PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEWS: With new proven head coach, Blackfoot looks to prove that last season was a rare anomaly

The high school football season in Idaho begins on Aug. 23. So to get you ready, we’re counting down with at least one local team preview every day until kickoff.

Up first: The Blackfoot Broncos

2023 IN REVIEW:

0-9 (last place in 4A High Country Conference)Missed state playoffs

COACH’S RESUME

Head Coach: Josh Stewart, 1st seasonOverall record: 0-0Assistant coaches: Jake Monahan, Jeb Harrison, Jody Holder, Jerry Martinez, Alex Martinez, Gabe Galloway, Peyson Hayes, Geoffrey Roberts, Brian Earley, Clint Cousineau, Paul Moore, Mike Monroe, Robert Blevin, Craig Marlow, Matt Kulicke, Nathan Thompson

RETURNING STARTERS

4 on offense4 on defense

It was hard to watch.

Blackfoot, one of the state’s most storied programs with four state championships and multiple playoff wins to its name, having a very uncharacteristic season a year ago.

The Broncos were winless − losing by an average of more than 27 points per game. The only game they were even remotely competitive in was a three-point defeat at home against Emmett in the season opener. Blackfoot dropped all of the rest by double figures.

It marked the worst season in 38 years and resulted in the resignation of Jerrod Ackley last December.

But with a new coach in Josh Stewart, the Broncos are looking to prove that last year was just an anomaly.

“I’m excited. I feel we’re in a good position to turn things around,” Stewart said. “When you go through a season like we went through last year, there’s a little bit of a mindset change that needs to happen. But I feel like our kids have worked hard, they’ve made good progress and are in a good spot.”

Stewart appears to be the perfect guy to lead the turnaround.

He was already quite familiar with the program having grown up just 100 miles away in Driggs. The 45-year-old just led another traditional power in Declo to the state championship game a year ago. Stewart went 35-17 and made the playoffs in each of his five seasons with the Hornets. His previous stops include Ririe and six-time state champion Shelley where he oversaw one of the best defenses in the state during that timespan. The Russets made it to the 2016 state final and allowed just 10.4 ppg the following year with him as their defensive coordinator.

“I’ve always had a lot of respect for Blackfoot football,” Stewart said. “They have a great history. This will be my 18th season overall. So I do feel like I’ve been prepared to be in a position to coach a team like this in a community like Blackfoot. I’m excited to be here.”

However, he’s not alone.

He’s brought with him an experienced staff, highlighted by Jake Monahan and Jeb Harrison. Monahan was the head coach at Shelley during Stewart’s time there, while Harrison led Snake River to the 2017 state championship game.

They’ll all have several talented players to work with, too.

Senior Jaiden Rodriguez was the team’s leading receiver last season. The 6-foot-1-inch, near 200-pounder began the year with a 264-yard, 3-touchdown performance against Emmett and ended it as an All-4A High Country Conference first-team wideout.

“He’ll be a big part of what we do. He’s got a lot of speed,” Stewart said. “He’s a 10.9-second, 100-meter runner in track. So defenses are going to have to focus on him and he’ll obviously help open things up a little bit.”

But who will throw him the football?

It’ll be between senior Jace Cooper and junior Austin Arave. Cooper was the starter last year. But Stewart said that whoever doesn’t get the nod under center will still have a place in the offense.

Junior Zach Johansson, who was an all-league tight end a year ago, will move over to running back after the unfortunate injury to sophomore Corbin Williams, who’s going to be out at least three months with a spinal fracture suffered in camp.

Senior tackle Dewey Diaz is the lone returner along the offensive line, which has been a point of emphasis this offseason with the offense switching to a pin and pull scheme.

“A big focus of this spring and summer has been rebuilding the offensive line, helping those guys learn,” Stewart said. “They were in a zone scheme last year. So that whole approach is a little different. So there’s been a lot of work done with offensive linemen just fundamentally to make that change.”

Defensively, Blackfoot returns three all-conference players. The biggest of which is senior Tyler Johnson. The second-team all-league corner from last year stands at 6-2 and almost 200 pounds. So he’s physical and fast enough to cover almost anyone on the field.

“He’s phenomenal,” Stewart said. “Just in the little bit I’ve seen of him, he’s probably the best corner that I’ve ever coached.”

Johnson will be a factor on the offensive side of the ball, as well. Stewart noted that he requires all of his players to know both sides of the ball.

“That’s where I have a little bit different philosophy maybe then some other bigger school coaches,” Stewart said. “Maybe it’s because of my small school training, but I’m a big believer that you got to get your best 11 guys out there.”

The senior linebacking duo of Landin Gallegos and Weston Layton are certainly two of them. They both earned honorable mention honors a year ago. Stewart feels like the position will be one of the strengths of his team in the new 4-2-5 system that he’s bringing over.

“They fit into this scheme that I run very well,” Stewart said. “They’ll definitely be the captains so to speak of the defense.”

The good news for Blackfoot too is that it’s only posted back-to-back losing seasons once in the last 20 years. Stewart has also only had one losing season as a head coach over the last decade.

So a return to form could very well be in order for the Broncos this season.

“I don’t necessarily want to put a win total on it because at our level, every game will be tough, but I would like us to be a competitive football team,” Stewart said. “Where we’re getting after people in a game where people know they’ve played Blackfoot. That’s how it used to be. When you showed up to play Blackfoot, you knew you were going to get a tough, physical match. So that’s my goal for this year is to kind of bring back that mentality. We want the people we play to say, ‘We’re playing Blackfoot, we better strap it on.’”