It was the first full offseason for Scott Peery, who took over as head coach last year. The Darts went into spring and summer football knowing how their schemes worked instead of spending time learning them. Physically, they got bigger, faster and stronger.

Well, maybe not bigger.

“Last year we were a little bit bigger up front and all across the board, but this year we’ll be a little bit more dynamic,” Peery said.

Most of Davis’ returners on offense are in the skill positions and not the offensive line, so it’s reasonable to think the Darts might throw the ball more in 2022.

Starting quarterback Jackson Stevens returns, as do receivers Easton Baggett, Hunter Anderson and Kaden Eggett. Tyson Elkins, a starting receiver at Farmington last year, transferred to Davis.

Baggett started last year at quarterback, got hurt, Stevens came in, the Darts played well, Baggett came back at receiver, and that’s how things stand now.

“It’s going to be year two of Jackson Stevens emerging and Easton Baggett, he’s top-tier, and Tyson Elkins to complement him, you’ve got something pretty dynamic,” Peery said.

In nine games, Stevens completed 58.6% of his passes for 1,802 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. Stevens, a junior, is comfortable with his role at QB now and with where things are on offense.

“I think the biggest thing is going to be film. I think learning from our mistakes is going to be the biggest thing,” Stevens said.

Anderson is the team’s leading returning receiver (299 yards) and Baggett can do just about everything.

Baggett said one thing that needs to improve this year is team chemistry, but he’s confident that will improve because of how many returning players (not necessarily starters) there are at Davis.

There’s ample room for improvement upon last year’s 18.9 points-per-game mark on offense, though the Darts will have a mostly new offensive line and new running backs. So it could be slow going for Davis in that front, especially since five of the team’s toughest games are in the first six weeks of the season.

Road games at defending 5A state champion Lehi and a West Jordan team that went 8-3 last year are on tap the first two weeks of the season. After a home game against Granger, the schedule goes Layton, Alta, Syracuse.

Defensively, the Darts have less starting experience coming back. What experience they do have is on the defensive line.

Still, the defense teed off on the offense at practice one day in June, causing multiple fumbles, broken plays and drawing a lot of praise from Baggett and Stevens.

What that ultimately says about either the offense or defense, time will tell.

An obvious benefit of being in the second year with a new coach is that the schemes make sense now and the team can focus on finite details instead of basic things, like where to line up.

That’s got everyone at Davis excited about this year’s potential to compete for a Region 1 championship in a year that’s a little more open at the top than last year.

Peery said he doesn’t put much stock in summer seven-on-seven tournaments; however, he watches how players respond to success and failure in those competitions.

His observations told him the team is good at bouncing back from rough stretches, which didn’t surprise him given how eager the players have been to work hard this offseason.

“I don’t (have to) drag kids out to practice,” Peery said.

WHAT’S NEW

Cameron Pribble is the new defensive coordinator, replacing Tyler Gladwell, but the defensive scheme is the same for the most part.

QUOTABLE

Quarterback Jackson Stevens wears the No. 38 jersey in games. That was the number he was given as a freshman and he’s stuck with it. It’s a conversation starter, to say the least.

“It’s totally goofy, but I like it,” he said.

Stevens wears No. 5 in practice, “But I got the 3-8 right here,” he said, pulling a “38” necklace out from under his pads.

FACTS and FIGURES

2021 season: 5-6, 3-3 Region 1. The highlight of 2021 was likely a Hail Mary win over Syracuse. The Darts were 4-4 at one point and 2-1 in Region 1, then lost three of their final four games to end the year.

2022 strength of schedule: 64-54 (.542). All but three teams on Davis’ schedule had a winning record in 2021 and the Darts could plausibly start the year 1-4 with how tough their opening games are.

Players to watch: Easton Baggett (WR), Jackson Stevens (QB), Jordan Taula (DL), Palmer Gardiner (DL), Josh Barker (RB), Tyson Elkins (WR)

Returning starters: 5 offense, 4 defense

Strength/Weakness: Team speed/Inexperience on defense

NOTES

Prior to last year’s season-opening win against Lehi, Davis’ last win over a Utah County team was in 2009 against Pleasant Grove in the playoffs.

Stevens averaged 200.2 passing yards per game last year, which ranks first among returning quarterbacks in Region 1.

Eight of the nine leading tacklers from 2021 graduated.

Since 2010, Davis is 1-7 in home playoff games.

SCHEDULE

All games 7 p.m.

Aug. 12: at Lehi

Aug. 19: at West Jordan

Aug. 26: Granger

Sept. 2: at Layton*

Sept. 9: Alta

Sept. 16: at Syracuse*

Sept. 23: Fremont*

Sept. 30: Farmington*

Thur., Oct. 6: at Weber*

Wed., Oct. 12: Clearfield*

* — Denotes Region 1 game

Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports