Veteran De Soto coach Brian King believes the 2022 Wildcats likely exceeded outside expectations. De Soto was not in the top-5 in the preseason poll. De Soto entered the rankings for several weeks, especially in the playoffs. The Wildcats eventually went 9-2 and won the United Kansas Conference.
“Last year, we had a group that a lot of people quite honestly didn’t expect a whole lot of in the conference,” King said.
The Wildcats’ flexbone attack ran the ball on 80 percent of snaps, fourth-most in 5A, and tallied 40.6 points a game, top-4 in the classification. King was pleased with the ’22 team’s ability to simply give full effort.
“That group on Friday nights last year just showed up,” King said. “And gave everything they had. That sounds like something pretty simple, but it was a big difference maker for us last year, just compete your tails off on Friday night.”
This fall, King returns five senior starters on offense, eight senior starters on defense. A lot of seniors are three-year starters, including defensive backs Cole Heitmann, Davis Barr and Charlie Tadlock, linebackers Sean Gibson and Baylor Bell. Senior linebacker Bennett Hutchison was at fullback in ’21 before he moved to defense. Senior quarterback Carson Miller had a big year at cornerback as a sophomore prior to his position switch.
“There is more of a sense of urgency,” King said of 2023.
King has talked to the veterans about avoiding complacent play throughout the offseason training, practice and on gamedays. The group has long shown talent, even before high school.
“You can definitely tell they are a much more experienced group,” King said. “And they been around, and they know what it takes to win, and I have been pretty pleased with those guys as leaders.”
De Soto lists 31 seniors on its roster, the most since the same number in 2019. All the starters are either junior or seniors for King, 68-36 in 11 seasons. On the varsity level, De Soto went undefeated in United Kansas Conference play and has won six straight regional titles. The current junior class never lost a game as freshmen or JV.
Multiple juniors have started for three years. King issued a message in Week 1 preparation. He believed De Soto was going to “have a good squad,” though reminded his team talent alone won’t yield to results. King’s motto, borrowed by TCU football, is “Our Season is My Responsibility.”
“But I think you all know, and you are intelligent enough to know that talent is not enough in this game,” King said. “You have better be disciplined. You better be tough. You better do the little things right, because talent is not enough in this game, and I think they understand that. …This game requires more than talent. It’s going to test every ounce of you, and so that kids got to understand that.”
King has liked having a challenging Week 2, generally the team’s lone open non-conference date. He has purposefully scheduled a tough game in that slot, including Mill Valley, Blue Valley Southwest and Washburn Rural. In ’22, Washburn Rural finished 8-3 and beat De Soto, 28-21. On Friday, the Junior Blues eked past Wichita East, 26-25. Rural blocked an extra point to help secure the victory.
On Friday, De Soto travels to Washburn Rural. Both are just outside the top-five in 5A and 6A, respectively.
Last season for Rural, senior Branton DeWeese completed 143 of 234 passes for 1,884 yards and 25 scores. Titan Osborn had 32 catches. Jaren and JC Heim had 79 and 74 tackles, respectively.
Both Rural and East finished in the top-5 in 6A scoring offense and top-two in passing. Coach Steve Buhler is 174-99 in 31 seasons and 54-44 with Rural.
“Phenomenal job of getting his kids prepared first off,” King said. “But the size you are going to see with those guys on the offensive line and the defensive line and even their skill positions are just big.”
In Week 1, De Soto defeated Lansing, 42-21. The prior year, the Wildcats won by six.
“It was probably one of the more efficient Week 1 games we had, as far as just offensive production and taking care of the football,” King said.
De Soto believes it can throw more this season.
“Last year, we didn’t quite have the personnel to do it, but I think this year we do,” King said.
In ’22, Miller moved to quarterback some out of necessity. He rushed 129 times for 1,152 yards and 16 scores. Plus, Miller completed 28 of 59 passes for 473 yards, numbers he should easily eclipse this year.
“He just got better and better,” King said. “Man, he competed his tail off.”
In Week 1, De Soto rolled up 445 yards of offense and 6.7 yards per play. The Wildcats finished with 137 passing yards. Five players scored a touchdown, two from Amarion Green (three-yard run, 68-yard pass) and one apiece from Bennett Hutchison, Miller, Austin Lindsay and Jayden Lang.
“Being locked in at practice is what it’s going to come down to,” King said.
Miller finished 5 of 6 for 137 yards, and Hutchison rushed 21 times for 117 yards. De Soto was at seven yards a play, and 6.6 yards per pass attempt in 2022, per the SunflowerSportsSolutions.com database. King is pleased with the weapons and increased experience on that side. King noted Miller is “much more composed” and throwing a “much better ball.” Miller has run 10.7 seconds in the 100-meter dash.
“Obviously really proud of our o-line as well,” King said. “Which is going to be obviously where it all starts. The o-line did a great job of controlling things up front.”
The offensive line features senior left tackle Walker Brown (6-foot-4, 265), senior Jack Richards (6-1, 266) and three juniors: right guard James Dykes (6-2, 254), Kimbel Sweeney (6-2, 263) and left guard Seth Goins (6-7, 369). King is highly pleased with the footwork and ability to move with his four smallest linemen. Sweeney, a wrestler, starts on the defensive front. Dykes dealt with illness in the fall and missed Week 1, though is expected to play Friday.
Plus, the linemen are physically strong and posted solid times in pro agilities or 20-yard sprints. Goins has impressed, too, as the biggest player King has ever coached, especially with good feet on the speed ladder. Senior Brett Tickle (6-1, 190) is a wrestler who plays center. De Soto’s great teams from 2017 and ’18 were close to the size of the current line.
“Seth, his mobility and his feet are really pretty good,” King said. “He plays pretty aggressive for a big kid. I have been pretty impressed with him.”
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