Note: Northridge finished with a 3-6 overall record in 2014 and was fifth in Region 1 with a 2-4 record. It did not make the playoffs.
LAYTON — Erik Thompson absolutely loves his Northridge High football team.
They're certainly not the biggest, fastest or strongest squad around. They're definitely not the most experienced or the most talented, either. And it's doubtful they'll challenge for a region or state championship this season.
But when it comes to his kids' effort, work ethic, togetherness and strength of character, the Knights' longtime coach has nothing but great admiration and appreciation for the young men in his program.
"There's something special about this team as far as who they are as people," Thompson said. "Now whether or not that'll translate onto the field in wins or losses, I don't know. I think it will but, even if it doesn't, I'm gonna love coaching them and I'm excited for the year.
"They're doing everything they're supposed to. They're well organized, and they realize they have to make a choice that it's something they care about and how good they want to be and what kind of atmosphere they want to create on the team. I just feel really fortunate this year to have a team that I like so much, that does what's asked of them, that tries hard all the time.
"Everyone talks about the skill you need to play football, and most people start with your speed and your strength and how physical you are and how high you can jump," Thompson said. "We talk about trying hard, being prepared, and having a unity and togetherness, and those are also skills that you can develop. We feel that those three things are going to be unmatched by most teams that we play."
No, this is not a talent-laden, powerhouse Northridge team like the ones that swept three straight state championships more than a decade ago when Thompson was Fred Fernandes' assistant coach.
But this particular group of Knights are a "team" in every sense of the word, pulling together and doing the most they can to listen, learn, remain dedicated to a common cause and get the utmost out of their abilities.
Coach Thompson is grateful for the young men and coaches he has the opportunity to work with.
"Our best players are also the kids that work the hardest and do what's right, and they set a great example for everybody else," Thompson said. "Sure, if you were to look at it on paper, we're not a great team. My sophomores went 0-9 last year, and we have the smallest group of sophomores we've ever hand. Our J.V. went 3-6, and we only have five returning starters.
"If someone were to look at this team on paper, they'd say 'They're gonna take last in the region,' and 'Northridge is down.' We're the second-smallest team in 5A next to Roy, so things aren't looking good. We talked about that, and said 'Hey, are we gonna accept that or are we gonna do something about it?' and these guys have done something about it.
"There's six or seven kids on this team that've just really taken control and said 'We do things right and we're changing the atmosphere.' And it's been a joy to coach these guys," he said. "I don't know how good of a football player a lot of these guys will be, but I'm very confident that I think those things matter and in some way they're going to translate on the field.
"Success is defined a lot of different ways for some people. But I know this is going to be a successful team and year for us because that's the type of kids they are. ... I'm excited to coach these guys. That's why I'm looking forward to coming to work every day."
Indeed, the Knights have a handful of experienced performers returning from last year's team; they have a group of good athletes who are ready for their chance to shine, and they've had a host of new players move in from other out-of-state areas which will help move the program forward.
At quarterback, senior Jrue Perkins — who started at wide receiver last season — has been moved into the starting QB role. So he'll be throwing passes instead of catching them now.
"We think he could be a really good one," Thompson said. "I think we'll have one of the better ones in the state there. Sure, any coach can tell you that. But if you've got a good quarterback, you've got a chance to be good. So start right there and we've got a chance to be good.
"Jrue really developed his passing game. He was really raw when he was young, and he was more of a runner. But Jrue's one of the more hard-working, committed kids you'll find. If you had to put a box next to someone's name and you could list every characteristic you would like to have in a football player, Jrue's one of the few that you could check every box. He's a 3.9 student, he's well-liked by his teammates, and he's one of the hardest working kids on the team.
"He's one of those guys that not only is he really talented, but the kids look to him and say, 'Here's a kid that treats me with respect and does what's right and always tries hard," Thompson said. "When your best players are those type of kids, things seem to fall in line a lot easier than when they're not. To me, that's his greatest strength is all those intangibles. He's 6-3, his arm strength's really improved, his accuracy's improved, he understands our offense, which isn't easy. We think that he's gonna have a breakout year for us."
