Nathan Bassett, Grants Pass football

Like so many football coaches in the South/Central Football Conference, Brad Page has had to look around this offseason and see quite a few voids in the lineup caused by the graduation of key players.

The good news for Page is that there are good options to be had.

Unfortunately, their varsity experience level is fairly low to nonexistent.

“We’re a younger team, for sure, this year,” said Page, in his second season with the Cavemen, “but I think we have, in some ways, some more depth.”

“It’s always hard to gauge when comparing last year to this year and where we’re at,” he added, “but I feel like we have a lot of pieces and we have a lot of kids who now have been in the system for a year and a half and they know what to expect. I feel like we just kind of grew and picked up where we left off in November. That’s what’s nice about it, we’re miles ahead than we were last year.”

The Cavemen leaned on a host of experienced seniors to help Page lay a solid foundation in his first season back at his alma mater, and there are just enough returners to help bridge the gap this time around and allow for the newcomers to make their transition to starting roles on the varsity.

“These kids are really hungry and they’ve really bought into what we’re doing,” said Page, whose team tied for fourth in the SCFC last year and reached the state playoffs. “I think they want to be successful for themselves and for the team. We’re young but we have some really good athletes.”

Senior running back and linebacker Gage Blay is “the heart of our team,” according to Page, and should provide a security blanket on offense as Grants Pass brings in a new quarterback and almost entirely new receiving corps.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Blay shared time in the backfield last season, rushing 82 times for 311 yards and seven touchdowns, and will be the focal back this time around.

“He just does things the right way,” Page said of Blay. “Our run game can definitely do well because of him. I’m excited about him and hopefully he stays healthy being a two-way player and doesn’t get too gassed with all of that.”

Senior Pete Amatoi (6-0, 210) should help lighten that load at running back and provide a little bit more physicality to the attack. Amatoi was injured early and missed most of last season.

“Pete’s one of the best athletes we have,” said Page. “Pete’s a little bit bigger than Gage and kind of brings a little bit more of a power kind of back, where Gage is an all-around back but he’s really elusive.”

A blessing for both runners will be the return up front of senior linemen Dante Pierce (right tackle), Drew Garrett (left tackle) and Matt Clinger (center) and the steady utilization of multiple tight ends by Page, who serves as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.

Senior Austin Leair was another injured player who missed significant time last year but will camp his 6-foot, 270-pound frame down at right guard to complement Eligh Parker (6-2, 300) at left guard.

“I love where our offensive line is at,” said Page.

Connor Johnston, a 6-2, 225-pound junior, moves from the offensive line to a role as the starting tight end to bring more stability to the trenches. With Page preferring to go with a multiple tight end look as much as possible, juniors Wyatt Peterson and Braden O’Brien will also see good action and senior fullback Bruxton Leair is also versatile enough to handle the position.

“Those big bodies are just such a mismatch,” said Page. “I think I’m like that stage mom who never got to play tight end and was stuck on the line so I just live my life through the tight ends that I coach. I’d put four of them out there and run a 14 personnel if I could, just put them all tight in there and still be able to throw it, too, if we wanted because they’re all good athletes.”

Guiding the offense expects to be sophomore quarterback Nathan Bassett, who was the freshman team QB a year ago and reminds Page of last year’s starter Jace Blanchard.

“He’s a multi-sport athlete so he’s athletic and he can run the ball,” Page said of the 6-0, 165-pound Bassett, “and he’s improved drastically with his passing and maturity just by working this offseason and especially this summer. He doesn’t quite have the deep ball arm like Jace did, but he’s definitely working towards that. Being a sophomore, he’s making some serious strides.”

Page said the young QB’s dedication toward being able to deliver for the Cavemen this fall has been admirable.

“He’s been all-in throughout the winter and spring and summer,” said the coach. “He’s just constantly trying to get better and find ways to improve.”

Beyond the tight ends, senior Troy Osborne and junior Isaac Johnson look to be the leading receiver options for Bassett, especially with senior Luke Morgan opting to focus on basketball and baseball this fall.

Osborne, who has committed to play baseball at Sacramento State as a catcher, hauled in 17 passes for 158 yards last year and is the only GP returner to gain more than 8 yards through the air.

