2017 Desert Pines Football Capsule

DESERT PINES

League: Class 3A Sunset

Head coach: Tico Rodriguez, fifth season (42-6)

2016 record: 12-1 (5-0 Sunset League, first)

Returning lettermen: 10

Returning starters: Four offense, four defense

Base offensive set: Spread

Base defensive set: 4-3

Top offensive players: WR Jaden Mitchell (Sr.); WR DeAundre Newsome (Sr.); QB Tyler Williamson (Jr.)

Top defensive players: LB Anthony Allen (Sr.); DL Lorenzo Brown (Sr.); DL Gabriel Lopez (So.)

Key losses: QB/WR/S Randal Grimes; RB Isaiah Morris; WR/LB/S Tony Fields; WR/DB Antonio Wallace; S Eddie Heckard; LB Jautae Collins; DL Jalen Graves

Outlook: The defending state champions certainly were cleaned out by graduation, but the Jaguars have reloaded and again should be one of the favorites in Class 3A.

Desert Pines lost Grimes (Southern California), Morris (UNR), Fields (Arizona), Wallace (Arizona) and Graves (UNLV) to graduation. But the Jaguars got a glimpse of the future in Williamson in their final two games of the season last year, as the 6-foot-1-inch dual-threat quarterback threw for six touchdowns and ran for two more scores in a pair of wins.

In Desert Pines’ 39-6 win over Spring Creek in the state final, Williamson went 16-for-20 passing for 266 yards and three TDs and ran for a TD. This year, his favorite targets should be the Arizona-bound Mitchell, a Desert Oasis transfer, and Newsome (296 yards receiving, three TDs).

Lopez, who had six sacks last season, will anchor the defense.

“We’re rebuilding right now,” Rodriguez said. “We have talent, but this is basically a sophomore-based team. I think we’re going to be able to compete, but we’re just hoping to get better week by week.”