ST. GEORGE — The Red Storm's 13-hour bus ride to Alamosa Colo., Friday took the team into a much different climate than what they are conditioned to and the lengthy ride should give players plenty of time to visualize successful play.
After practicing and training for the last two and a half weeks in the 100-degree-plus southern Utah conditions, the team is prepared for stressing heat.
But the ASC Grizzlies roam at a 7500-foot elevation, and that may affect the Storm just as much as the heat affected the Grizzlies' 2009 game loss to the Red Storm in St. George.
The Red Storm defeated the Grizzlies 37-28 in that game, which was a kick-off to the season for both squads. Adams State College Head Coach Marty Heaton said his team's loss was the result of unexecuted focus and concentration.
"It was kind of a typical first game of the season," said Heaton. "Both teams made mistakes; I know we made a lot of mistakes. I think the heat took a little out of us."
Heaton's references to mistakes were the four interceptions that he saw his offense serve up to Red Storm defenders.
The Grizzlies were down 17-6 at the half, and 24-13 after three quarters. Naturally, an offense begins pressing when down, and that is what Adams State did. Heaton's Grizzlies did not give up and outscored Dixie State 15-13 in the fourth quarter. They scored a touchdown to close within 31-28 with three minutes left.
However after stopping the Red Storm on the following drive to give its offense a fighting chance at just over two minutes left in the game, the Dixie State defense sealed the win by picking off a Sean McDougal pass inside the Grizzlies own 20-yard line. The Red Storm would punch in the last touchdown to start its season with the win.
Coach Heaton said this Saturday's rematch will come down to the same things that hurt his team last season.
"It comes down to simple things," Heaton said. "The team that plays with the most discipline, commits the fewest penalties, and wins the turnovers is usually the team that will come out on top. We're going to try to work that field position too."
Both teams will be led by sophomore quarterbacks. The Grizzlies will start Trevor Eggleston, a Tucson Ariz., high school product and the Red Storm will start Nick Marinko, a Pine View Panther from southern Utah. Dixie State Head Coach Scott Brumfield awarded Marinko the starting job this week and looks for the young man to make things happen.
"He's one of our best agility guys we tested in the spring and again in the summer," Brumfield said. "There are not too many guys with a better arm. Now it's just how he performs on the field. This is his first start in college. He's very capable of being successful and I have seen his confidence level grow."
The Red Storm and Grizzlies will try to out-discipline each other at noon on Saturday and coach Brumfield hopes his sophomore signal-caller has dreams of success on that extended bus ride.
Kickoff from Alamosa, Colo. is scheduled for 12 p.m.