White Top Option For Rogers High

Monday, August 25, 2014

ROGERS -- Finding players who can handle the slot back position in the Rogers High triple option offense is not an easy chore.

Slot backs not only have to have the physical tools -- speed, good hands and blocking ability -- to play the position but they also have to be smart enough to be able to handle the complex offense. The Mounties seem to have a good combination in senior Justice Thompson and junior Sage White.

The Skinny

Position Battle: Slot backs/Receivers

Watch Out For: Sage White. The junior saw extensive playing as a sophomore and rushed for over 300 yards. White was also the leading receiver last season.

Biggest Strength: Depth. … Despite a lack of any returning starters on offense, the Mounties are developing good depth behind slot back starters Sage White and Justice Thompson. Sophomore Grayson Lee is working at both quarterback and slot back. Depth and competition is also good at wide receiver.

Biggest Question Mark: Varsity Experience. … Besides White, the slot backs and receivers have little or no varsity experience. Thompson had just one carry last year but he has had a solid offseason. None of the players working at receiver had a reception last season.

"Slot back is the most mentally demanding position in this offense," said Rogers offensive coordinator Marshall Hahn. "You have to know everything. Every play, they have to get everything right. You have to have a good football IQ, good football saavy. With Sage and Justice, we like what the position looks like now."

White (5-9, 173) is the one of the most experienced players on an offense that must replace all 11 starters. White rushed for 310 yards on 41 carries while being the leading receiver last season with four catches for 113 yards.

"Sage has the most varsity game experiecne," Hahn said. "As a sophomore, he stepped in and did a good job for us. We expect that he will continue on that path. Very pleased with him all the time. Sage catches the ball well, especially in the routes we run."

Thompson had just one carry last season but Hahn said the 5-10, 170-pound senior knows the offense well.

"Justice has had a good summer and he has worked hard," Hahn said. "He has taken over a leadership role, which you are always looking for. Hopefully, all that will translate into a strong senior season."

Sophomore Grayson Lee, who was the freshman quarterback last season, is also working at slot back.

"Grayson, like Sage last year, has the physical skills to play," Hahn said. "It's a little bit of a position change. He has shown flashes of doing some good things. He had a nice catch in our scrimmage."

Rogers only attempted 30 passes in 11 games last season but the Mounties continue to work on the passing game in practice. Cole Evans will be the starter at quarterback and the senior will have a lot of options to throw to.

"In practice, we throw it all the time," Hahn said. "With this offense, the defense tells us what to do with the ball. If the defense is going to ignore the passing game, we would like to be able to take that. But if we are averaging four, five yards a carry, we are happy with that."

Juniors Joseph Sultemeier (6-0, 204), Dawson Hudson (5-10, 151), Evan Dobler (5-10, 154) and sophomore Jeb Brain (5-9, 142) are all battling at receiver..

"Those guys are competing for time on Friday nights," Hahn said. "Again, it's a position change for some of them. But there is competition every day and that is forcing them to get better every day."

Sports on 08/25/2014