We lost a couple senior starters, but I think it's just our job to bring the guys that are taking their spots along with us, and I think we can definitely take that next step of winning a Big Sky championship. I think it's definitely an attainable goal for us. – Weber state defensive tackle McKay Murphy
OGDEN — While the big dogs in Salt Lake City, Provo and Logan garner most of the attention when it comes to college football in the Beehive State, there are some fierce football-playing 'Cats in Ogden who have their own sights set on some gridiron glory this fall as well.
Weber State officially opened its fall camp Tuesday afternoon at Stewart Stadium, where the Wildcats have 15 returning starters and 34 letter-winners, but will be busy breaking in a new starting quarterback after going 7-5 overall and reaching the FCS Playoffs last year.
And after finishing third in the Big Sky Conference at 6-2 in 2016, these 'Cats, under fourth-year head coach Jay Hill, are focused on winning the league championship and hopefully piling up nine, 10 or 11 wins in 2017.
"We've got a lot of the guys that were with us last year, a big part of that team is still here and still starting for us," said senior defensive tackle McKay Murphy. "We lost a couple senior starters, but I think it's just our job to bring the guys that are taking their spots along with us, and I think we can definitely take that next step of winning a Big Sky championship. I think it's definitely an attainable goal for us."
Senior tight end Andrew Vollert, who earned All-American and All-Big Sky first team honors last season, wholeheartedly agreed.
After all, when the Wildcats break their huddle now, they chant, "Big Sky champs!" in unison.
"That is the ultimate goal," said Vollert, who's been named a Preseason All-American this year. "It's been awhile since Weber State has won it, and we've been breaking on that since January. It's been on the front of our minds since the end of last year, so we're bound to make it happen. Absolutely, Big Sky champs or bust, pretty much.
"Anything short of double-digit wins is not acceptable any more. Ever since Coach Hill took over, the trajectory has just been up and up and up, and I really expect that trend to continue this year."
One of the keys to making that happen will be the play of senior quarterback Stefan Cantwell, a former Bingham High, Dixie State and Snow College star who steps into a starting role following the graduation of Jadrian Clark, who started the past two-plus seasons.
Also waiting in the wings at QB is sophomore Justin Shaw, a former Fremont High School standout.
"I'm actually really confident in Stefan Cantwell," said Vollert. "He's our guy and our whole offense, our whole team is 100 percent behind him and he's ready to take the reins. And I'm 100 percent confident and not worried about it at all."
Neither is coach Hill, who has guided the Wildcats to back-to-back winning seasons — something that eluded the program from 2011-14.
"I'm excited for Stefan and for Justin Shaw and their opportunity to battle to be the guy," Hill said following Tuesday's season-opening practice. "I couldn't be happier with the way they handled spring practice and how they're handling the first practice today. We've got a lot to clean up with those guys, and they'll make mistakes throughout the fall. That's OK; we've got to limit those mistakes and we've got to perform well around those guys.
"I know one thing — Stefan Cantwell's been a winner his whole career, and Justin Shaw won a ton of football games in high school and won the one game he played for us his freshman year. Bottom line is those guys have some experience and we've got to rely on those guys to play well."
Hill, too, has his sights set on continuing the successful trajectory that has seen the program improve its win total in each of his first three seasons at the WSU helm. But he knows that there's still a lot of work to be done.
"We're excited about where we're at and where we're heading," he said. "But we're not where we need to be yet. We still have a couple big steps to take forward. Last year we won seven games; my expectation's not seven, it's nine, 10, 11 wins, go into the playoffs and make some noise, and make some runs at some Big Sky championships, and we're not there yet. We haven't been there yet.
"And I think this is the team that can do that, assuming we continue to take the right steps forward."
Coach Hill said winning a Big Sky title is definitely a realistic goal for his program, but one which won't come without a great deal of hard work and improvement.
"That's our goal, but that's a process," he said of the Wildcats' quest to claim the school's first Big Sky football crown since 2008. "You don't just say it. A lot of teams say it, that that's their goal — I think there's 13 teams in the Big Sky that are gonna say that that's their goal — but it's all about who handles the process the best and who goes out to practice each day and works like that's their goal.
"And that's what we've got to get to. Today was a little sloppy with some of the seconds and thirds (stringers), but if we can get them to come along, we've got a chance of reaching that goal. — If it wasn't a realistic goal, I sure wouldn't love coaching, and I love coaching these guys right now."
EMAIL: rhollis@desnews.com