“ When you come into a year having a whole bunch of juniors playing , some sophomores playing , and even some firstyear seniors playing , it is just going to be trial by fire ,” Hulett said . “ They are going to get acclimated by getting hit in the mouth some and going against several top 10 or top 20 players in the state , and we got to figure a way to play against them .”
The good news is the Porcupines return starting junior quarterback Hudson Hulett , son of Coach Hulett , who has been around the game majority of his whole life and on the sideline for the better part of seven years .
“ Hudson has been in the locker room since he could walk . He has signaled from the sidelines for me since he was in the fourth , fifth , and sixth grades ,” the head coach said . “ He has always been around them , and when you are a kid growing up in the locker room , you just kind of gain a little knowledge . So it was natural for him , it was easy for him to be in that role when our kids are really accepting , and he had a good year .”
It ’ s not easy to be a quarterback , much less when you ’ re a sophomore , and the coach ’ s son . Nevertheless , the younger Hulett took 100 % of the practice and game reps last year , and should emerge as a leader in his third year as a Porcupine .
Joining Hulett on the watchlist include Aaron Bowen and Jeremy Morrow on the offensive line , and wide receiver / cornerback Speck Behle and Bryce Hollingsworth .
The expectations going into this season for the Porcupines remain the same — play deep into December , something Springtown has been able to do for the last three years .
“ It is an expectation , but it is easy for this group to not look back at it because as a whole , although they were rounded , some had roles , some had very minor roles , but we just didn ’ t have a lot of major roles ,” the head coach said . “ For them , they have to earn their stripes . They aren ’ t sitting back on the laurels of last year , because they didn ’ t have them personally , and so it is not real hard . You play the schedule that we have and you go out and have to take a loss or two … get that in you and you realize that last year ’ s stuff is gone , and so you just have to work daily .”
To vault off of last season , the Porcupines set high goals and work towards those goals , but they understand they
2021 PORCUPINES
10-4 OVERALL
3-2 DISTRICT
2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 47