This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

MONTICELLO BUCKAROOS

The Hurry Up — Monticello finished 5-5 in 2015, and 2-2 in league play. The Buckaroos lost to Rich 23-14 in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs.

The past two seasons, Monticello has ended its postseason in the form of a loss to Rich: in the semifinals two years ago and quarterfinals in 2015. Now, with those upperclassmen graduated, the Buckaroos will have to worry about a different problem: turnover. The Buckaroos will play a lot of sophomores — many of them capable — and it will undoubtedly be a year of growing pains. Still, with a solid backfield and a returning quarterback, the Buckaroos will wait before truly gauging their expectations.

"We're going to play a lot of sophomores this year," coach Art Adair said. "That's a double-edged sword: some of them could step up huge this year and we'll be great, which we could be because we have some quality sophomores … (but) everybody wants to win now, and you don't want to have to wait for a year or two to progress."

Quarterbacks — As a junior, Brayson Wilcox won the starting job and went through his fair share of ups and downs. Now, as a senior who is constantly studying film and picking the coach's brain, Wilcox is preparing for a breakout season.

Running backs — The tandem of upperclassmen Thomas Anderson and Shandon Bradford — both will also get reps as linebackers — will be the driving force on offense. Anderson, who led the team with 751 total rushing yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore, should approach the 1,000-yard mark in 2016 with two senior backs now gone.

Receivers — Anderson and Bradford will also help carry the weight in the air. With the loss of lead receiver Alex Torres, both are expected to get the majority of targets this season.

Offensive linemen — After losing Tobin Esplin and a group of veteran senior linemen on both sides of the field, the offensive line will be forced to look to inexperienced newcomers. It will be critical that these newcomers get up to speed fast because the Buckaroos will undoubtedly rely heavily on their talented backs.

Defensive linemen — No different than the offensive line, this group will be looking to replace with a new crop of players ranging in experience. Optimistically, there will be a handful of seniors testing out various positions on the line who will find a new home.

Linebackers — While the defensive line will be searching for a new identity, the reigning Class 1A leading tackler and First Team All-State selection Paul Deanda — one of the few returning seniors — and a capable linebacker core will be ready to anchor the defense.

Defensive backs — It will be a wait-and-see situation over the top with an increased reliance on a new rotation, but the Buckaroos will return two upperclassmen in Talon Black and Max Hedglin, who got quality reps in 2015.

Key Players

Thomas Anderson, RB — Emerging as a leader in his sophomore season, Anderson possesses a lot of promise heading into his junior campaign.

Brayson Wilcox, QB — Threw for 855 yards and 10 touchdowns, but with 10 picks on the board, too, Wilcox has a lot of room for improvement in 2016.

Paul Deanda, LB — Already a Class 1A leading tackler and First Team All-State selection, Deanda will once again be the voice and leader on defense.

Key Losses

Andrew Torres, WR — A two-time All-State selection slot receiver who was second in all-purpose yards as a senior with 909 and also led the team with seven receiving touchdowns.

Alma Beh, WR, LB — In addition to racking up 681 all-purpose yards as senior, Beh also added 36 tackles as a linebacker.

Tobin Esplin, OL, DL — Wasn't a standout on the stat sheets, but was the voice and leader of both lines.

Name To Know: It's no secret that Thomas Anderson will be the go-to man on offense, but don't forget about Shandon Bradford, who will split the carries with him. If Bradford can add another dimension as a change-of-pace back, the Buckaroos' run game will be hard to slow down.

2016 Schedule

Aug. 19 — Grand County, 7 p.m. (Won, 29-20, in 2015)

Sept. 2 — Wayne, 7 p.m. (Won, 35-0)

Sept. 9 — Rich, 7 p.m. (Lost, 24-0)

Sept. 16 — Duchesne, 7 p.m. (Lost, 31-0)

Sept. 23 — at Parowan, 7 p.m. (Won, 45-7)

Sept. 30 — at Altamont, 7 p.m. (Won, 48-0)

Oct. 7 — Diamond Ranch, 7 p.m. (Lost, 41-8)

Oct. 14 — at Milford, 7 p.m. (Won, 27-14)

Oct. 20 — Kanab, 7 p.m. (Lost, 14-0)

Verdict: Monticello is not shying away from shooting for a deep postseason run, but it will only go as far as its sophomore class. Still, with Thomas Anderson anchoring the backfield, the Buckaroos' run game should rank up with the best in the state.

Projected finish in region: Fourth