Note: Hurricane finished with a 0-9 overall record in 2018 and was seventh in Region 9 with a 0-6 record. It did not qualify for the 4A playoffs.
Hurricane 2018 offensive and defensive stats
HURRICANE — There’s no way to sugarcoat it, last year was brutal for Hurricane.
In Skyler Miller’s first year as head coach, Hurricane finished dead last in 4A in scoring defense (51.2 ppg) and second-to-last in scoring offense (8.2 ppg). It didn’t win a game, and realistically was only competitive on one Friday night.
One would think that type of season might deter kids from coming back, but Miller said that hasn’t been the case. The players and coaches are excited to build upon the tough lessons learned last season and hope to be much more competitive in 2019.
“We bring pretty much every kid back from last year who didn’t graduate, and that says a lot about our kids, especially with how hard that season was for everybody,” said Miller.
“Really good place with the staff members I have and our phenomenal kids. If it hadn’t been for our kids right now and how hard they’ve worked to get better and for the commitment and faithfulness of our coaching staff, I wouldn’t be as comfortable and as excited to move forward as I am.”
Hurricane is mixing things up both offensively and defensively in an effort to find the schemes that fit best with the personnel.
There are only about four regulars back from last year’s offense, but the defense has a bit more experience coming into the season and Miller believes the athletes are there to compete in the difficult Region 9.
The continuity between the players and coaching staff should help Hurricane be more competitive from the outset, but whether that leads to any wins remains to be seen.
Hurricane Tigers at a glance
Coach: Skyler Miller is entering his second year as head coach at Hurricane this season after 0-9 mark last year. Prior to that he spent one year at Canyon View High School. He’s a graduate of Cedar City High School.
Coach Miller comments on new UHSAA RPI:
“For me, I only can control what I can control. Whatever the UHSAA decides to, we’ll do. We’re not going to sit back and complain. For us, we’re just trying to get that first win. After that we’ll just move on to the second game.”
Hurricane offensive snapshot
Offensive coordinator: Nick Hansen
2018 offensive production: 8.2 ppg (24th in 4A)
— 4 returning starters
— Multiple offenses
Key offensive returning starters
— Brock Starley (QB)
Passed for more than 1,000 yards last year and will take on a larger role this year as Hurricane mixes things up offensively.
— Ray Cordova (WR)
Was Hurricane’s top receiving threat last year as he hauled in 35 catches for 364 yards and three TDs.
Returning offensive starters
Brock Starley (QB)
Luke Wright (RB/Slot)
Ray Cordova (WR)
Isaiah Martinez (OL)
Offensive newcomers to watch
Britton Stratton (RB)
Connor Nielsen (RB)
Jagger Hadley (RB)
Clayton Warr (RB)
Ian Lambert (RB/WR)
Bubba Moore (WR)
Ben Van Buren (TE)
Eli Peart (OL/TE)
Greg Scott (OL)
Derrick Nielsen (OL)
Coach Miller comments on evolving offensive philosophy:
“We want to create an identity on the offensive line and simplify our blocking schemes. Obviously our legacy at Hurricane High School has always been a Wing-T running offense, we’re trying to come up with paying tribute to the nostalgic offenses of the past but yet coming into our own with the modernization of the spread. I don’t think I can really put an identity to us right now, as a staff we’re just trying to simplify the playbook so we can learn to create an identity with how hard we play.”
Coach Miller comments on returning starting QB Brock Starley:
“Our expectations for Brock are to step up and be a contributor obviously from a performance standpoint, but his contribution to us from the experiences last year is to step up and be more vocal as a leader. … He’s going to fit in really well with what we’re doing offensively but his big expectation for us is to be that leader on the field, making sure guys are sticking to the culture model and responding well when things don’t go well.”
Coach Miller comments on returning receiver Ray Cordova:
“He has a unique skill set for sure. He’s got a lot bigger, which has been kind of interesting. I think maturity has started to kick in a little bit more. He’s looking really good right now. I don’t think that changes his ability to run, we will definitely use him as a weapon on the perimeter and kind of our go-to deep guy.”
Keys for offensive success in 2019:
The coaching staff is changing offenses this season, and throughout the summer was still trying to fine-tune the best approach for the personnel. Coach Miller said the key to the season offensively is making sure he and his staff make the right choices with the schemes. He said the skill and talent is there, but putting them in the best positions to succeed is key.
Hurricane defensive snapshot
Defensive coordinator: Chris Hansen
2018 defensive production: 51.2 ppg (25th in 4A)
— 5 returning starters
— 4-2-5 defense
Key defensive returning starters
— Eli Peart (DE)
Led Hurricane in tackling last year for most of the season.
— Ben Van Buren (LB)
Was one of Hurricane’s top linebackers last season and will need to have another big year this season.
Returning defensive starters
Eli Peart (DE)
Isaiah Martinez (DL)
Ben Van Buren (LB)
Ray Cordova (DB) – moving to LB
James Lemmon (DB)
Ian Lambert (FS)
Defensive newcomers to watch
Clayton Warr (LB)
Ethan Hirschi (LB)
Luke Wright (DB)
Jagger Hadley (DB)
Coach Miller comments on new defensive coordinator Chris Hansen:
“We have a new defensive coordinator that have promoted within our staff and he brings a ton of experience and he’s getting our kids playing extremely relentless. Expect us to be flying around and hitting and being extremely violent and physical, and I think we’ll be a lot more sound than we have been in the past.”
