Football: Rogers Has 11 New Faces On Offense

ROGERS -- Rogers High will start 11 new players on offense when it opens the season Sept. 5 against Siloam Springs, but the Mounties are not totally void of varsity experience. Especially at quarterback and fullback.

Senior Cole Evans (6-foot, 170 pounds) split time at quarterback early last season and classmate Bryan Grigsby (6-0, 208) has logged time at fullback the past two seasons. And Rogers coach Shawn Flannigan said both seniors are prototypical players at their position in the Mounties run-oriented triple option offense.

The Skinny

Position Battle: Backfield

Biggest Strength: Experience … Senior quarterback Cole Evans and senior fullback Bryan Grigsby both have varsity experience. Grigsby rushed for over 500 yards last season, including 153 yards in a win against Rogers Heritage.

Biggest Question Mark: Depth at Quarterback … Neither backup quarterback has any meaningful varsity experience but offensive coordiantor Marshall Hahn said both Joseph Sultemeier and Grayson Lee are capable of leading the offense if needed.

Watch Out For: Grigsby … The senior averaged seven yards a carry last season and has improved his running ability in the offseason and in preseason drills.

"Grigsby has the speed to out run people and he has the size to be physical with people," Flannigan said. "Cole can throw the ball well, he has great speed and he runs the offense well."

Grigsby rushed for 520 yards on 75 carries last season and the senior had a breakout game in the regular season finale. Grigsby rushed seven times for 153 yards in the second half in the Mounties' 56-31 win over crosstown rival Rogers Heritage.

"Grigsby is a talented kid if he will just figure out how talented he is, and could be," Flannigan said. "If he does, he could be something pretty special."

But Flannigan also said that Grigsby is getting better and better with each practice.

"Grigsby is doing more and more things that he didn't do last year," Flannigan said. "Basically, last year he just ran. He just ran fast and went downhill. If someone got in his way, he just ran into them. This year, he is making really good cuts and seeing things a lot better.

"I'm sure part of that is having a year under his belt at the varsity level. Hopefully, part of that is that he is coming into his own."

Fullback is the most physical position in the triple option and the Mounties have good depth at the position.

Junior Braden Mabry (5-9, 208), senior Austin Pinkerton (5-7, 204) and junior Christian Brummett (5-9, 190) are all working behind Grigsby. Pinkerton and Mabry are both projected to play at linebacker while Brummett is a move-in from Broken Arrow, Okla.

Flannigan said Brummett could see playing time once he becomes more familiar with the offense.

"New offense for him" Flannigan said. "But he looks like what a fullback typically looks like in our offense. I think we will see some good things out of him."

Evans (6-0, 170) has been solid in preseason practices after rushing for 169 yards on 21 carries while scoring three touchdowns as a junior. His lone completion on three pass attempts last season went for a 25-yard touchdown.

"Cole is making improvements daily," Flannigan said. "He is getting better throwing the ball, and he is getting better with his reads."

Sophomore Grayson Lee (5-10, 175) and junior Joseph Sultemeier (6-0, 204) are the backups at quarterback.

"Cole is established but we have some guys behind him that are capable of stepping in," said Mounties offensive coordinator Marshall Hahn. "We don't have a defined No. 2 right now, but Joseph has played in this system for two years."

Sports on 08/18/2014

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