The email landed in Austin Crank’s inbox just a few weeks before the start of football season.
That email provided a bit of information about the new families transferring to Fort Irwin that will be enrolling students at Silver Valley High School. A very specific detail every football coach would love to hear was included.
“We’ve got a 250-pound lineman coming in from Alabama,” Crank said. “You see the words lineman and Alabama and can’t help but smile.”
For most programs, that would be an unexpected surprise. At Silver Valley, it’s just another offseason.
“The old Fort Irwin lottery,” Crank said.
Few football programs deal with more roster uncertainty than the Trojans. With roughly half of Silver Valley’s student population coming from military families stationed at nearby Fort Irwin National Training Center, turnover is part of the program’s identity. Players can arrive days before practice begins or leave in the middle of a season after a family receives new orders.
It has happened before.
During Silver Valley’s memorable run to the CIF-Southern Section Division 13 championship game in 2017, the Trojans lost two key contributors to military transfers before the season ended.
That reality makes continuity feel like a luxury.
“We’re returning about 17 guys,” Crank said. “I haven’t had that since my first year taking over.”
For a team coming off consecutive 2-8 seasons, experience may be the biggest addition to the roster.
Silver Valley finished 2-8 last season while placing fourth in the Cottonwood League with a 2-3 record. The Trojans scored 162 points, allowed 333 and opened the year with five straight losses before earning league victories over Temecula Prep and Riverside Prep.
The record matched the previous season, but Crank believes the program made progress that wasn’t reflected in the standings.
“No coach has any business calling that kind of season a successful one, I get it,” Crank said prior to last season’s start. “But it was a good year for us because we got to lay the foundation. Our kids now know the expectations, and I know every single one of our returners are ready for their get-back. Getting embarrassed like they did last year is not fun for kids, so they are waiting.”
Seems like déjà vu, being that Crank said that following the first of the two 2-8 seasons.
But there is proof those expectations have taken hold.
Senior offensive lineman Aaron Bowlan has spent another offseason enduring the desert heat in Yermo, convinced the work put in now will show once the games begin.
“It’s definitely very, hot,” Bowlan said. “But that doesn’t stop us from working with how dedicated we are to getting better. This offseason, we’re actually looking really good. I’m excited to just show out and show all the hard work that we’ve been putting in this whole offseason.”
The Trojans will have to replace leading rusher Noah Durrah, who graduated after carrying much of the offensive load last season.
Crank believes junior Amien Parker is ready for that responsibility. As a freshman, Parker suffered a freak injury, snapping his tibia and fibula on a kickoff during practice and missed the entire season.
“We’re kind of banking on Amien Parker entering his junior year,” Crank said. “He played defense last year, but this year he’s finally getting back into running the ball. He’s going to be our guy. He’s a freak athlete. He’s starting to learn how to take care of himself better in the weight room, probably pound for pound, our strongest guy.”
Silver Valley is also counting on quarterback Casen Mogan taking another step after gaining valuable experience as a sophomore.
Crank said Mogan has spent the offseason working with Victor Valley College offensive coordinator John Tuescher, and the growth has been noticeable.
“He’s starting to become that leader that we need,” Crank said. “I think we kind of rushed him into being it, and maybe that kind of killed some of his confidence early on.”
Senior Javion Taylor returns, while senior linebacker Ietula Teo is back after leading the Trojans in tackles.
Crank expects Teo to make an impact on both sides of the football.
“We are returning probably one of our better linebackers or defensive players, Ietula Teo,” Crank said. “He’s a smaller guy that can fly over the field. He’ll play linebacker and some fullback in our full house system.”
That physical style places plenty of responsibility on an offensive line that has absorbed much of the criticism during the past two seasons.
Junior Shane Groubert understands why, even if he doesn’t always agree with it.
“People would get mad at us for not blocking for more than four seconds,” Groubert said. “It’s irritating because I know we messed up, but it isn’t just us as the reason for losing games.”
Instead of dwelling on the past, Groubert sees a team that’s growing together.
“We have a good group of people,” he said. “They all know what is expected of them. We have a lot of returners. And you mix in all of our new freshmen. They’re actually trying, putting in all the work with us and doing what they are supposed to do. Not messing around like we’ve seen in the past.”
Silver Valley also returns to familiar territory this fall.
After spending the past two seasons in the Cottonwood League, the Trojans move back into the Manzanita League, where they’ll compete against California Military Institute, Desert Chapel, Hamilton, Nuview Bridge, San Jacinto Valley Academy and Temecula Prep.
Like last season, Silver Valley won’t play a Week 0 game. The Trojans open the season Aug. 28 at home against California City before hosting Boron the following week.
“My expectations, and I’m pretty sure everyone else on the team, is that we’re going to win and make a run this year,” Bowlan said.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Silver Valley football eyes fresh start in return to Manzanita League
Reporting by Jose Quintero, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jose Quintero, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
