Finishing with a sub-.500 record and missing the postseason by a game may not always qualify as a solid foundation entering the next season.
But don’t sleep on Weber and fifth-year coach Matt Hammer, whose experience in a region with four first-year coaches makes him one of the senior members of that group.
“We were that team last year where we did a lot of good things and we didn’t get rewarded because we didn’t make a few plays,” Hammer said.
The Warriors’ 2016 resume included a game lost on a late field goal to Kearns, a loss in overtime to Roy and too many turnovers in a one-touchdown defeat to Davis.
“We were right on that brink. We were a young football team,” Hammer said. “We’re not young anymore.”
Weber is still young in some places. At wide receiver, for instance, three players expected to be regulars are all juniors.
But Hammer said the team’s biggest strength is the intangible of having put on the varsity uniform a few times.
“We’ve got experience at every position,” Hammer said. “With the exception of the D-line — but I feel like we have better players there than we had a year ago. They just haven’t played a lot of varsity football.”
WEBER WARRIORS <br>Coach • Matt Hammer, fifth year <br>Last season • 3-7, 2-4 in Region 1 <br>State championships • 1985 <br>Other title game appearances • 1952, 1999 <br>2017 SCHEDULE <br>Aug. 18 • American Fork, 7 p.m. <br>Aug. 25 • at Roy, 7 p.m. <br>Sept. 1 • at Clearfield, 7 p.m. <br>Sept. 8 • at Northridge, 7 p.m. <br>Sept. 15 • Viewmont, 7 p.m. <br>Sept. 22 • Syracuse, 7 p.m. <br>Sept. 29 • Davis, 7 p.m. <br>Oct. 5 (Thurs.) • at Fremont, 7 p.m. <br>Oct. 13 • Layton, 7 p.m.
Behind center • Senior Austin Bartholomew (6 foot, 160 pounds) started nearly every game at quarterback last season and is back. “He’s very smart, very cerebral,” Hammer said. “He knows what to do with the football and does a good job of extending plays.” Carter Green (6-0, 189) ran for 830 yards as a junior and might be able to push that in an upward trajectory for his final year. Senior Colton Jones (6-1, 185), who was hurt in 2016, provides Weber with another solid running option.
Ball hawks • Bartholomew has an arsenal of wideouts with experience. Sione Moa (6-1, 165), Hudson Schenck (5-7, 125) and Braedon Iverson (6-5, 170) are all juniors. Schenck led the team with 40 catches for 562 yards last season. Ali Carrillo (6-0, 180) is a senior who got hurt a year ago, which kept him out of a starting job at wideout. At tight end, juniors Josh Carter (6-1, 190) and Brandt Opheikens (6-3, 180) are big bodies who the coach said are good route runners as well. Defensively, safety Cy Denney (5-11, 155) and cornerback Ryan Hogge (5-10, 150) both recorded interceptions in 2016 and are back for their senior seasons, while Moa and Iverson also can be expected to step up in the defensive backfield.
In the trenches • BYU-commit Tysen Lewis (6-5, 265) enters his senior year at left tackle on the offensive line. He’ll be joined by younger brother Trevor Lewis (5-10, 250), who is only a sophomore, and senior Brady Briskey (5-10, 265). Briskey started at center last year, while the younger Lewis did see time at guard as a freshman. Those two might switch positions on the O-line. The Lewis brothers, along with Carter, also are set for action on the defensive line and will be joined by Kearns transfer Braxton McGraw (6-1, 250), senior Bailey Stinnett (5-11, 160) and senior Lochlan Pearce (6-1, 170).
Hit men • Senior Jace Campbell (5-10, 190) should be a familiar sight for opposing offensive players after his 81 tackles as a junior. He’s back at inside linebacker along with fellow senior Travis Pixton (5-11, 160), who also had some experience in the middle of the linebacking unit. Look for Opheikens at one outside linebacker, while Jones and Green will see time at the other. Hunter Neilson (5-7, 125) is only a junior and of slighter build than most on the field, but he made 52 tackles, including 20 solo last year.
Key returners • Tysen Lewis, Sr. (OT); Austin Bartholomew, Sr. (QB); Carter Green, Sr. (RB/LB); Jace Campbell, Sr. (LB)
Key losses • Holden Schenck, RB/LB; Ty Erickson, FS; Brevin Dean, WR; Hunter Larsen, LB
The next wave • Colton Jones, Sr. (RB/LB); Ali Carrillo, Sr. (WR); Braxton McGraw, Sr. (DL); Travis Pixton, Sr. (LB)