High school football: Altamont Longhorns 2012 preview

Defense

(8 returning starters)

Just as with the offensive line, Smith and the defensive line return unchanged this year. The Altamont defense gave up 298 points last season. That number is far from the worst in 1A — it as actually tied for fifth out of nine schools — but leaves a great amount of room for improvement.

Coaches’ preseason class 1A straw poll: Fourth

Deseret News preseason class 1A prediction: Fourth

Bottom line: Due purely to the size of this 1A football school, Altamont needs to stay healthy throughout the season in order to compete. This year is slightly different for the Longhorns in that they usually depend on upperclassmen to get things done. This season, younger kids will need to step up and make a difference.

2012 schedule

Aug. 17 — at South Summit, 7 p.m.

Aug. 24 — LYMAN, WYO., 7 p.m.

Aug. 31 — SUMMIT, 7 p.m.

Sept. 7 — at Diamond Ranch, 7 p.m.

Sept. 14 — at Carbon, 7 p.m.

Sept. 21 — RICH, 7 p.m.

Sept. 28 — MONTICELLO, 7 p.m.

Oct. 5 — at Layton Christian, 4 p.m.

Oct. 12 — MONUMENT VALLEY, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 — at Duchesne, 7 p.m.

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Felts Facts for Altamont High School

All-time record: 138-239 (40 years)

Region championships: 1 (1978)

Playoff appearances: 25

All-time playoff record: 8-25

State championships: 0

State championship record: 0-1

Most played rivalry: 63 meetings with Duchesne dating back to 1973. Duchesne leads 36-27. Meet on Oct. 17.

Felt’s Factoid(s): Altamont has played 40 seasons, but has clashed with top-rival Duchesne 63 times. The rivalry is the third-longest uninterrupted active series in the state. ... Longhorn Kyle Foy set the single-game rushing record of 451 yards last season against Milford.

Altamont coaching history

2009-current — Mick Fieldstead (15-17)

2006-2008 — Daniel Zabriskie (3-26)

1998-2005 — Mark Barnum (35-44)

1996-1997 — Robert Marshall (7-12)

1995 — Darrin Jensen (3-8)

1991-1994 — Robert Marshall (25-15)

1986-1990 — Dave Peck (14-33)

1982-1985 — Frank Hill (5-31)

1980-1981 — Kim Petersen (1-14)

1977-1979 — Jack Barton (14-13)

1974-1976 — Bill Manzanares (15-12)

1972-1973 — Rod Jorgensen (Unknown)

1949 — Glenn Allred (0-6)

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Deseret News First Team all-staters the past 10 years

2011 — Kyle Foy, FB/LB

2010 — Zaquri Brinkerhoff, OL/LB

2010 — Dalton Smith, OL/DL

2009 — Zach Hatch, RB/LB

2009 — Waylon Thompson, RB/LB

2007 — Kyle Pugh, OL/DL

2005 — Matt Kolford, RB/DL

2004 — Gavin Lindsay, QB

2004 — Nathan Wilcox, LB

2003 — Ramsey Miles, RB/LB

2003 — Nils Myrin, WR/FS

To view second team and honorable mention all-staters through the years, check out the Deseret News All-State Archives.

Email: sthomas@desnews.com

Twitter: @DNewsPreps

Contributing: Jessica Wilde, Conner Johnson, Steve Mundee and prep football historian George Felt.