SALT LAKE CITY — Despite high school sports shutting down two months prematurely because of COVID-19, the next school year is less than four months away and high school football programs around the state are crossing their fingers for an uninterrupted 2020 season.
The season is scheduled to kick off on Aug. 14, and even though it’s way too early to know if it will proceed without alterations, preparation for the upcoming season will be anything but status quo.
“You can’t really do anything right now, so you have to rely on kids doing it on their own, and then that gets tough with limited access. We’re just trying to plan as if everything is going to be a go, and hopefully it works out that way and we’re able to play,” said Corner Canyon coach Eric Kjar.
Spring time strength and conditioning has been greatly impact by school closures and social distancing, and it seems inevitable those limitations will spill into the summer.
“You can’t really do anything right now, so you have to rely on kids doing it on their own, and then that gets tough with limited access. We’re just trying to plan as if everything is going to be a go, and hopefully it works out that way and we’re able to play.” — Corner Canyon coach Eric Kjar
Despite so much uncertainty about the next high school sports season, the Deseret News has gathered and published the 2020 high school football schedules for all 107 high school football programs in the state at Deseret.com
Corner Canyon, Orem, Sky View, Morgan and Beaver are the defending state champs in their respective classifications heading into the new season.
Even if the season starts on time, Kjar acknowledges he’ll have to make pretty drastic changes to his typical summer schedule to balance weightlifting, conditioning and practice. The safety of the players will be the top priority.
“Once we do get the go-ahead, strength and conditioning will be mostly our focus. The Xs and Os and all that stuff that can take a back seat for the most part, it’s about getting them in physical shape so that they’re safe to play,” said Kjar.
When exactly that day comes and Kjar gets to resume normal coaching activities, he has absolutely no idea. He asks his administrators all the time — because he gets asked all the time as well — but he simply doesn’t know.
Kearns’ coach Matt Rickards echoed the same concern about player safety if restrictions on team functions continues too far into the summer. Most of his players are in his weightlifting class this quarter so he’s able to keep tabs on them in weekly online meetings, but he knows that the lack of structure is difficult for many kids right now.
“A lot of our kids are so used to having a structured daily schedule with school. And a football program like ours that can hold them accountable and set them up for success in everything they do, and when that’s gone and nobody’s there on a daily basis reminding them what’s necessary for them to succeed in academics and socially and everything, some of them lose their way and get off path,” said Rickards.
He said it’s already had a negative impact on several kids within the program that have drifted away.
That reality is amplified for the 17 programs that will have new coaches in 2020, especially if they plan on introducing new offensive and defensive schemes. Here’s a look at the 17 new head coaches this year, with one more still in the hiring phase after a recent change:
6A: Fotu Katoa (Layton), Andrew Fresques (Northridge), Dave Peck (Bingham), Rodrigues Smith (Jordan).
5A: Jason Freckleton (Bountiful), Tyler Gladwell (Woods Cross), Austin Heaps (Timpanogos), Jeb Clark (Payson), Kirk Chambers (Provo), Jeff Higginson (Salem Hills), Dustin Smith (Spanish Fork).
4A: Justin DeCol (Uintah), Travis Cox (Ridgeline)
3A: Phil Howa (Carbon), TBD (Richfield), Mike Grajek (South Summit)
2A: JR Quarnberg (Kanab), Scott Feldman (Layton Christian)
Whether these new coaches and all the holdovers get to start the season on time likely depends on whether the 2020-2021 school year returns to normal with students in the buildings. Kjar and Rickards both said they haven’t heard of any contingency plans yet in case that doesn’t happen.
Below are links to the complete schedules for every 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A high school football team in Utah.
Here’s a look at some of the marquee matchups this fall: Lone Peak at Timpview (Week 1), Corner Canyon at Bingham (Week 3), East at American Fork (Week 4), Sky View at Green Canyon (Week 5), Herriman at Bingham (Week 6), Corner Canyon at Lone Peak (Week 7), Orem at Timpview (Week 8) and Lone Peak at American Fork (Week 9).
Region 1
Clearfield, Davis, Fremont, Layton, Northridge, Roy, Syracuse, Weber
Region 2
Cyprus, Granger, Hunter, Kearns, Taylorsville, West, West Jordan
Region 3
Bingham, Copper Hills, East, Herriman, Jordan, Riverton
Region 4
American Fork, Corner Canyon, Lone Peak, Pleasant Grove, Skyridge, Westlake
Region 5
Bonneville, Bountiful, Box Elder, Farmington, Viewmont, Woods Cross
Region 6
Brighton, Highland, Hillcrest, Murray, Olympus, Skyline
Region 7
Alta, Lehi, Mountain Ridge, Orem, Timpview
Region 8
Maple Mountain, Provo, Salem Hills, Spanish Fork, Springville, Wasatch
Region 9
Canyon View, Cedar City, Crimson Cliffs, Desert Hills, Dixie, Hurricane, Pine View, Snow Canyon
Region 10
Ben Lomond, Cedar Valley, Mountain View, Ogden, Park City, Stansbury, Tooele, Uintah
Region 11
Bear River, Green Canyon, Logan, Mountain Crest, Ridgeline, Sky View
Region 12
Carbon, Emery, Grand, Richfield, San Juan, South Sevier
Region 13
Grantsville, Juan Diego, Judge Memorial, Morgan, South Summit, Summit Academy
Region 14
American Leadership, Delta, Juab, Manti, North Sanpete, Union
2A North
Altamont, Duchesne, Gunnison, Layton Christian, Monticello, North Summit, Rich
2A South
Beaver, Enterprise, Kanab, Milford, Millard, North Sevier, Parowan
Independent