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LOGAN GRIZZLIES

The Hurry-up — Logan finished 11-2 overall, 6-0 in 3AA North, and won the Class 3AA state championship.

There's no way around it: This is not the same Grizzlies team that earned a 26-15 victory over Dixie last November to give Logan High a state football championship.

Only two starters return on offense and only two come back on defense. Heck, even the coaching positions have largely turned over — including new head man Jason Anderson.

"More than anything, it's a new chapter," Anderson said. "They want to prove themselves, that they're just as good as those guys."

But this could take time as even the seniors, though older than the rest, were limited in varsity game experience in 2015. Of particular interest for Anderson is how quickly his offensive line can come along in the face of more seasoned defensive players for the opposition.

"We've got a lot of young guys and we've made some scheme adjustments," said Anderson, who was the defensive coordinator at Weber last year. "But they've done a good job adjusting to it."

Quarterbacks — Jonny Parkinson dressed as a freshman for the Grizz last year, but that was about it, as he only attempted four passes. Still, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound soph has potential and will be tasked with leading the offense. Should he run into difficulty, it'll likely be junior Robbie Ballam who will be handed the ball.

Running backs — Ballam (5-11, 165) is also a leading candidate to start for Logan at running back, and he'll be joined by senior Kris Hernandez (5-10, 175) and elusive junior Owen Godfrey (5-6, 145) in the backfield. "Nobody's really won the job," Anderson said. "It's running back by committee right now." At fullback, it's more of a sure thing, as senior Chance Corless will scrap for the tough inside yards.

Receivers — Kaden Jones (6-3, 205) did see significant time at wideout last year, but Anderson will move him closer to the line of scrimmage as he'll be at tight end for his senior season. The rest of the receiving corps is young, with fast junior Jace Perry (5-10, 170), possession-type sophomore Charlie Jensen (6-2, 165) and fellow soph Eric Donaldson (6-3, 190) leading the way.

Offensive linemen — The Grizzlies have a mixture of sophomores and seniors along the front. But even the seniors, guards Tyler Gabriel (6-1, 200) and Jason Elam (6-1, 240), are raw. The younger players in the trenches will be center sophomore Jaden Ramos (5-10, 200) along with tackles Kyle Truex (6-2, 225) and Andrew Wallace (6-1, 210) — also sophs.

Defensive linemen — Corless will be instrumental on the defensive side as well, as he'll line up at tackle with senior Hayden McIntire (5-10, 215). Junior Brandon Dodd (6-2, 230) and senior Christian Jensen (6-0, 220) will look to apply pressure from the defensive end positions.

Linebackers — In Anderson's 4-3 scheme, senior Blake Patterson is slated to have a big role in the middle. While Patterson did get some varsity time a year ago, fellow 'backers Carson Manning (Sr., 5-10, 185), Nick Shamo (Sr., 5-10, 185) and Kaden Jones had much more limited opportunities.

Defensive backs — Logan's new coach is excited about the secondary, as he'll have Perry and senior Jake Dixon (5-10, 165) manning the cornerback positions. At safety, look for Kevin Martinez, Ballam and Hernandez to vie for playing time.

Key Players

Kaden Jones, TE/LB — Jones caught 27 balls and made 11 solo tackles in '15, and those numbers will likely increase as the senior takes more of a role.

Chance Corless, DT/FB — At 5-11, 225, Corless is "one of our most physical guys," according to Anderson.

Blake Patterson, LB — While rotating at linebacker his junior season, Patterson totaled 35 solo tackles and assisted on 20 more stops.

Key Losses

Hunter Horsley, QB — Horsley threw for 2,618 yards in Logan's state championship year and also racked up 1,370 yards rushing.

Spencer Corbett, WR — Many of Horsley's throws went in the direction of Corbett, who piled up 1,246 yards via 69 receptions.

Ben Miller, LB — Miller was a defensive leader for the Grizzlies, as his 64 solo tackles and 54 assists will attest.

Name To Know: Jonny Parkinson may become well-known to Logan gridiron fans in time. Right now, he's slated to start at quarterback, though only a sophomore. "He's really smart and mature for his age," Anderson said.

2016 Schedule

Aug. 19 — Box Elder, 7 p.m. (Won, 38-37, in 2015)

Aug. 26 — at Sky View, 7 p.m. (Lost 42-6)

Sept. 2 — Mountain Crest, 7 p.m. (Lost 49-0)

Sept. 9 — at Judge Memorial, 7 p.m. (Won 38-12)

Sept. 16 — at Ben Lomond, 7 p.m. (Won 49-21)

Sept. 23 — Tooele, 7 p.m. (Won 21-7)

Sept. 30 — Bear River, 7 p.m. (Won 38-13)

Oct. 7 — at Stansbury 7 p.m. (Won 52-23)

Oct. 13 — Ridgeline, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 — Park City, 7 p.m. (Won 49-21)

Verdict: Sustaining success with the new regime will largely be determined by how well, and how quickly, Logan's young players can stand toe-to-toe with veterans on the other side.

Projected finish in region: Sixth