This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

LAYTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY EAGLES

The Hurry-up — Layton Christian finished 2-9 in 2015, and 1-3 in the 1A North. The Eagles lost to Diamond Ranch Academy 56-0 in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs.

An assistant coach at Syracuse High School last season, first-year head coach Andru Jones has taken over the LCA program with the hope of returning it to prominence in the 1A classification.

"We've got to get tougher," Jones said after the first day of summer camp. "The more I look at the teams in this region … they are tough teams. They have a lot of tough kids, and we've got to meet that expectation if we want to compete in the region and do anything in the playoffs."

Quarterbacks — They say competition breeds excellence, and Jones certainly hopes that is the case. Two senior quarterbacks fought for the starting spot in summer camp, with transfer Braxton Llewelyn beating out Isaac Driscoll after the two split the starter's reps during the summer.

Running backs — The LCA backfield will be anchored by junior Ryleigh McCombs, who Jones calls an "it factor" for his offense. McCombs has played for the Eagles since he was a freshman, and now has the size and know-how to compete with some of the best backs in 1A. The Eagles will also rely on the senior tandem of Weston Thomas and Christian Moffo to aid in the rushing attack.

Receivers — LCA's international flair will be on full display at the receiver position, with Brazilian senior Pedro Silva being the go-to wide out for the Eagles. While having never played American football before coming to Utah, Jones said that Silva has great hands and a work ethic like few other athletes he has ever coached in the past.

Offensive linemen — Jones admitted that he is in the process of "revamping" his offensive line after losing most of the starters from 2015. The new look line will feature 6-foot-3, 270-pound guard Caleb Kensinger who is sure to create a few running lanes for the Eagle backs.

Defensive linemen — In addition to shouldering the other starting guard position on the offensive line, junior Anthony Harding will be the primary pass rusher from the defensive end position. Kensinger will also play both ways as a run-stopping defensive tackle.

Linebackers — In similar straights as the offensive line, LCA's linebackers are young and inexperienced. Jones is using summer camp to sort out the middle of the defense, but expects McCombs to be the starter at middle linebacker while also rotating in and out of the defensive secondary.

Defensive backs — The Eagles' last line of defense will consist of several two-way players, including Driscoll, Llewelyn, Silva and Fabrizio Umetelli. With the knowledge of quarterbacks and receivers in the defensive backfield, don't be surprised to see a lot of ball-hawking from the LCA secondary.

Key Players

Ryleigh McCombs, RB/MLB — Jones expects McCombs to be his "it factor" on both sides of the ball this season, but keeping him healthy will be crucial if the Eagles want to compete in the 1A North.

Pedro Silva, WR/DB — Unfortunately, Silva will be at a disadvantage when he returns to Utah. Jones notes the Brazilian's tireless work ethic, but he will need all of it in order to catch up with his teammates in terms of knowledge of the playbook and on-field conditioning.

Caleb Kensinger, OL/DL — Kensinger's size is something not usually found at the 1A level; the Eagles will have to use that to their advantage in order to bolster a new-look offensive line.

Key Losses

Grayson Jackson, QB

Gage Picard, RB/MLB

Terrell Brown, WR/FS

Name(s) To Know: Jones is very excited to see the play and development of freshmen Ulric Sutton and Bryton Helbach. While both are listed at a mere 5-foot-6 and 120 pounds, their talents and offensive skillsets have the LCA coaching staff intrigued at the partnership they could develop over the next four years. Look for both players to get some plays in at running back and receiver as well as some reps in the defensive secondary.

2016 Schedule

Aug. 19 — at NORTH SUMMIT, 7 p.m. (Lost, 32-0 in 2015)

Aug. 26 — AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, 4 p.m. (Lost, 47-0)

Sept. 3 — at MOUNTAIN VIEW CHRISTIAN (NV), 1 p.m.

Sept. 9 — at DIAMOND RANCH ACADEMY, 7 p.m. (Lost, 50-14 and 56-0)

Sept. 16 — WAYNE, 4 p.m. (Won, 32-13)

Sept. 23 — ALTAMONT, 4 p.m. (Lost, 21-8)

Sept. 30 — DUCHESNE, 4 p.m. (Lost, 57-0)

Oct. 7 — MILFORD, 4 p.m. (Lost, 53-8)

Oct. 14 — PAROWAN, 4 p.m. (Won, 26-21)

Oct. 19 — at RICH, 4 p.m. (Lost, 46-14)

Verdict: The Eagles look like a team on the rise compared to their 2-9 record a year ago. There are a lot of unknowns for Jones and his squad, but there are some talented pieces to work with and their schedule is set up nicely, with three of their four region games at home. Expect to see some improvements from the Eagles in Jones' first year at the helm, but probably not enough to make any noise in the 1A North.

Projected finish in region: 4th