Maturity, experience and why the Cavemen are looking good for the 2013 football season
Head coach Aaron Behm works with players as the American Fork High School football team holds a practice at the school on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
A player lines up a pass as the American Fork High School football team holds a practice at the school on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Players stretch as the American Fork High School football team holds a practice at the school on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Players warm up as the American Fork High School football team holds a practice at the school on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Players carry equipment before the start of football practice at American Fork High School on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Players run a drill as the American Fork High School football team holds a practice at the school on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
A player lines up a catch as the American Fork High School football team holds a practice at the school on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Players run a drill as the American Fork High School football team holds a practice at the school on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Lopini Katoa runs the ball during a drill as the American Fork High School football team holds a practice at the school on Friday, August 9, 2013. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
The 2012 season was a rough one for American Fork as the school missed the playoffs and finished with a 3-8 record. However, expectations are high entering this season as the Cavemen are considered a top-25 team across all classifications.
Head coach Aaron Behm is hoping for the same type of success in his fourth year on the job as he did during his second year. The similarities are striking as this season the Cavemen are in its second season in transitioning from a triple-option offense to a West Coast scheme which fit his players better. Back in Behm’s second season in 2011, the team was in their second year of that triple-option offense and American Fork made the playoffs, and ended up losing in the first round to Viewmont.
Flash forward to 2013 and Behm is confident that the team will be improved with another spring, summer and now fall camp under the team’s belt running the West Coast offense.
“It’s much more comfortable coming into the second year, we have lots of guys returning too”, Behm said. “Not only is it their second year in the system but they are more mature they understand more of what we are trying to do.”
The players are now more in sync with the offensive playbook and do not have to think as much when running these plays, but rather they just react with everything being second nature.
Not only is this 2013 team more familiar with the offense, but there are plenty of returning players who bring a wealth of experience. The team returns senior quarterback Jacen Condie who started four games last season, leading rusher junior Zach Katoa, a pair of the state’s best side outs in speedy wide receiver Jonah Trinnaman who has an offer from Utah State and Jade Luker plus the offensive line returns three starters.
With that amount of experience back, Behm feels that there is plenty of leadership to go along with it which will help with new players who can get some tips from those returners who already have a year in the system.
Behm feels that this team is getting consideration as a top-25 team due to who has coming back on offense and also players who are getting Division I offers. “If this team plays to their potential … I think we can be pretty high in the win category,” Behm said.
Playing up to potential will be key as American Fork plays in the very difficult Region 4, so Behm has stepped up the non-league schedule to help them get prepared for that gauntlet.
The season gets started for American Fork with a tough matchup against the Brighton Bengals, who are considered a top-10 team.
Coach Behm sees Brighton as a team that can present a challenge as its offense will utilize a two-back system, they are tough up front and control the line of scrimmage. Brighton’s defense will use multiple defensive sets, especially in the secondary to try to confuse American Fork in the passing game.
The season opener for American Fork against Brighton kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday Aug. 23.