phenom, Dakota LaBounty, also looks to garner some playing time.

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The REV look to fill the receiving void with talented, yet unknown, RMFL rookies. Leading the WR pack is former BYU receiver Toby Christensen. Toby is the son of former Oakland Raider NFL All-Pro and ESPN analyst – Todd Christensen. Other outstanding receivers include former BYU standout Dave Christensen, RMFL rookies Trevor Jensen and JD Dawson, and RMFL veterans Rich Garden, Matt Shull and Jeremy Mecham. Each of these receivers has strong playmaking abilities and the REV will rely heavily on a balanced passing attack. Depending upon the opposing defense, each of these receivers has the potential for 100+ yard receiving games.

At running back, the REV have talented RMFL rookie Jerome Bady and former BYU standout Marcus Whalen. Bady has been a huge surprise demonstrating his shifty and strong running style at practice. Joining him will be George Uyema and Tyler Phillips. Versatility is an important factor with the REV offense and they’ve filled that gap with highly talented and perennial AAA All-star Roger Shulze. RMFL fans will remember Roger as a “menace to society” on defense with last year’s Wolverines. He’s moved to the offensive side and the REV plan to capitalize on his speed and toughness.

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On the offensive line, the REV have some major question marks. RMFL vet JP “Kong” Salisbury – at 6′ 8″ 350 pds – brings his knowledge and experience to the REV. He will be heavily relied upon to anchor the left side of the line. RMFL vet Ken Byrd and John Proctor are integral parts of the offense. Bryant Jones and x-factor Aaron McCubbins shore up the offensive line. Look for late additions Mitch Arquette, Joel Butler and DJ Parker to bring a competitive edge. This unit is the key to the REV’s success in 2009. If they are able to handle Coach Drage’s complex offensive system, the o-line should perform at a high level. How will this unit jell? Who will emerge as the leaders? Will they be at the top or the bottom of the RMFL Offensive Line Rankings? Only time will tell…..

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DEFENSE

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Defensively, the REV – at least on paper – should be phenomenal. Former RMFL MVP and RMFL Strongest Man Matt Shoda looks to be the spark plug in the middle of the defense at linebacker. He is joined by one of the 2008 RMFL’s top 10 leading tacklers Brady Nielsen. Brady is a force to be reckoned with on the outside. Also joining the LB core are hard hitting RMFL veterans Darin Smith, Sean Matagi, Clint Ackerman and Nate Washington. These players should be a force in Coach Matagi’s aggressive schemes. How will they respond opening day?

As good as the REV are at LB, the defensive line looks to be even more dominant. Former Super Bowl champion Setema Gali anchors one DE position while former RMFL player of the year Tracy Ita shores up the other side. Depending on how consistent those 2 athletes can be, look for a few “look out hits” on opposing QB’s. DE’s Bill Nebeker and Brook Hill compete also. At defensive tackle, RMFL rookie Roger Proctor and Jason Ford look to shore up the middle of the field and join DT Matt Taliulu who finished with 4 sacks in 2008. Depending on the game day status of each of these players, the REV defensive line looks to be among the league leaders. The question is, how consistent will they be?

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In the secondary, RMFL legend Harold Ragin solidifies one safety position. Even at 40+ years young, Harold is a blazing speedster. He’s been at or near the top of the leader board in interceptions for years, and looks to do so again in 2009. Joining him at safety will be David Stroshine. In 1999, David played safety for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL. At the corner spots, RMFL veteran Chris Carter shores up one side of the field. Carter was in the top of the interception leaders with Harold Ragin in 2008. Speedsters Jared Harward and Matt Stroshine also look to solidify the secondary. Harward and Stroshine have shown tremendous coverage skills. RMFL veteran Clayton Wolfe also adds to the mix. How will this secondary stack up against strong offenses like the Utah Shock?

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SPECIAL TEAMS

At kicker, former U of U kicker Golden Whetman looks to continue his streak of 21+ touchbacks. Rarely does his powerful leg allow anything other than touchbacks. He joins rival kickers Rodney Frojker and Bryce Kennington as among the best in the league. RMFL Veteran Jordan Lindsey handles the punting and holding duties.

OVERVIEW

On paper, the 2009 Wasatch REVolution look to be a major force in the RMFL AAA. Playing in South Jordan at Bingham High School adds value to their organization. From a bird’s eye view, the REV has outstanding talent on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The REV has experience in the coaching staff. The REV have a tremendous off the field program and an outstanding venue to play football. The ingredients are all in place for a strong run at the RMFL AAA championship.

However, with all these ingredients in place, respect is still earned on the playing field. The REV face tremendous odds and difficulties to fight their way to the top. Any football pundit will tell you that potential and talent does not mean a championship. Winning a championship takes a tremendous amount of mental and physical discipline. Winning takes teamwork, camaraderie, dedication and a strong focus. Do the REV have those ingredients?

As ESPN football analyst Lee Corso so amply states, “That, my friend, is why they play the game…..”