Here is a preview of the Royal Knights for the 2011 SCAC football season:
Coach: Wiley Allred (13th year, 136-16).
Last league title: 2008.
Last playoff berth: 2010.
Home field: David Nielsen Memorial Field.
Projected starters
OFFENSE POS YR HT WT
Alex Myrick QB Jr. 5-7 165
Alex Ramirez RB Jr. 5-4 145
Brady Dixon FB Jr. 6-2 175
Ricky Ramirez WR Sr. 5-8 155
Danny Vermeer WR Sr. 6-0 150
Reed Lefler TE Jr. 6-4 180
Kent Christensen OL Jr. 6-3 200
Uriel Carmona OL Jr. 5-9 175
Tanner Whitaker OL Sr. 6-1 235
Carter Christensen OL Jr. 6-0 200
Justin Edwards OL Sr. 5-10 175
Pepe Gaxiola K Sr. 6-0 170
DEFENSE POS YR HT WT
Reed Lefler DE Jr. 6-4 180
Tanner Whitaker DT Sr. 6-1 235
Cristian Fernandez DT Jr. 6-1 200
Kent Christensen DE Jr. 6-3 200
Alex Ramirez LB Jr. 5-4 145
Brady Dixon LB Jr. 6-2 175
Justin Edwards LB Sr. 5-10 175
Danny Vermeer DB Sr. 6-0 150
Alex Myrick DB Jr. 5-7 165
Johnny Villanueva DB Sr. 5-5 150
Freddy Ramirez DB Sr. 5-10 155
Damien Delarosa P Jr. 5-11 180
Others to watch: OL Abel Castillon, Sr. (5-10, 200); LB Marcos Morales, Jr. (5-8, 170).
Quick hits
* Ramirez will start at running back, Dixon at fullback and Lefler at tight end after injuries caused some reshuffling. Dixon started at tight end last season. Ramirez saw time at running back a year ago, though he did not start.
* For the first time in a few years, the Knights will get to enjoy having mainly upperclassmen on the roster. That should provide the necessary experience to chase after Connell. Royal returns seven starters on both sides of the ball.
* For a second consecutive season, Royal finds itself in the strange position of being an underdog. It's not often a coach with more than 100 wins can tell his kids with a straight face that no one is expecting them to win the league title.
* Whitaker is back after a solid season on both sides of the ball. The Knights will rely on him to be a force up front.
Outlook
The key to Royal's season could be how much Myrick has grown under center.
"It's fun to watch the growth of someone in the quarterback position," Allred said. "He has improved, and you see a lot more confidence."
The Knights expect they will be able to compete with anyone in the state.
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