Jordan Beetdiggers
On Aug. 11, the Deseret News published its preview of the Jordan High football team. Here is what was written
by reporter John Coon.
If there is any theme Jordan has chosen to focus on this fall, it is the idea of developing consistency. The
Beetdiggers are on a quest to not only start off well but finish on an equally strong note.
After repeatedly falling short in the post season, starting well and then building on that start is a concept
Jordan players want to master.
"We just peaked at the wrong time last year," fullback Dillon Hill said. "We want to go throughout the season
just getting better every game to where, when it comes playoff time, we're ready to rumble."
Jordan took the state by storm in 2007 while playing under adverse circumstances. Delayed progress in
installing artificial turf at their stadium forced the Beetdiggers to hit the road for every home game.
It didn't seem to affect Jordan too badly. The Beetdiggers started 7-1 and looked to be the team to beat in the
state. But then they ran out of gas and dropped three straight to close out the season — including a shocking
22-6 setback to a Hunter team who had opened the year with five straight losses.
A consensus at Jordan is they didn't do enough in the offseason to maintain the level they needed to be at
going into the playoffs.
"Last season, starting at Northridge, I don't think we were conditioned enough," Hill said. "We just got to hit the
gridiron this year, ready to go in a conditioned state."
The Beetdiggers have focused hard on weight training and conditioning to foster the consistency and stamina
needed for the post season.
They are also focused on molding themselves into more of a defensive-minded group. Truckloads of
touchdowns and yardage have become the team's trademark in recent seasons.
And while that high-octane offense is expected to continue, Jordan hopes to compliment it with a defense that
will keep opponents in front of them and not yield the sort of big plays that the Beetdiggers regularly produce
themselves on the other side of the ball.
"We just want to play hard defense," said Parker Williams, a senior defensive back. "Jordan defenses have
been good in the past and we just want to be good too."
Jordan will continue its recent tradition of taking on high-profile out-of-state opponents when it travels to
Canton, Ohio at the end of August to face Massillon, Ohio. It is one of 12 games in the prestigious Kirk
Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge - an event sponsored by ESPN.
Beetdiggers coach Alex Jacobsen said his team is excited to have a chance to represent the state of Utah in
the event and is convinced they will validate their invitation to Ohio with a solid performance.
"There's not a high school in this state that wouldn't like to trade places with us and go back to Canton,"
Jacobsen said. "And I wouldn't have done this unless we had good kids. These are good kids in the
classroom. You know, we don't have a bunch of knuckleheads."
On Aug. 11, the Deseret News published its preview of the Jordan High football team. Here is what was written
by reporter John Coon.
If there is any theme Jordan has chosen to focus on this fall, it is the idea of developing consistency. The
Beetdiggers are on a quest to not only start off well but finish on an equally strong note.
After repeatedly falling short in the post season, starting well and then building on that start is a concept
Jordan players want to master.
"We just peaked at the wrong time last year," fullback Dillon Hill said. "We want to go throughout the season
just getting better every game to where, when it comes playoff time, we're ready to rumble."
Jordan took the state by storm in 2007 while playing under adverse circumstances. Delayed progress in
installing artificial turf at their stadium forced the Beetdiggers to hit the road for every home game.
It didn't seem to affect Jordan too badly. The Beetdiggers started 7-1 and looked to be the team to beat in the
state. But then they ran out of gas and dropped three straight to close out the season — including a shocking
22-6 setback to a Hunter team who had opened the year with five straight losses.
A consensus at Jordan is they didn't do enough in the offseason to maintain the level they needed to be at
going into the playoffs.
"Last season, starting at Northridge, I don't think we were conditioned enough," Hill said. "We just got to hit the
gridiron this year, ready to go in a conditioned state."
The Beetdiggers have focused hard on weight training and conditioning to foster the consistency and stamina
needed for the post season.
They are also focused on molding themselves into more of a defensive-minded group. Truckloads of
touchdowns and yardage have become the team's trademark in recent seasons.
And while that high-octane offense is expected to continue, Jordan hopes to compliment it with a defense that
will keep opponents in front of them and not yield the sort of big plays that the Beetdiggers regularly produce
themselves on the other side of the ball.
"We just want to play hard defense," said Parker Williams, a senior defensive back. "Jordan defenses have
been good in the past and we just want to be good too."
Jordan will continue its recent tradition of taking on high-profile out-of-state opponents when it travels to
Canton, Ohio at the end of August to face Massillon, Ohio. It is one of 12 games in the prestigious Kirk
Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge - an event sponsored by ESPN.
Beetdiggers coach Alex Jacobsen said his team is excited to have a chance to represent the state of Utah in
the event and is convinced they will validate their invitation to Ohio with a solid performance.
"There's not a high school in this state that wouldn't like to trade places with us and go back to Canton,"
Jacobsen said. "And I wouldn't have done this unless we had good kids. These are good kids in the
classroom. You know, we don't have a bunch of knuckleheads."
MatchupUT.com Phone: (801) 520-4330 Email: Bruce@matchupUT.com
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