High school football: Richfield Wildcats 2020 preview

Note: Richfield finished with a 7-5 overall record in 2019 and was second in Region 12 with a 4-1 record. It was RPI seed No. 11 in the 3A playoffs, and was eliminated by Grantsville 42-14 in quarterfinals.

RICHFIELD — The Richfield Wildcats are all in.

Head coach: Ryan Shaddix

Entering his first season as head coach at Richfield, where he’s previously been an assistant coach. He’s a graduate of River Valley High School in Arizona and Dixie State.

While teams across the state are setting goals of winning region championships, reeling off deep playoff runs or bringing home the state championship, the Wildcats are focused, almost singularly, on commitment to their program.

“Our goal above and beyond is to be “all in” on the commitment that we’ve all agreed to,” Richfield head coach Ryan Shaddix explained. “That is our biggest goal.”

That isn’t to say the Wildcat’s don’t want to win. They are one of the favorites in Region 13, possibly even a legitimate 3A title contender, but headed into the 2020 season their collective focus is on their commitment and nothing else.

It makes sense, given Richfield is on its third head coach in as many seasons. That and for the team’s seniors — 26 in total — this is their last chance to play together, after having spent upwards of six years together on the gridiron from middle school through high school.

“There is a feeling of ‘we want to finish together,’” Shaddix said. “Finishing what we’ve started.”

So far, the Wildcats have kept to their commitments. Per Shaddix, 45 of the 86 players in the program have two or less absences this summer. Seventy-has two of those 86 have attended 75% of the summer workouts.

That commitment should only bode well for Richfield going forward, with the team bringing back a majority of its starters from last season.

On offense, quarterback Gavin Brown is back leading the way, along with running back Kasey Giddings and eight other starters, though a need to improve in the run game remains necessary.

Defensively, the Wildcats have been stout for years, and with seven starters back, including defensive lineman Jake Hyatt, William Smith and defensive backs Brown and Denim Torgerson, among others, that should remain the case.

There has also been an influx of talent from the Richfield basketball team, as standouts such as Dallin Stewart, Max Robinson and Will Robinson have all returned to the gridiron for their senior seasons.

“Our basketball coach has really pushed his kids to go out for football,” said Shaddix. “He knows tough football players make tough basketball players and that has really helped out our program.”

After a second-place finish in region in 2019, a return to the top spot is a real possibility for the Wildcats, but for now they won’t talk about it. They are simply “all in.”

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Richfield Wildcats at a glance

Coach Shaddix’s thoughts on how his players dealt with the COVID-19 adversity in the spring and summer:

“Initially there were some new procedures we had to implement, like taking temperatures, making sure spotters were masked, stuff like that. I’ll be the first one to say that I kind of complained and hem-and-hawed a little bit, but the reality is it takes only a few minutes to make sure we are safe. When we have traveled we’ve worn masks and our school district has been pretty dang awesome with how they’ve implemented it.

“The kids have handled it really well. They’ve laughed, but it is the new normal right? They were really bummed out (in the spring) because our lifting program the last couple of years has kind of gone to the next level. For them to have three months off and see the gains they got in the winter disappear, they were pretty bummed. But one of our guys is already back and above what his power clean was in the spring. Thank God they are young.”

2020 Schedule

Aug. 14 — HURRICANE, 7 p.m.

Aug. 21 — NORTH SEVIER, 7 p.m.

Aug. 28 — at Payson, 7 p.m.

Sept. 4 — at North Sanpete, 7 p.m.

Sept. 11 — MANTI, 7 p.m.

Sept. 18 — CARBON, 7 p.m.

Sept. 25 — at South Sevier, 7 p.m.

Oct. 2 — SAN JUAN, 7 p.m.

Oct. 9 — EMERY, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14 — at Grand, 7 p.m.

Richfield offensive snapshot

Offensive coordinator: Mark Rappleye

2019 offense: 25.3 ppg (8th in 3A)

2019 offensive statistics

• 10 returning starters
• Spread offense

Returning offensive starters

• Gavin Brown (QB
• Kasey Giddings (RB)
• Jake Hyatt (TE)
• Konner Jensen (C)
• Gage Morrison (WR)
• Skyler Pace (OG)
• Kaden Chidester (OT)
• Wyatt Harvey (OT)
• Kordell Morgan (K)
• Ethan Udy (WR)

Offensive newcomers to watch

• Max Robinson (WR)
• Will Robinson (WR)
• Heston Jenson (QB)
• Carston Jensen (RB)
• Keegan Moriarty (RB)

Coach Shaddix’s keys for offensive success in 2020:

“It is really going to break down to very simple fundamentals like running the football incredibly well. Being committed to running the football is going to be the biggest thing. We have got to be able to run the football in order to open up the other things we want to do. Last year towards the end of the season, we were able to do some things running the football, but in our loss to Grantsville we could not move the ball on the ground and that stifled what we wanted to do. If we can’t run the football, we are going to be in trouble.”