Perkins had a solid season as a wide receiver last year, catching 32 passes for 490 yards and six touchdowns — the team leader in all three categories.
"Last year, we played him at wide receiver because of the need there, and in my opinion he was the best receiver in our region," Thompson said. "He led the region in yards per game and touchdowns per game, and that was the toughest thing about moving him back to quarterback, where he's played his whole life, was we lost our best receiver.
"So if we can figure out how to have him throw it to himself," Thompson quipped, "we'll be good."
A junior and a pair of sophomores are battling for the backup QB spot behind Perkins.
At running back, the Knights have a pair of good ones in seniors Ammon Uasila'a and Curtis Daniels — each with vastly different skill sets.
"Ammon's your classic hard-nosed, really physical back, kind of that big, bruising back. He catches the ball exceptionally well, and he's great in pass protection. There's a very high level of trust with Ammon. He's gonna run hard and he's gonna do everything we've asked of him.
"He strugglied with ball security last year, but he's gotten a lot better with that," he said. "I think he'll have a big year for us."
And then there's Daniels, one of the school's move-ins who shows the capability of being a difference-maker.
"He's the little jitterbug," Thompson said. "He brings something different to your backfield. He's very fast and very quick. There's not many people that I've coached that remind me of (former Northridge and Weber State star) Bryant Eteuati that played here, maybe pound for pound one of the best football players I've seen. This kid reminds me of him.
"There's only so few guys I've seen that can make a guy miss in a phone booth, and this kid's one of them."
Backing them up is Ammon's younger brother, Malachi Uasila'a, another quick, fast back.
"I feel blessed there," Thompson said. "We've been blessed with some special kids at running back over the years, and that'll be no different this year. I think both of those guys will be something to be reckoned with."
At wide receiver, where the Knights typically run a four-receiver set, they've got a great group that Thompson feels good about.
Junior Ethan Udy "is not a super-big kid but just catches everything, runs great routes, and no one tries harder on a football field than him," Thompson said. "So I think he'll lead us there and be our best receiver, but we're very deep there." Senior Mike McGee "had a great offeseason and I think he'll do some great things for us," the Knights' coach said.
Seniors Dallas Lobato, Kyzer Armendariz, Ryan Cleverly and Alex Mashburn, along with junior Marquise Jones, will also get plenty of reps at the wideout positions.
Of Jones, Thompson said "he's really raw but he's got a lot of athletic ability and a lot of potential to be a good playmaker for us. All those guys will play, but Udy's the one guy that'll stay in all the time."
At tight end, senior Brody Browning is the starter, backed up by senior Tyce Stilson.
Coach Thompson calls the offensive line "the definite strength of our team" and says "that's where most of our leadership comes from."
At center, senior Brogan Poll is a returning starter who's played the position for three years. "He's a 4.0 student, and there's not a time he doesn't try his hardest at everything he does," Thompson said. "He's a great leader."
The same can be said for senior offensive guard Taylor Allen, a three-year starter who's "smart as he can be and tries hard at everything he does."
At offensive tackle, senior Garrison Hinckley is a two-year starter who Thompson feels is a definite Division I player.
"He's just kind of undersized but, at 6-4 and 230 (pounds), he's faster than most of our wide receivers," the coach said. "He's super smart and athletic, and I think he's going to have a tremendous year at left tackle."
On the right side of the O-line, senior Tyson Astle will start at guard along side senior tackle Tommy White. Both of them got some good playing time and experience last season.
"I haven't been around a line that loves each other and hangs out with each other and has their own code words as these guys do," Thompson said. "Usually that's the most difficult position to coach, with a lot of things you've got to coach up and tell 'em, and they've got it down, so that's nice. They're all a little bit undersized, but they're smart and they're tough and they play hard, and I think that will allow them to be successful."
Rotating in there is senior Noah Kramer (6-3, 295), who Thompson said is "a tremendous offensive lineman as well" but is a keystone to their defensive line.
Kramer is an intense senior who piled up 32 tackles and a sack last season.
"We think he'll be one of the better ones in the state, and anytime you're tough up the middle, we feel like you've got a good chance to be good," Thompson said.
