This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
UNION COUGARS
The Hurry-up — Union finished 5-6 in 2015, and 3-2 in the 3A North. The Cougars lost to Juab in the Class 3A first round.
With a roster full of talented seniors, the Union offense put up some big numbers at times throughout last season. Unfortunately, too many mistakes and missed opportunities left the Cougars below the .500 mark at the end of the season.
"We had troubles finishing plays and finishing drives last season," Union coach Matt Labrum said. "We also didn't tackle very well last year; we have to get better at tackling and stopping the ball in tight situations."
Now, Labrum and his staff must try to rebuild and reload at some crucial positions in order to compete in a revamped 3A North.
"We lost some pretty dynamic players, but we're excited about the group we get back," Labrum said. "This region has been tough every year. Juan Diego has always been good, Morgan has great tradition, Grantsville has tradition — it's nice to be in a region like that that prepares you for the playoffs and for whatever else comes your way."
Quarterbacks — Senior Carson Kelly will be starting for the first time this season. Labrum said that Kelly's best tools are his running ability, his toughness and his tremendous leadership.
Running backs — Senior Sean Thompson will be the featured back for the Cougars and will be supplemented by junior Jarom Miller. Senior Lucas Stixrud is also expected to get some reps in the offensive backfield.
Receivers — Senior Cole Bertoch is a returning starter that Labrum is excited to watch in the fall. He has improved his hands, his overall speed and his route running, and should be the big-play receiver Union needs. The other receiver spots are still being determined, but seniors Tyler Swain and Christian Llamas are possible options.
Offensive linemen — The offensive front will feature three returning starters in seniors Coleman Miles, Cole Kelly and Inoke Kaufusi. The other few spots are still up for grabs but Labrum said that moving Llamas back to the offensive line could be an option.
Defensive linemen — With a lot of depth, versatility and toughness on the defensive front, Labrum expects the front four to be the strength of his defense. Kelly and Kaufusi return as starters, and Miles will fill an interior line spot. Llamas rounds out the starting front with the ability to play as a three-technique defensive end or a stand-up linebacker.
Linebackers — Senior Tyler Swain returns as a starter after suffering a season-ending injury late last year. Still, he managed to finish as the team's third-leading tackler with 70 (48 solo) while only playing in eight games. Finishing behind Swain was Llamas with 61 tackles (41 solo) in 11 games. Rounding out the linebackers will be Lucas Stixrud.
Defensive backs — Cole Bertoch will be starting at corner for the first time, having gained some valuable varsity experience at the position last season. Vaihoi Lutui will also start in the backfield as a safety, but not much else has been cemented. Labrum said that several younger players are competing for the final spots in the defensive backfield.
Key Players
Carson Kelly, QB — Kelly has the unenviable task of replacing offensive juggernaut Vil Lutui. While not as skilled, Labrum said that Kelly is a tough runner and has the ability to run the offense in a similar fashion.
Cole Bertoch, WR/DB — While a returning starter, Bertoch was not able to get his hands on many passes last year with several experienced seniors also on the field. Now Bertoch is the main man on the perimeter and should be getting a lot of looks from Kelly.
Christian Llamas, ATH — Not often does a coach get a player with the ability to start at receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive line and linebacker. Keep your eyes open, or you might miss where he's playing next.
Key Losses
Vil Lutui QB — Lutui did it all for the Cougars on offense. He accounted for 24 total TDs (14 passing, 10 rushing) while throwing for 1,631 yards and rushing for a team-leading 881 yards. It will be difficult to replace that kind of production.
Weston Horrocks, RB/SS — Senior captain and the secondary offensive weapon behind Lutui. Led the team in all-purpose yards with 793 yards rushing (7 TDs), 288 yards receiving (2 TD's) and 227 kick return yards.
Korbyn Bertoch, LB/OL — Senior captain and bruiser on both sides of the ball. Accounted for nearly 13 tackles per game while finishing with 141 tackles on the season (97 solo).
Name To Know: Senior Vaihoi Lutui has a lot of expectations dumped on him because of his last name. The younger brother of last year's star quarterback, Lutui has had to take over as a team leader for the rebuilding Cougars. "He's done an amazing job of taking over that leadership role," Labrum said. "He gets kids in the weight room and to practice, he's shown his dedication to the team."
2016 Schedule
Aug. 19 — PARK CITY, 7 p.m. (Lost, 51-12)
Aug. 26 — SUMMIT ACADEMY, 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 — at Uintah, 7 p.m. (Won, 23-15)
Sept. 9 — RICHFIELD, 7 p.m. (Won, 41-18)
Sept. 16 — at Grantsville, 7 p.m. (Won, 34-16)
Sept. 23 — at Juan Diego, 7 p.m. (Lost, 35-0)
Sept. 30 — at Emery, 7 p.m. (Won, 19-6)
Oct. 7 — MORGAN, 7 p.m. (Lost, 26-21)
Oct. 14 — CARBON, 7 p.m. (Won, 28-0)
Oct. 19 — at Juab, 7 p.m. (Lost, 49-48 and 41-14)
Verdict: Union was unable to cash in with the players at their disposal last season and must now try to compete with a reshuffled roster. The timing is also unfortunate, with many of the teams in the 3A North having several key pieces returning. Union will be a respectable team and could look good at times, but probably won't have the firepower to reclaim a top spot in the region.
Projected finish in region: 5th