St. Joseph football preview: New coach, speed fueling Jayhawks’ second season of 8-man
Butler comes to St. Joseph from Orion Jr. High
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- St. Joseph senior Koi Simpson carries the ball through a drill during an evening practice on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Ogden.
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- St. Joseph head football coach Deshon Butler signals for the ball during an evening practice on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Ogden.
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- St. Joseph assistant coach Traveon Hunter works with the running backs during an evening practice on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Ogden.
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- St. Joseph senior Gunner Windsor throws the ball to receivers during an evening practice on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Ogden.
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- St. Joseph freshmen Braxton Philips (left) and Jacob Darrington (right) work together during an evening practice on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Ogden.
OGDEN — A second season of football at St. Joseph’s Catholic wasn’t always guaranteed, but the hire of Deshon Butler breathed new life into a hungry program to become an 8-man competitor.
Butler received a recommendation from Jeramy Hunt-Loveless, who led the Jayhawks to a 2-8 (2-3 1A 8-man) finish in the program’s inaugural season. Butler most recently coached receivers and defensive backs at Orion Jr. High.
The shift to coaching 8-man didn’t only allow Butler to get his foot in the door of a hectic prep scene, but it also gave the native of Fresno, California, the opportunity to build something from the ground up at St. Joseph: a program returning little to no varsity playing experience.
“The kids that were already in the school, they just wanted to come out,” Butler said.
“When I first got hired, they brought me into the school and I ended up making a pitch telling the kids there’s a new program, there’s a new structure and there’s an opportunity for you to come out and do some great things.”
Returning seniors are a part of that group of Jayhawks eager to throw on the pads. Captains Gunner Windsor (QB), Kayden Huss (DE), Koi Simpson (RB) and Nic Morales (WR) are all playing vital roles in getting teammates rides to practice, coordinating weights/conditioning and more.
With such a small group, Huss feels the role of the seniors is as multiple as their roles on the field. No one player on the Jayhawks’ roster is solely isolated to one position, Huss said.
“We keep each other accountable on and off the field,” Huss said. “We all got each other’s backs, we’re making sure we’re doing what’s right. … We just need to get that chemistry down.”
Elsewhere, Butler sought out two more seniors — Declan Yarosik and Brayden Hawkins — to fill needs at corner and defensive end. Asked about roster challenges, Butler said the change in playcalling has helped St. Joseph identify more playmakers and where on the field they thrive the most.
“There wasn’t much of a transition,” Butler said. “It’s just you lose one extra skill player and you lose an extra (lineman). It’s not much but on the plus side is that I (like) to play with speed. We have a lot of speed at the running back and receiver position.”
To help in his pursuit, Butler’s reeled in some talented coaching minds in Bronco Philips (RBs), a Granite High alum, and Taveon Hunter, a former running back at Morehead State, to pull the Jayhawks’ playbook together.
Huss, who previously played football at Weber High, said Butler’s philosophy waters down to “business.”
“Put the work in, be here,” Huss said. “(Butler)’s very business-focused. As long as you’re here, you’re going to learn that’s really what it is.”
Like many of his teammates, Huss wants to come out of the gate with a bang this season. St. Joseph its second-ever season at Whitehorse (in San Juan County) on Aug. 23.
“We’ve got to come out of the gate and win a game,” Huss said. “Make sure we got the people invested because that’s really what’s going to keep us going — the support. You’re going to be fired up to keep going and that’s, what I think, really needs to come out of the gate.”
ST. JOSEPH NOTES
Last season: 2-8 (2-3 1A 8-man)
Head coach: Deshon Butler (First at St. Joseph)
Players to watch:
• Gunner Windsor, QB, Senior
• Koi Simpson, RB, Senior
• Kayden Huss, SS, Senior
• Brayden Hawkins, DE, Senior
• Declan Yarosik, CB, Senior
• Nic Morales, WR, Senior
2024 SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 – @ Whitehorse*
Aug. 30 – Monument Valley*
Sept. 6 – @ Altamont*
Sept. 13 – Utah Miltary-Hill Field*
Sept. 20 – @ Watersprings (Idaho)
Sept. 27 – Utah Military-Camp Williams*
Oct. 4 – @ Monticello*
Oct. 11 – Water Canyon*
Oct. 18 – @ Carlin (Nevada)
*Denotes 1A 8-man region game.
Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.