Richfield defensive snapshot

Defensive coordinator: Brent Poulsen

2019 defense: 16.4 ppg (6th in 3A)

2019 defensive statistics

• 7 returning starters
• 4-3 defense

Returning defensive starters

• Gavin Brown (DB)
• Kasey Giddings (LB)
• Jake Hyatt (DL)
• Nathan Sheffer (LB)
• William Smith (DL)
• Denim Torgerson (DB)
• Parker Grant (DL)

Defensive newcomers to watch

• Dallin Stewart (DB)
• Max Robinson (DB)
• Will Robinson (DB)
• Grant Kling (CB)
• Heston Jenson (CB)

Coach Shaddix’s keys for defensive success in 2020:

“We have got to stop the deep ball. We have got to prevent big plays. We have been stout against the run for as long as I’ve been here, so our big issue is the deep play. We’ve made some pretty significant changes this year and we had some last year that helped out with that. Limiting mistakes on third-and-long is huge. ”

Deseret News outlook for 2020

Is it region title or bust for the Wildcats in 2020? They wouldn’t admit to that, but expectations are high for Richfield. The Wildcats are experienced and talented, with an influx of basketball players helping in that regard. The team should be one of the best in Region 13, along with San Juan. As for the playoffs, anything less than a berth in the quarterfinals would likely be a disappointment.

Felt’s Facts for Richfield


• All-time record: 351-410-12 (90 years)

• Region championships: 17 (1926, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1984 co, 1985, 1988 co)

• Playoff appearances: 41

• All-time playoff record: 33-40-1

• State championships: 1 (1984)

• State championship record: 1-5

• Most played rivalry: 59 meetings with North Sanpete dating back to 1923. Richfield leads 31-27-2.


Last 5 seasons

• 2019 — 7-5 (4-1 in Region 12 – 3A Quarterfinals)
• 2018 — 6-5 (1-4 in 3A South – 3A Quarterfinals)
• 2017 — 6-5 (2-3 in 3A South – 3A Quarterfinals)
• 2016 — 1-9 (0-5 in 3A South – Missed playoffs)
• 2015 — 2-8 (0-5 in 3A South – Missed playoffs)

Richfield coaching history


• 2020 — Ryan Shaddix (0-0)
• 2018-2019 — Jason Hitchens (13-10)
• 2014-2017 — Erik Thorson (16-26)

• 2008-2013 — Corey Morrison (37-28)

• 2005-2007 — Seth Giddings (12-18)

• 2000-2004 — Dave Clark (11-38)

• 1995-1999 — Corey Morrison (3-40)

• 1989-1994 — Randy Madsen (24-31)

• 1983-1988 — Paul Messersmith (50-17) *1 state title
• 1982 — Larry Estep (4-5)

• 1979-1981 — Paul Tidwell (20-12)

• 1973-1978 — Nyle Norris (37-29)

• 1969-1972 — Gary Roylance (29-13-1)

• 1967-1968 — Ronald Pierce (1-16)

• 1966 — Ken Sampson (1-7)

• 1965 — Unknown (1-6-1)

• 1963-1964 — Andy Anderson (8-7-1)

• 1957-1962 — Art Nielson (12-34-3)

• 1955-1956 — Darwin Woodbury (2-12)

• 1943-1954 — Clive Roberts (1-7)

• 1937-1942 — Unknown (13-16-1)

• 1931-1936 — Joe Buys (28-14-1)

• 1925-1930 — Paul Packard (17-16)

• 1922-1924 — Unknown (6-7-3)

• 1921 — Harry Casey (5-1-1)


Deseret News All-State Archives

Check out our archives of Deseret News all-state teams from 1929 to 2019 at Deseret.com.

Richfield All-State at-a-glance

Deseret News First Team all-staters the past 10 years


• 2019 — Lex Leany, OT
• 2015 — Jensen Magleby, WR
• 2013 — Brodie Ellis, RB

• 2013 — Shay Morrison, DL

• 2013 — Riley Cunningham, DB

• 2012 — Shay Morrison, TE/DE

• 2011 — Braden Hampton, RB/DB

• 2011 — Justus Clark, OL/DL

• 2010 — Robert Torgerson, DL