Note: Brighton finished with a 5-5 overall record in 2017 and was fifth in Region 7 with a 1-4 record. It did not qualify for the playoffs.
Brighton 2017 Offensive and Defensive Stats
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — In 2018, the Brighton Bengals will be starting fresh with a new head coach and a new group of starters. Rafe Maughan, a former Snow College offensive line coach, will be the new head coach at Brighton. Maughan will have no returning starters to work with, as nine would-be starters transferred out of the program following Ryan Bullett stepping down as head coach.
“I think that our group has responded really well to the culture shift. They’ve had a really long legacy of great programs here through Brighton. The biggest difference for them is energy levels as far as our staff goes, so the response from these kids has been phenomenal, the turnout has been better than expected, numbers are solid. We’re real young, but the response has been amazing. They’re working their tails off, they’re being held accountable, the kids are just doing the right stuff, the right activities, so, for lack of better words, they’re respecting that process.”
For Maughan, this young group of players are doing all the right things so far.
“The most rewarding part is coming to a job and having a lot of people tell you what people won’t do, or what kids won’t do, or what a community won’t do, and seeing them respond to the challenge and rise to the challenge. We haven’t played a game yet, but in terms of doing the right activities and the right attitudes, the right energies, I’ve been really pleased with that and obviously the relationships are the best part of this, and just getting to know my players and our staff, administration and the community here, this is one of the best places in the state, I’m convinced of it after just a short time of being here.”
Brighton Bengals at a glance
Coach: Rafe Maughan enters his first year as head coach of the Bengals. Maughan has been an offensive line coach at Snow College.
Brighton Offensive Snapshot
Offensive coordinator: Aaron Rodney
2017 offensive production: 24 ppg (14th in 4A)
- 0 returning starters
- Spread offense
Offensive newcomers to watch
- MJ Cirillo (RB)
- Alex Clifford (QB)
- Charles Oliphant (OL)
- Jake Hoole (RB)
- Kabe Marhish (TE)
- Lander Barton (TE)
- Mike Whittington (WR)
Maughan’s comments on the kind of offense he wants to run:
“We’re going to be running a lot of spread components, a lot of your 10, 11, 12 personnel stuff. We’ll kind of spread things out a little bit more and try and remain as basic as we can but still play a physical brand of football, that’s really what our offense will be.”
Maughan’s comments on what makes a successful offense:
“No. 1, it’s ball security. We want to be the most displaced team in the state in terms of pre-snap penalties, post-snap penalties. It’s about efficiency for us, making sure we’re getting in good situations so we can convert the chains and put the ball in the end zone as much as we can and have a good run ratio. To me, it’s playing balanced offense, but at the end of the day, take care of the ball, be a disciplined team and obviously you’ve got to play a physical brand so that the opponents, they understand they’re getting smacked in the mouth play after play, and then remain balanced in terms of our run-pass approach.”
Keys for Offensive Success in 2018: The Bengals will have brand-new offensive personnel on the field, and how well they mesh will be key in Brighton’s offensive success in 2017.
Brighton Defensive Snapshot
Defensive coordinator: Kirk Marhish
2017 defensive production: 29.5 ppg (16th in 5A)
- 0 returning starters
- Odd-front defense
Defensive newcomers to watch
- Andrew Hysong (CB)
- Jackson Johnson (LB)
- MJ Cirillo (CB)
- Mike Whittington (S)
Maughan’s comments on the type of defense he wants to run:
“We’re primarily looking at odd-front, cover-2 behind it with multiple different coverages, play some man, pretty much like everybody else, we’re going to play what we need to play in order to defend an offense. Our defense is definitely one based around rallying to the football, mobbing to the ball, 11 bodies to it, and just playing good, fundamental and sound gap control and being a terror for an offense to deal with in terms of physicality, that’s the objectively.”
Maughan’s comments on what needs to improve before opening night:
“It’s just a team-wide issue of maturity. We are so young across the board, understanding just the detail and preparations that need to be done and being assertive enough in the moment, snap of the ball, just understanding assignment and going after it full tilt. That’s really the biggest improvement from now until August 17 when we meet Freemont, we just want to see our guys prepare with more maturity and not have the hesitation at the snap of the ball. They’re getting to their fits, they’re getting to their assignments, it’s just a matter of being real dilberate in what we’re doing. We’re coming along, and they sure are coachable, so we’re excited about that.
Keys for Defensive Success in 2018: Again, the Bengals are all new on the defensive side of the ball. The biggest key is seeing if Brighton can adjust to the speed of Friday nights.
Coaches preseason Region 7 straw poll: Fifth
Deseret News Region 7 prediction: Fourth
Key Region Game: vs. Timpview, Oct. 5 (Week 8)
Bottom line: This will be a rebuilding year for the Bengals. With no returning starters and a young team, new head coach Rafe Maughan will be building the foundation for years to come with this season.
2018 Schedule
- Aug. 17 — FREMONT, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 24 — at Layton, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 31 — OLYMPUS, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 7 — GRANGER, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 14 — at Skyline, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 21 — at Jordan, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 28 — at Corner Canyon, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 5 — TIMPVIEW, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 11 — COTTONWOOD, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 17 — at Alta, 7 p.m.
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Felt’s Facts for Brighton
All-time record: 360-188-2 (49 years)
Region championships: 16 (1977 co, 1978, 1979, 1981 co, 1982, 1986, 1988 co, 1992, 1995 co, 1996 co, 1997, 2000 co, 2001, 2002 co, 2004, 2005 co)
Playoff appearances: 36
Current playoff appearance streak: 0
All-time playoff record: 40-35
State championships: 1 (1982)
State championship record: 1-4
Most played rivalry: 47 meetings with Bingham dating back to 1969. Brighton leads 28-17-1.
Felt’s Factoids: Brighton didn’t have a losing season for 29 straight years — from 1977-2005 — the second-longest such streak in state history and longest since 1970. The Bengals enjoyed five undefeated regular seasons during the streak. … Simi Fehoko set a pair of state records by catching 24 TD passes and averaging a whopping 137.0 reception yards-per-game last season.
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Last 5
- 2017 — 5-5 (1-4 in Region 7 – Missed playoffs)
- 2016 — 3-6 (2-4 in Region 3 – Missed playoffs)
- 2015 — 7-4 (4-2 in Region 3 – 5A First round)
- 2014 — 10-2 (4-1 in Region 3 – 5A Semifinals)
- 2013 — 12-2 (4-1 in Region 3 – 5A Runner-up)
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Brighton coaching history
- 2018 — Rafe Maughan (0-0)
- 2006-2017 — Ryan Bullett (65-55)
- 1999-2005 — Tom Cushing (69-17)
- 1988-98 — Lynn Freestone (90-33)
- 1978-87 — Steve Dangerfield (70-32)
- 1974-77 — Unknown (21-19)
- 1970-73 — Rex Wright (19-19)
- 1969 — Dean Stringham (1-8)
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Deseret News Mr. Football receipients the past 10 years
- 2015 — Simi Fehoko, WR
Deseret News First Team All-Staters the past 10 years
- 2017 — Justen Smith, K
- 2015 — Sione Lund, RB
- 2014 — Simi Fehoko, WR
- 2014 — Osa Masina, LB
- 2014 — Cody Barton, DB
- 2013 — Osa Masina, RB
- 2013 — Jackson Barton, OL
- 2013 — Tyson Aldridge, OL
- 2013 — Isaiah Kaufusi, LB
- 2012 — Jackson Barton, OL
- 2009 — Ricky Heimuli, OL
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.