Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Minico
2. Twin Falls
3. Jerome
4. Mountain Home
5. Burley
6. Canyon Ridge
7. Wood River
Written by: Brandon Baney
The Burley Bobcats started hot in 2020, starting the year 2-1 and averaging 35 points per game. Unfortunately, Burley would taste victory just once after that 2-1 start, ultimately finishing 3-6.
As good as Burley's offense was in 2020, their defense had trouble keeping up with the opposition. Burley allowed 54 points to Twin Falls, 58 points to Mountain Home, and 64 points to Great Basin Conference champ Jerome.
The Bobcats relied on young players in the backfield a year ago, and Burley fans are hopeful that with a year of seasoning under their belts, they will be better equipped to not only continue piling up the points, but also stopping the other team from scoring.
Burley will be tested right away, as their first game of the year is against conference foe Mountain Home. They'll follow that with a non-conference game against Class 3A Buhl. Other non-league games for Burley will be difficult. They play one of the favorites to win the Class 3A state title this year (Kimberly), as well as Pocatello High, a favorite to win their conference in Class 4A.
If the younger members of Burley's team can develop, and their low depth can remain injury-free, the Bobcats have a great opportunity to sneak up on an opponent or two in 2021.