Year two of any program is going to be better than the first. 

Players are typically more in tune with the coaches and vice versa. The fans and alums have a better idea of what and what not to expect. As a whole, the uniforms fit better, the cheerleaders are better looking, the food at the training tables tastes more delicious and even the water has more of a fruity taste. 

You know, everything just seems to click better—even when some of the roster bolts for supposed greener pastures. 

That’s their loss; this coaching staff is hellbent on getting their Colts back to the mountaintop, no matter how long or painful that journey may be. 

A total of 33 players by position currently dot Cottonwood’s 2025-26 varsity football roster, in addition to about 20 unassigned players. About one-third of those are seniors, showing the rest examples of perseverance and togetherness that can be carried forward. 

It seems like every high school team is undergoing some sort of roster turnover lately, particularly at Cottonwood where transfers have affected both the girls soccer and football teams in a big way. 

In the meantime, the Colts will play with the guys they have, along with a group of freshmen that were champions of their eighth grade Cottonwood Little League team. 

Gage Cooper is one freshman who may get the chance to not only play in but start a game at quarterback. That hasn’t happened for the Colts since Casey Miller was first in charge of the squad here, and he trotted out Brock Simpson. 

Cooper himself comes from some haughty football stock; he has had several members of his family play at Division I colleges and the pros. The freshman is currently the only QB listed on Cottonwood’s roster. 

At running back, junior Kevin Perez returns, as do two sophomores in Jaxton Danner and Jaxon McNaughtan. In addition, two freshmen in 5-foot-9, 180-pound PJ Alusa and Memphys Cruz could see themselves getting varsity minutes for the Colts. 

Wide receiver may be the deepest position at Cottonwood this season. Senior Ethan Yazzie will wear the No. 1 jersey for Cottonwood, and the 5-foot-11, 165-pounder had a few appearances on kick return on last year’s team. Other seniors include DJ Ma’ae, Cesar Cardenas, Alexander Gonzalez, Canyon Winter, Osman Wakil and Makai Anderson. At tight end, senior Jonah Craft returns and gets his opportunity to start while two sophomores will move up on the depth chart. 

On the offensive line, senior Juan Martinez is back for his last go-round at Cottonwood, along with fellow seniors Thomas Jackson and Brandon DeLeon. 

And yet the biggest news of all is that Christian Gonzalez is back for his last year at the school to bolster this veteran O-line. Gonzalez suffered a stroke during the spring at his own birthday party, resulting in a hospital stay lasting longer than a week. 

That news alone about Gonzalez should galvanize a Cottonwood squad that went 0-10 last year, one that is just champing at the bit to get going this season, according to one player. 

At least 30 kids are listed as platooning for the Colts, meaning that you may see some play on offense and on defense, and that’s not including the 20 or so unassigned kids that either enrolled late and/or have joined the team from middle schools. 

By the time you’ve read this article, Cottonwood will have played in two games: home against North Sanpete, and at Bear River. 

Finally, the month of August concludes with a short bus ride to Hillcrest where the Colts will take on the Huskies for their annual rivalry game.