At the other defensive tackle spot will be Slama, while White and seniors Shoil Kolomalu and England Patu-Pauuli, another move-in from Hawaii, are also ticketed for duty at D-tackle.
At defensive end, Brogan Poll and Allen, two of the best leaders on the team, will lead the way. Allen had 33 tackles with four sacks last season.
But Allen and Poll both start on the offensive line, and Thompson says "it's hard to play both ways in the trenches, but thankfully we've got some good depth there.
"We've got two D-lines and we'll rotate 'em," Thompson said. "They're all doing a great job."
Browning and senior Cade Poll are the starters at linebacker in Northridge's 4-2-5 defensive scheme, with junior Ryan Orton, senior Kieffer Allen — a move-in from Germany — and Ammon Uasila'a providing depth there.
Orton and senior Levi Reinhold are battling it out for the starting rover/safety spot in the Knights' formation, with a pair of seniors, Dax Marroquin and Ahmad McDaniel, starting at cornerback.
"They bring it and play hard all the time," Thompson said of his corners, who'll be backed up by Daniels, senior DeShawn Cooley and capable sophomores Josiah Kelley and Hunter Harris.
At safety, Perkins started all last season and had 30 tackles and an interception, but Thompson says "we hope he won't have to play there all the time" this year. Armendariz and Cleverly are battling to see who'll start in Perkins' absence.
The other starting safety is Udy, "one of those rare kids that have ball-hawk and cover skills, but who's very physical as well. ... He's doing a tremendous job and is going to be a great playmaker in the secondary," Thompson said.
"On any team, if you've got a good quarterback, the next most important position is your O- and D-line, and that's the strength of this team," Thompson said. "We're pretty good at O- and D-line and we're good at quarterback, and if you're strong there, you've got a shot on any given Friday.
"I feel we've really been blessed. I feel like we've had one of the best offseasons we've ever had as far as not only player development, as far as the kids getting faster and stronger, but also buying in and doing everything that you ask them to do. And then Hill Field's had about three or four people move in that are pretty good football players. We usually don't have any depth, and we're gonna have a little more depth than we've had thanks to Hill Field.
"So I'm gonna have to send them a 'thank you' note," he said. "We've had four military kids move in in just in the last little while, and they're all pretty good players. They're good students, and they've blended well with our kids. There's already a good camaraderie with them."
Northridge belongs to a new-look Region 1 this year, with Cache County schools Sky View and Mountain Crest being bumped up to 5A along with Roy and Clearfield. They're joined by longtime Region 1 members Fremont and Weber, with longtime Davis County rivals Davis, Layton and Syracuse moving to Region 2.
"I think the region we're in now is gonna be the toughest in the state and we'll definitely be tested, but that'll be fun," Thompson said. "We didn't get into this to win 42-nothing every week; that's no fun. It's fun when the hair on the back of your neck stands up and you've got to make decisions and the game relies on it. That's the fun part about coaching. And I think we'll be in a game like that every week with our schedule. We'll definitely get found out if we're any good or not, so I'm anxious to see.
"Alphabetical order, from Clearfield to Weber, there's a unique thing that happens in Region 1 in that all the coaches are friends, we all know each other, we've been playing against each other for years, and we do summer camps together," he said. "It's like we know their plays and they know ours, and coming into the season, we know who their guys are. In my opinion, I'm going across the board and I'm thinking every team in our region is gonna be better than they were last year. And Roy's gonna be the only one exceeding that because Freddy (Fernandes) had a really special group, but his two running backs are as good as anyone in the state and his line is really good. They're as good as anybody in our region.
"Sky View is loaded, Mountain Crest is loaded, Fremont looks as good as they've ever been. Weber and Clearfield are dramatically improved; they've got a lot of kids out and high enthusiasm. It'll be like the SEC West, but it'll be fun, though. The kids are excited to start some new rivalries, but they're fully aware that we've got our hands full and we're gonna have to be really good to make the playoffs from this region Sky View's bringing everyone back, and from what I've seen of Fremont, I would say Fremont and Sky View would be, talent-wise,the two best teams. But I think the rest of us are gonna have something to say about it."
