Jared CohenHere are some of the facts:
Coming into this season, the North Canyon senior class had won a total of three varsity games. They had not one a game on their home field since the field turf was put in and they were brining in third head coach in five years.
After six games, all of these facts are now a mute point as the Rattlers have already surpassed their win total of the last three seasons at 5-2 (which includes a home win) and playing as good a football as we’ve seen from them in a number of years. Talent has not been the issue at North Canyon, it has been the numbers and the depth. New head coach Jose Lucero has made the most of his depth this season.
Lucero made a point to spend plenty of time building his new offensive line. One of those lineman is one of the top prospects on the west coast in Austin Jackson. But as a collective unit, they had a ways to go when he first arrived. That line is now doing a very good job of blocking for 6-6 senior quarterback Trevor Leinstock who I believe is playing is way into the conversation for schools at the next level. He is very big with a big arm.
His main target is a special, special athlete. Solomon Enis was known by very few coming into this season. He played well as a sophomore in 2015 but in 2016, he has been unstoppable. Through six games, he had 48 receptions for 930 yards and nine touchdowns. Opposing teams are now keying in on him so they are moving Enis into the slot, to running back and even to quarterback to run some Wildcat packages just so he can get the ball in his hands.
When you watch his film this season, his big plays are electric and exciting. You can see the 4.4 40 yard dash speed (which he was clocked at by hand at the Glendale Community College Combine this past summer). But you also see blocking. His 6-4 frame is an advantage over most defensive backs and he is using often away from the ball. Those are the little things that stars do that make their team great and I know for a fact that there are Pac-12 programs who are noticing.
And that is just the offense. Austin Jackson (who gave us a recruiting update including setting two official visits can be seen above) has had a big year on defense as well with an obscene 20 tackles for loss on the year and up-and-coming sophomore linebacker Tre O’Guinn is averaging 10.5 tackles per game while quarterbacking the defense.
North Canyon has something special building. Will it result in a playoff birth this season? That remains to be seen and judging by the AIA power rankings, it won’t be easy. But coach Lucero is making the most of it with a team that seems to be clicking on and off the field.
