Monticello football team set to open season

by David Boyle
News Director
The Monticello football team is ready to begin their third season of 8-player football this Friday, August 23.
The Buckaroos hope to match or exceed the success they’ve seen in the first two seasons of 8-player football in Utah.
Both seasons ended with the Buckaroos playing in but losing the title game at Southern Utah University.
Monticello lost ten contributors from last year’s team, but the other coaches in the division seem to believe in the Buckaroos’ strength of program. Monticello was ranked second in the 8-player league in the Deseret News coaches’ poll, behind the defending state champion Rich Rebels.
Monticello opens the season at the Spence Eccles Ogden Community Sports Complex where they’ll be the first-ever opponent for the Utah Military Academy - Hill Field Thunderbirds.
The Utah Military Academies at Hill Field in Ogden and Camp Williams in Lehi are both playing their inaugural seasons for the growing 8-player football league which will feature nine teams this season.
The San Juan Record spoke with Monticello Head Coach Reed Anderson about the team. The entire interview will air as part of the pregame during the StreamUtah.Live broadcast of Friday night’s game.
Anderson shared that this year the team’s theme is “And one.” He explained the theme is about going the extra mile.
“You have the normal things you’re going to do to get better at football, in the classroom, and in your family. But what’s the extra thing you’re going to do? I’m going to do this AND something else. What’s your ‘and one’?
“We’re trying to get those kids to get one-percent better every day. One extra thing a day an add up over time and make you a better player, student and a better person.”
Anderson says the message has been spreading through the team with the team working hard in the classroom and elsewhere. Anderson noted he’s seen that extra effort from juniors Peyton Hatathley and Jaeden Camacho over the summer.
Hatathley will be part of an offensive line that has seen complete turnover from last year. Fellow junior Seth Taylor has been playing center for the Buckaroos with seniors Jarum Robison and Camren Carpenter expected to play meaningful minutes for the Buckaroos.
Anderson says they may look at other players as well as Monticello may continue to operate a more agile offensive line.
“We didn’t have a lot of people who played backup. That line was stout all last year. We’re going to mess around with our line for the first little while. That’s probably the group that needs the most work.
“We might try experiment with moving receivers and running back down there.” Anderson says they’ll be working on it over the next two or three weeks.
The Buckaroos will also be operating their offense with a new quarterback for the first time in nearly three years.
Former quarterback JD McDonald was able and willing to pick up yards scrambling on his feet. Anderson says junior Jackson Keyes, who’s taking over this season, has a different skill set.
“He throws a really pretty ball, deep ball and he’s got some touch. So we’ve implemented some things to utilize that skill set. It’s not going to take long to settle into the role. When he’s out there he plays to have fun, he’s a tough kid to beat, and he’ll complete a lot of passes.”
Anderson says the team has enjoyed some competition at the position with Keyes working with sophomore Cache Young who has greater mobility but is learning pocket presence working alongside Keyes. Anderson says the two will continue to push each other moving forward.
The Buckaroos return the most experience on the offensive side of the ball at the skill positions with senior running back Tavon Black and receiver Carter Rogers expected to use their speed for the Monticello offense.
“They’re very good in space, so that’s the hope. We want to get them in space. We’ll play a bit of power football to keep people honest but their strength will be out there in the open.”
Junior Landon Shumway will also play in the running back role with Jaden Camacho lining up as a receiver.
“We’ve got a bunch of receivers fighting for that last spot: William Rogers, Tommy Morrison, Skyler Peterson, and that competition has helped us. One of the main reasons we went to 8-man is to create that competition to push each other rather than settling because you know you have no-one behind you.”
On the defensive side of the ball the Buckaroos return the most experience on the line with Carpenter, Black, Taylor, and Hatathley all returning with varsity experience.
Anderson shared the linebacking core will include Morrison, Shumway, Young, and sophomore John Leber. The secondary will include the Rogers brothers, Camacho, and sophomore Arturo Gutierrez.
Anderson says on both sides of the ball they’ll rely on athletes. “We have people who can fit lots of different positions which make us able to switch in and out. Being able to flop people and not be saying ‘we’re missing a reciever and no one else can do it,’ No, we’ve got a lot of people that can fill those roles.”
Anderson says the team goal this year is to match the success of the 2022 season. “Our first year in 8-man every game we got a little bit better. Even though the record didn’t look great, by the time we got to the playoffs we were really rolling. So stay positive and help each other out.”
The seniors are taking care of our freshmen. We changed that culture. We don’t look at the freshmen like they’re there to take lickings; they’re there to be built up and get better. Our seniors have taken a good role in that.
“So those things have created a better culture in that. It’s natural in our society to be mediocre and just be okay. So those are the first steps to eliminating that from our own culture as well.”
Anderson says the team is excited to get another season underway. “Come out and enjoy, come see the games, come see your fellow community members, your neighbors, and cheer them on.”
Monticello finished the 2023 season with a record of 7-5. The Buckaroos entered the playoffs as the #2 seed and finished playing against the Rich Rebels in the title game with the final score favoring Rich 35-20.
The Buckaroos open the season against Utah Military Academy - Hill Field Friday, August 23 at 6:00 p.m. Those who can’t make the game in Ogden can watch the StreamUtah.Live stream, with the pregame starting at 5:30 p.m.
The Buckaroos have a nine-game season slated with the first home game against the Rich Rebels on August 30. Homecoming is September 6 against Dolores and the last regular season game is set for October 18 at Altamont.
The Utah 8-player playoffs begin October 25 and conclude with the state championship game November 16 at SUU in Cedar City.