And where will Northridge fit into that mix?
"I don't know how good we will or won't be. I have a suspicion that we're gonna surprise people, and I'm anxious to find out if I'm correct or not," Thompson said.
"There's always guys you thought could play that couldn't and then there's guys that weren't great practice players and get opportunities and shine. That'll all shake out here in the next four weeks, so we think by the time we hit region we can hopefully have found some guys and realize the lack of experience that we have. And hopefully, four games in, we can start becoming the team I think we can be.
"We're hoping experience is overrated," he said. "I really like my guys, but I haven't seen 'em in Friday night lights, so I can't wait to find out here in two weeks. We've got great assistant coaches here, and the strength of this program is gonna be we're gonna be prepared, we're gonna try hard and I've got great assistant coaches. When you've got those three things, it's kind of a fun place to be."
Indeed, that's what they've got at Northridge High — and that's why Erik Thompson loves his team.
Northridge Knights at a glance
Head coach: Erik Thompson is entering his 12th season as Northridge's head coach. He has compiled a 70-47 record at the school. He is a graduate of Roy High School and Mesa State.
Offense (5 returning starters; Spread/Multiple formations)
Offensive coordinator: Braden Mitchell (6 years as an assistant)
Returning offensive starters
Ammon Uasila'a (RB)
Jrue Perkins (WR)
Brogan Poll (C)
Taylor Allen (OG)
Garrison Hinkley (OT)
Offensive newcomers to watch
Cyrus Daniels (RB)
Ethan Udy (WR)
Michael McGee (WR)
Dallas Lobato (WR)
Kyzer Armendariz (WR)
Ryan Cleverly (WR)
Marquise Jones (WR)
Alex Mashburn (WR)
Brody Browning (TE)
Tyson Astle (OG)
Tommy White (OT)
Defense (2 returning starters; 4-2-5 formation)
Defensive coordinator: Erik Thompson/Jason Duckworth (17 years at the school for both)
Returning defensive starters
Noah Kramer (DT)
Jrue Perkins (S)
Defensive newcomers to watch
Caleb Slama (DT)
Shoil Kolomalu (DT)
England Patu-Pauuli (DT)
Brogan Poll (DE)
Taylor Allen (DE)
Brody Browning (LB)
Cade Poll (LB)
Dax Marroquin (CB)
Ahmad McDaniel (CB)
Ethan Udy (S)
Coaches Region 1 preseason straw poll: Fifth
Deseret News Region 1 preseason prediction: Sixth
Bottom line: The Knights have only a handful of returning starters from last year's team, but coach Erik Thompson is hoping that what his team lacks in experience it will more than make up for in unity, desire and determination. His players have those admirable qualities in great abundance, and with leaders like Jrue Perkins, Noah Kramer, Taylor Allen and others leading the way, Northridge just might emerge as the surprise team out of Region 1 this year. Three of the Knights' last five games are at home against Sky View, Roy and Clearfield, and the outcome in those contests will go a long way in determining Northridge's fate.
Last 5
2014 — 3-6 (2-4 in Region 1 -- Missed playoffs)
2013 — 4-6 (4-2 in Region 1 -- 5A First round)
2012 — 9-3 (4-1 in Region 1 – 5A Quarterfinals)
2011 — 8-4 (4-1 in Region 1 – 5A Quarterfinals)
2010 — 9-3 (6-2 in Region 1 – 5A Quarterfinals)
Northridge coaching history
2004-current — Erik Thompson (71-47)
1996-2003 — Fred Fernandes (67-26)
1992-1995 — Mike Rosky (12-26)
Deseret News Mr. Football recipients
2001 — Daniel Coats, WR
Deseret News First Team All-Staters the past 10 years
2012 — James Baird, K
2012 — Eliyah Mayberry, DL
2012 — David Adams, RB
2011 — Karson Casteel, QB
2011 — David Adams, RB
2011 — Dallas Clark, OL
2011 — Austin Tate, LB
2010 — Brock Johnson, DB
2006 — Nate Ellis, RB
2006 — Mike Baker, DL
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.
EMAIL: rhollis@desnews.com