WALKER VALLEY MUSTANGS
Head coach: Glen Ryan (26-38 in six years here; 76-85 overall)
Returning starters: 3 offensive, 5 defensive
Key players: WR Jack Anderson (6-2, 185), QB Griffin Broome (6-1, 175), TE/DE Clint Davis (6-0, 195), DB Kole Hall (5-10, 170), LB/TE Spencer Wilson (5-10, 195).
Team strengths: One positive of having few starters returning is that the coaching staff has a clean slate. The younger players who want more playing time are eager to listen and follow instructions, and Ryan believes that will make for a better overall team.
“We’re seeing this group really push each other,” Ryan said. “That’s something we haven’t had a lot of in the last few years, and that can make everybody better. We’ve had good players, but we’re hoping to develop better leadership throughout the team.”
Team concerns: The lack of experience and depth throughout the roster is one glaring problem, as is a lack of overall athletic ability in a region in which most other teams have a lot of speed.
Newcomer to watch: Anderson played some last year but didn’t get much varsity action. The junior will be counted on to step up and become much more involved on offense.
“He’s really worked hard to get stronger and taken on a leadership role,” Ryan said. “He has the potential to step in and be the next in line of a run we’ve had lately of really good receivers.
Season outlook: For the Mustangs to contend for a playoff spot, significant improvement is needed on defense. Last year’s unit gave up 35-plus points in all 10 games, including 45 or more seven times.
The Mustangs have just seven seniors on the roster and will be led mostly by juniors and a sophomore class of 30.
“We’re just not blessed with a lot of natural ability and talent,” Ryan said. “We have to make up for that by playing together and doing the little things right. We lack the size and depth on the line we need at this level and don’t really have much breakaway speed. We’ll have to be solid in all aspects as a group.
“With our schedule, the season could be a hard road for us, but I think we will show improvement over last season due to the hard work this offseason. We’ve got some teams we don’t match up well with, but some others that if we play the way we can, we have a shot at.”
On offense, Broome steps into huge shoes as he replaces Kolten Gibson, who set several school passing records as a multiyear starter. The junior is athletic, has a strong arm and a potentially dynamite connection with classmate Anderson.
“We don’t need him to do all the things Gibson did right away,” Ryan said. “We’re just asking him to make the right reads, and there will be some positive plays there.”