Kearns Cougars
On Aug. 12, the Deseret News published its preview of the Kearns High School football team. Here is what
was written by reporter Dan Rasmussen.
Expectations are very high inside Kearns High's football program, and the fact that the Cougars are planning
on accomplishing some big things this fall speaks volumes about the job coach Bill Cosper has done since
taking over the program two years ago.
Entering Year 3 of Cosper's tenure, Kearns hopes to take some more huge steps forward in 2008.
The Cougars went a respectable 5-6 a season ago and qualified for the 5A playoffs. and with a plethora of
talented guys back on both sides of the ball, there's no reason to think they can't continue their upward
progression this fall.
"We've improved every year, which is what you want to do," said Cosper. "We've had some close games. We
actually could've won more games in each of those two years. We would've made the playoffs the first year if it
hadn't been our region's time to opt out and only have three (playoff spots), and then fortunately we get in last
year and draw the state champ. Hopefully, we can learn from those things."
Transitioning from losing close games to winning them can often define a program, and Cosper and Co.
believe they have the right stuff to get around that corner in 2008. Cosper pointed out that Kearns led several
of the close games it lost a season ago, and if the Cougars figure out how to win those games this time
around, they could make big waves in Region 3 and throughout the state.
"When I got here, the biggest thing I had to change was attitude and getting the kids to believe in themselves
instead of, 'Oh, here something bad's gonna happen' and dwelling on it," said Cosper. "The point we have to
get to is when we're ahead in those close games is we have to finish those games and don't let them be
close. That's the thing I'm gonna push on them this year."
On paper - for whatever that's worth - the potential is clearly there. Cosper started nine sophomores during
his first year, and those battle-tested guys are now returning for their senior seasons.
"We have a lot of potential in this group," said senior running back Alamoti Vaenuku, one of the three-year
starters who rushed for 1,383 yards and 15 TDs last year.
Guys like Toa Afatasi, Sione Angilau, Fatu Moala and a number of others should also contribute heavily, but
there's no question that much is expected from Vaenuku, who has drawn recruiting interest from some
smaller in-state schools and dreams of attending the University of Utah.
According to Cosper, Vaenuku didn't realize his full potential offensively until midway through last year.
"In the past, even at the beginning of last year, when he'd break free, he'd try to find somebody to run over,"
said Cosper. "Well, I said, 'You don't have to.' He finally figured it out. I said, 'You're fast enough to run away
from people,' and he did. He'd turn the corner, and he'd take it."
On Aug. 12, the Deseret News published its preview of the Kearns High School football team. Here is what
was written by reporter Dan Rasmussen.
Expectations are very high inside Kearns High's football program, and the fact that the Cougars are planning
on accomplishing some big things this fall speaks volumes about the job coach Bill Cosper has done since
taking over the program two years ago.
Entering Year 3 of Cosper's tenure, Kearns hopes to take some more huge steps forward in 2008.
The Cougars went a respectable 5-6 a season ago and qualified for the 5A playoffs. and with a plethora of
talented guys back on both sides of the ball, there's no reason to think they can't continue their upward
progression this fall.
"We've improved every year, which is what you want to do," said Cosper. "We've had some close games. We
actually could've won more games in each of those two years. We would've made the playoffs the first year if it
hadn't been our region's time to opt out and only have three (playoff spots), and then fortunately we get in last
year and draw the state champ. Hopefully, we can learn from those things."
Transitioning from losing close games to winning them can often define a program, and Cosper and Co.
believe they have the right stuff to get around that corner in 2008. Cosper pointed out that Kearns led several
of the close games it lost a season ago, and if the Cougars figure out how to win those games this time
around, they could make big waves in Region 3 and throughout the state.
"When I got here, the biggest thing I had to change was attitude and getting the kids to believe in themselves
instead of, 'Oh, here something bad's gonna happen' and dwelling on it," said Cosper. "The point we have to
get to is when we're ahead in those close games is we have to finish those games and don't let them be
close. That's the thing I'm gonna push on them this year."
On paper - for whatever that's worth - the potential is clearly there. Cosper started nine sophomores during
his first year, and those battle-tested guys are now returning for their senior seasons.
"We have a lot of potential in this group," said senior running back Alamoti Vaenuku, one of the three-year
starters who rushed for 1,383 yards and 15 TDs last year.
Guys like Toa Afatasi, Sione Angilau, Fatu Moala and a number of others should also contribute heavily, but
there's no question that much is expected from Vaenuku, who has drawn recruiting interest from some
smaller in-state schools and dreams of attending the University of Utah.
According to Cosper, Vaenuku didn't realize his full potential offensively until midway through last year.
"In the past, even at the beginning of last year, when he'd break free, he'd try to find somebody to run over,"
said Cosper. "Well, I said, 'You don't have to.' He finally figured it out. I said, 'You're fast enough to run away
from people,' and he did. He'd turn the corner, and he'd take it."
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