AA football preview: High hopes for Glacier
One more game.
That’s how close the Glacier football team came from getting to the state championship game. And it’s been the driving force heading into a promising season.
“Last year they got just one step away,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. “Just one step from the ultimate. That’s been the goal all off-season. Let’s try to take that final step and get to that final game. So it’s been neat to work hard and push with that goal and that focus in mind.”
The Wolfpack return the bulk of the team that fell in the state semifinals last season. Picked as one of the top teams in the state for 2012, Glacier is looking to use that experience to improve on the best season in school history.
“They’ve been doing it now for a solid year,” Bennett said. “We can hit the ground running, install a lot more a lot earlier and expect certain things because of their experience. It’s just allowed us to go at a great pace because they know what to do and they know what to expect on both sides of the ball.”
Pace will be a strength for the Wolfpack as it looks to pick up the speed on offense and defense.
Taylor Hulslander returns under center to captain the offense after putting up record numbers in 2011. The senior quarterback led the state in passing, tossing for 2,463 yards with 24 touchdowns and just nine interceptions, setting the school record for efficiency by completing an astounding 62.4 percent of his passes.
The Wolfpack are also returning his top target in all-state wideout Kyle Griffith, who had 83 catches for nine touchdowns. The top three rushers return in Griffith, Aaron Mitchell and Noah James.
“Coming back your second year, it’s not new any more,” Hulslander said. “There’s a lot of confidence ... The offense that our coaches run, the tempo, it makes it hard on defenses. I certainly wouldn’t want to go against us. It really puts pressure on them.”
On defense, Glacier returns a fast group that will look to blanket opponents at the line of scrimmage.
“Defensively, we want to be the team that pursues hardest in the state, really fly to the ball,” Bennett said.
Overall experience and team chemistry should help mask some of the losses on that side of the ball. Despite losing all-state defensive linemen Caleb Harris and Luke Halliburton, the Wolfpack returns most of its starters and should be improved.
“We’re a strong defense, just about everybody on the defense played last year,” senior linebacker Shelton Todd said. “Everybody plays together well, we all know where we’re gonna be. We all do our job.”
Tonight, their job will be to stay focused in Billings as they play against the sleight of hand offense of Skyview. The Falcons run out of the Wing-T, a run-based offense that uses fake handoffs and misdirection to confuse defenses.
“Skyview is, I think, the best team in Billings, at least at the outset,” Bennett said.
“They’re tough to stop. You can’t find the ball and they’re gonna pound it at you. We’re worried about their size up front, because even if you’re doing a good job defensively, they get going with that Wing-T and it’s 3-4 yards a pop and taking time off the clock. It can really limit you offensively. It’s a great challenge for us.”
The game kicks off at 7 p.m.
“It’s gonna be good to hit somebody other than navy blue and green,” Todd said.
2012 Glacier Football Schedule
Aug. 24 — 7 p.m. at Billings Skyview
Aug. 31 — 7 p.m. C.M. Russell at Glacier
Sept. 7 — 7 p.m. at Helena High
Sept. 14 — 7 p.m. at Missoula Hellgate
Sept. 21 — 7 p.m. Bozeman at Glacier
Sept. 28 — 7 p.m. vs. Flathead
Oct. 5 — 7 p.m. Missoula Sentinel at Glacier
Oct. 12 — 7:30 p.m. at Great Falls High
Oct. 19 — 7 p.m. Helena Capital at Glacier
Oct. 26 — 7 p.m. at Missoula Big Sky
Players to watch:
QB Taylor Hulslander, 2nd team all-state
WR/K Kyle Griffith, 1st team all state
RB Aaron Mitchell, honorable mention all- state
C Chase Eisenzimer, honorable mention all-state
S Rial Gunlikson, honorable mention all- state
C Reid Siderius, honorable mention all- state