BLACKFOOT BRONCOS

Head coach: Jerrod Ackley, second season (7-2)

Three year glance:

2020: 7-2 (lost in state quarterfinals)

2019: 11-2 (lost in state title game)

2018: 4-6 (lost in first round of playoffs)

The transitional pains are in the past. Blackfoot coach Jerrod Ackley is now in year two as the head man for the Broncos, year two trying to return the black and green to the championship heights storied coach Stan Buck left the program at in 2019.

Ackley’s first season was more than promising. Taking over amidst a pandemic, the former Idaho State Bengal had to instill his philosophies and schemes under circumstances not ideal for first impressions.

Still, the Broncos went 6-1 in the regular season before faltering on the road to Emmett – the eventual state runner-up.

But in year one, Ackley had the luxury of Teegan Thomas, the all-state tailback who ran for 1,800 yards as a junior and more than 1,200 as a senior. Thomas and quarterback Jace Grimmett both graduated, a pair of losses that Ackley believes his squad can overcome.

“We’re going to be fine,” Ackley said. “We have an experienced offensive line this year – last year we were inexperienced … And Austin Ramirez is a pretty legit athlete.”

Indeed, the junior running back is a more-than-capable replacement for Thomas. A state runner-up in wrestling, Ramirez is a shifty ball-carrier who really came on when Thomas was injured for the second half of the Broncos’ playoff win over Vallivue.

“Teegan was really good at making reads but I feel like Austin kind of picked that up from him,” said senior offensive lineman Russ Lyon. “I don’t think there’s going to be a whole lot that changes – just the name.”

Ramirez is one of a trio of offensive skill guys Blackfoot will rely on in 2021, joining quarterback Jaxon Grimmett and 6-foot-5 wide receiver Ja'Vonte King.

Grimmett had the reins of the JV offense last season, able to grasp Ackley’s run-pass-option-heavy offense without being thrown into the varsity fire right away. Now up in the big leagues, Grimmett conceptualizes what his coach wants – and has playmakers like Ramirez and a ball-hawking King as safety blankets.

“We’d like to see Ja'Vonte take his game to the next level,” Ackley said. “We’ve been trying to sell to Ja'Vonte like, ‘If you took over in the weight room and took your physical gifts and added 25 pounds, you’re the best athlete in the state probably in both basketball and football.”

Blackfoot’s roster is littered with stud athletes, especially on defense.

Senior Bowen Robinson was a first-team all-state linebacker last season after posting 68 tackles and nine sacks for the Broncos. From that linebacking corps, too, Blackfoot returns seniors Carson Trejo and Braxton Marlatt, who Ackley believes are “all-state-caliber kids.”

Add in senior defensive end Michael Edwards and Blackfoot’s front seven could be one of the best in the area.

“We’re going to be strong,” Robinson said of Blackfoot’s defense.

The defensive questions almost all lie in the secondary, where the Broncos lost three of four starters. If that gets sorted out, Blackfoot’s expectations jump to the stratosphere of title contenders.

“Realistically, we expect to be playing at the end of the year,” Ackley said. “That’s our goal.”

Blackfoot begins its season at home against Thunder Ridge on Friday Aug. 27.