The 2016 season may be considered a rebuilding year for the Dove Creek football team.
After going 8-3 last year and making an appearance in the Colorado 8-Man Football State Playoffs, the Bulldogs lost seven starters to graduation.
So this year, they’ll be relying a group of mostly underclassmen.
The only returning starters are seniors Scott Gatlin and Dante Gallegos and junior Tristen Martinez. And after suffering a knee injury, Gatlin suited up for his first practice on Tuesday and is still slowly working back into the mix.
Senior Donovan Trudeau and sophomore Ryan Martinez saw some time last year, but this season they’ll be asked to play entirely new positions. Trudeau moves from the line to the backfield, and Martinez is currently lining up under center for his first time.
With the heavy turnover and with players learning new positions, the Bulldogs are still working to install their playbook. But head coach Shane Baughman said that his team is putting in the effort.
“The kids are hungry and they’re working hard,” he said. “So that’s nice to see as a coach. I think we’ll just continually get better as the year goes on. I think it’ll be a slow start, but hopefully a fast finish.”
Previously playing in the A-8 Mountain League, the Bulldogs’ conference is now referred to as the A-8 Southwest League. Aside from the name change, the league dropped Sierra Grande and added Norwood to replace them.
Baughman said he envisions Norwood and Sargent battling for the league title this season, but that the strength of the league helps all of its members when it comes to playoff positions.
This year, the Colorado High School Activities Association will use the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) as a way to measure a team’s strength relative to other teams.
It rates teams based on their winning percentage (25%), their opponents’ winning percentage (50%) and their opponents’ opponents winning percentage and is used in the postseason qualification process.
So if the Bulldogs are playing in one of the toughest leagues in the state, their RPI will increase, along with their chances of making the 16-team state tourney.
“If you play in a weak league it doesn’t necessarily benefit you unless you can win that league,” said Baughman. “And our league is tough. It’s probably the second toughest league in the state.”
But before they begin worrying about the postseason, the Bulldogs are first working to get comfortable with their playbook and with players at new positions before their first game on Saturday.
Dove Creek opens at home on Saturday against Rangely at 10:30 a.m.