“The thing I always say about Troy is he catches anything,” said Page. “If he just turns around it could be in his face already and he’s gonna catch it. He caught one the other day that bounced off someone’s helmet and he went and dove for it. It’s just crazy, he catches everything, so he’s just a mismatch himself and we’ve got to find a way to get him on the field and use him, too.”

Osborne (6-4, 190) also expects to be a critical piece on defense at safety after the Cavemen moved from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-3.

“We’re not going to have as much depth as far as big body guys on the line,” said Page, “but we have a lot of depth with athletic bodies and kids who can play linebacker and safety so it makes more sense for us to go to a 3-3 where we can get more of those guys on the field.”

“Troy being able to be a versatile safety, that’s where he thrives in my opinion,” he added. “He’s just such a big, physical, athletic player that he does so much. The way our defense is going, we’re putting a lot on those safeties so he’s gonna get good action there.”

Bruxton Leair and Griffin Davis return as senior linebackers with Blay to help fortify that second level, while senior Cole Carnes is a playmaking safety and expects to anchor that back line of defense.

“I think our defense is going to be aggressive,” said Page. “We’re going to show a lot of different things and be able to do different coverages and kind of be able to mesh with whatever the offense is throwing at us with our scheme.”

Page said the Cavemen were able to install about 90% of their offense in the offseason, and made good strides in the defensive transition under veteran defensive coordinator Scott Wakefield during that span.

“We just want them to feel confident and play without having to think too much,” said Page. “I think we’ve got a good thing going. I’m excited about this year.”

“Our conference is tough,” he added, “but we should be able to go out and compete and play with everyone in our conference.”

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CAVEMEN

HEAD COACH

Brad Page (second year, 6-4)

GENERAL INFORMATION

ASSISTANTS: Scott Wakefield (defensive coordinator/linebackers), Wes Cox (special teams/offensive line), Chris Martinez (quarterbacks/receivers), Trent Thompson (defensive backs), Jameson Davis (defensive line), Quan Wooden (cornerbacks/returners), Dave Polen (running backs/operations), Jason Lovell (kickers/punters), Christopher Rossetta (JV head coach), Josh Merritt (JV), Ethan Straw (JV), Greg Hurd (JV), Matt Kennedy (freshman head coach), Javan Appling (freshman), Brian Richard (freshman), Brady Howe (freshman), Nick Kennedy (freshman).

2022 LEAGUE RECORD: 4-3 (T4th, SCFC)

2022 OVERALL RECORD: 6-4.

2022 RESULTS

GRANTS PASS OPPONENTS

38 Shasta 24

35 Caldera 0

7 South Salem 48

27 West Salem 25

14 North Medford 20

18 North Salem 14

27 South Medford 26

6 Sheldon 56

49 Roseburg 26

State Playoffs

6 Tualatin 36

RETURNING STARTERS

OFFENSE (5): Running back Gage Blay (5-11, 185, sr.), tight end Connor Johnston ( 6-2, 225, jr.), right tackle Dante Pierce (6-0, 235, sr.), center Matt Clinger (5-11, 260, sr.), left tackle Drew Garrett (6-4, 210, sr.).

DEFENSE (6): Linebacker Griffin Davis (5-11, 185, sr.), linebacker Bruxton Leair (5-10, 210, sr.), safety Cole Carnes (6-2, 180, sr.), safety Troy Osborne (6-4, 190, sr.), lineman Connor Johnston, lineman Drew Garrett.

OTHER NOTABLES

Running back/linebacker Pete Amatoi (6-0, 210, sr.), receiver/cornerback Isaac Johnson (6-0, 170, jr.), lineman Austin Leair (6-0, 270, sr.), lineman Eligh Parker (6-2, 300, jr.), quarterback Nate Bassett (6-0, 165, so.), tight end/linebacker Wyatt Peterson (6-0, 160, jr.), tight end/defensive back Braden O’Brien (6-3, 165, jr.), linebacker/receiver Ashton Park (5-11, 165, jr.).

2023 SCHEDULE

Sept. 1 DEL NORTE, 7 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Caldera, 7 p.m.

Sept. 15 SOUTH SALEM, 7 p.m.

Sept. 21 at West Salem, 7 p.m.

Sept. 29 at North Medford, 7 p.m.

Oct. 6 NORTH SALEM, 7 p.m.

Oct. 13 at South Medford, 7 p.m.

Oct. 20 SHELDON, 7 p.m.

Oct. 27 ROSEBURG, 7 p.m.