Photo By Kent Kidd - #7 Matt Meyers
Written by Hailey Stewart
With Matt Meyers in his senior year as quarterback and Wood River Head Coach Shane Carden in his second season with the program, the two look to bring the Wolverines out of 2019’s slump season and into a new era this fall.
Coming off a 1-7 2019 season, Wood River will need to bring the heat to the gridiron while introducing new talent to the starting lineup after losing several key players to graduation.
Left tackle Johnny Servin, multi-purpose player Andrew Nelson, and defensive lineman Brendon Cox will all be missed because of their leadership and explosive playmaking abilities, Carden said.
Junior linebacker Andres Salamanca and junior wide receiver/defensive back Jacob Russel are expected to build upon their strengths this year and act as leaders on both sides of the ball.
“We expect them to really be a huge part of both our offense and defense,” Carden said.
In addition to new faces to the starting line, the Wolverines have added Chance Hansen as offensive line coach.
“We are very excited about how he coaches that position with an emphasis on technique and enthusiasm,” Carden said.
Carden and his team look to keep a balanced offense this season.
“We are looking forward to using more two-back formations, along with more
pre-snap movement,” Carden said
Other than the obvious importance of a strong quarterback, Carden says guards play a huge part in the Wolverines’ run game and must be able to help carry the run game as well as the pass.
Carden said senior Tuffer Manning has become a strong leader on the offensive line and a leader of the team as a whole.
Wood River opponents can expect to see some simple changes in the Wolverines’ defense this season. With some changes to the front and the expectation for each defender to “swarm the ball,” Carden said the inside linebackers are some of the most important players on the defense.
Senior defensive back Gianpierre Fajardo has dedicated himself to the weight room this last year, and Carden says he’ll be a large presence on the defense this season.
Wood River opens the season Aug. 28 against Canyon Ridge.
Check back with IdahoSports.com for updated scores and schedules throughout the season.