Football is back. The Trojans open the season hosting Eldorado High School, a Class 4A school in the Northeast League.
Pahrump will be led by Joe Clayton, who returns as coach after a one-year break. He was 9-19 in the three previous seasons as coach.
The Trojans enter the season with 12 returning lettermen.
Senior Parker Hart will lead the Trojans offense this year. This three-sport athlete was one of the Trojans’ leading receivers last year and the team’s backup quarterback.
Clayton’s return means the return of the jet sweep offense, which means the running backs will be looking to tear up the field.
The lead back for the Trojans will be senior Case Murphy, who will take the place of Tommy Gascoigne.
The Trojans offensive line will be led by junior Jeremy Albertson.
On defense the Trojans will be led by senior defensive end Garrett Monje, cornerback Jesse Dillon and linebacker Riley Sutton.
Trojans coach Joe Clayton said his team is ready for the game.
“The best analogy I can come up with to explain the ferocious nature of these boys is to compare them to a bunch of starving, crazed dogs that have been pinned up for a while,” he said. “They have worked so hard in the offseason to prepare for this grind, they deserve success and they know it is coming. Friday night, I am opening up the cage and everyone will see a hard-nosed, running the rock, flying to the ball, we’re coming at you, football attitude.”
The coach said the team was not intimidated by Eldorado, who is in Class 4A.
“Teams that come to town know that they are in for the toughest night of the year,” the coach said. “Because of our fan base and our tremendous community support, we are looking forward to our stadium ROCKIN’. No one wants to come to Pahrump to play football because our boys feed off of the atmosphere and bring their play to the next level.”
The opposition
The Trojans face the pistol offense of Eldorado. The Sundevils are coached by Robert Cutts and are in the Northeast League this year. Last year they were in the Southeast League and finished 2-7 overall.
Eldorado likes to pass and runs out of a pistol spread offense. They run plays out of the shotgun.
Based on last year’s film, the team likes to screen to the running back or they will dump the ball out to the back in the flat when everyone is covered and that was the extent of their running game.
For the Sundevils, Anthony Silva returns as running back. He led the team with 125 yards rushing on the year.
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com
2016 Trojans
Head coach: Joe Clayton
2015 record: 3-6 (2-5 Sunset League,
seventh place)
Returning lettermen: 12
Returning starters: Seven offense,
six defense
Base offensive set: Jet offense
Base defensive set: 4-3
Top offensive players: QB Parker Hart (Sr.), FB Case Murphy (Sr.),
G Jeremy Albertson (Jr.)
Top defensive players: DE Garrett Monje (Sr.),
CB Jesse Dillon (Sr.),
LB Riley Sutton (Sr.)
Key losses: QB T.J. Milk, FB Tom Gascoigne