Coach Miller comments on defensive lineman Isaiah Martinez:
“We’re looking at him as the one lineman we’re going to build our alignment round. Isaiah has a big role across the way and I think he’s the kid to definitely put that on his back.”
Coach Miller comments on linebacking core:
“Ben (Van Buren) is going to have to step up and be that leader 'cause he has that experience. Clayton Warr will also play linebacker, we have another senior who is coming back to play and didn’t play last year is Ethan Hirschi. These guys are raw but they fly around and I think the strength will be in our linebacker core.”
Coach Miller comments on safety Ian Lambert:
“Ian has made some of the biggest strides just in his physical development. He’s lightning fast, pretty tall, pretty muscular and has developed a real sense of the ball. He’s going to probably be the main leader in our secondary at probably the free safety spot.”
Keys for defensive success in 2019:
The fewest points Hurricane allowed in a game last season was 31, and it allowed 50-plus points five times. It’s no secret that everything needs to be better in 2019. Playing more aggressive defensively this season is a huge priority, something that has already been addressed with a coaching reshuffle. Hurricane can’t expect to get stops if it’s pushed around every snap.
Bottom line
The summer is the time for optimism, even for programs that didn’t have much to be excited about the year before. For Hurricane, it’s hard to imagine things getting any worse than what the players and coaches endured last year. Only time will tell if it’s much better though. Schematically Hurricane is changing things up quite a bit and it’s going to take time for everyone to adjust to those, and with only two preseason games — which count toward playoff seeding — there isn’t really time to ease into the season.
Coaches preseason Region 9 straw poll: Eighth
Deseret News Region 9 prediction: Eighth
Key region game: vs. Cedar City, Sept. 27 (Week 7)
2019 schedule
Aug. 16 — JUAB, 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 — at Murray, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 — SNOW CANYON, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 — CRIMSON CLIFFS, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 — at Desert Hills, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 — at Canyon View, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 — CEDAR, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 — PINE VIEW, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 — at Dixie, 7 p.m.
….
Felt’s Facts for Hurricane High School
All-time record: 313-334-12 (69 years)
Region championships: 10 (1965 co, 1980, 1982, 1989 co, 1990, 2005, 2008, 2009 co, 2010 co, 2011, 2012 co)
Playoff appearances: 36
Current playoff appearance streak: 12 (2005-2016)
All-time playoff record: 31-35
State championships: 1 (2011)
State championship record: 1-7
Most played rivalry: 68 meetings with Cedar dating back to 1949. Cedar leads 47-18-3.
Felt’s Factoids: Hurricane made the most improvement in one season in state history, going from 1-8 in 2004 to 12-1 in 2005. ... Tiger Lance Gubler still holds the career interception record, 34, set from 1980-82. … Tony Matthews set the single-game interception record, with five in 1967.
...
Last 5
- 2018 — 0-9 (0-6 in Region 9 – Missed playoffs)
- 2017 — 2-7 (1-5 in Region 9 – Missed playoffs)
- 2016 — 3-7 (1-4 in 3AA South – 3A First round)
- 2015 — 6-4 (3-2 in 3AA South – 3AA Quarterfinals)
- 2014 — 8-6 (4-2 in 3AA South – 3AA Runner-up)
...
Hurricane coaching history
- 2018-current — Skyler Miller (0-9)
- 2014-2017 — Steve Pearson (19-24)
- 2001-2013 — Chris Homer (91-57)
- 1989-2000 — Wes Christiansen (54-57)
- 1982-1988 — Wayne Edwards (20-37)
- 1972-1982 — Wes Christiansen (57-58)
- 1971 — Tony Heaton
- 1961-1970 — Jim Beaty
- 1960 — Don Lay
- 1954-1959 — James Robertson
- 1950-1953 — Don Homer (16-10-3)
- 1949 — Edgar Lempold (4-2)
- 1947-49 — Paul Wilson (no official win/loss record but won 6-man football titles both years he coached)
.....
Deseret News MVPs the past 10 years
- 2011 — Brian Scott, RB
Deseret News First Team all-staters the past 10 years
- 2015 — Kirt McDaniel, DB
- 2014 — Jeremiah Ieremia, LB
- 2014 — Charlie Sefita, LB
- 2012 — Jared Edwards, RB
- 2012 — Sean Hafen, DL
- 2012 — Ethan Stratton, K
- 2011 — Alex Sefita, OL
- 2011 — Kevin Mortensen, DL
- 2011 — Taylor Parker, DB
- 2011 — Weston Yardley, SP
- 2010 — Daniel Nielson, OL
- 2010 — Jarom Healey, RB
- 2010 — Taylor Parker, DB
- 2010 — Eric Canfield, DL
- 2010 — Corey Edwards, K
- 2009 — Ian Gates, LB/OL
- 2009 — Kylynn Iverson, OL
- 2009 — Jeff Staples, DL
- 2009 — Corey Edwards, K
To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.