GAMEDAY PREVIEW: Football opens in Alamosa

Adams State, a familiar opening week opponent hosts the Storm at 6 p.m.

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Football at Adams State - 7 PM (Rex Stadium)
Live Radio: SportsRadio ESPN 1210AM, 107.3/102.3 FM
Live Online Audio: Dixie State All-Access
Live Video: Adams State - America One
Live stats: http://ascgrizzlies.athleticsite.net/livestats/xlive.htm
Game Notes: Dixie State

THIS WEEK: The 2012 football season commences on Saturday, Sept. 1, as the Red Storm of Dixie State College meet the Grizzlies of Adams State University at 7 p.m. in Alamosa, Colo.

• Dixie State enters the 2012 campaign looking to forget about matching its worst overall season record in its NCAA Division II history (1-10) and a 1-5 record in Great Northwest Athletic Conference games.
• Dixie State is currently on an eight-game losing skid dating back to last season – the longest skid in D-II history by two games (six game streak at the end of 2006 season and beginning of 2007).
• The Red Storm has not won in two trips to Alamosa – losing 37-7 in 2006 and 34-14 in 2010.
• This meeting will be the fourth straight season opener against the Grizzlies. DSC has dropped the two, after defeating ASU 37-28 at home on Aug. 27, 2009.
• Rex Stadium was the backdrop for a Dixie State record-breaking event - Chris Aragon (Los Angeles, CA/Crespi Carmelite) took a recovered fumble 96 yards for a touchdown in 2010. The feat still sits as a DSC and GNAC record.
• Dixie State is 4-9 in non-conference games since 2008, including 0-5 over the last two seasons.
• Adams State officially became a university on Aug. 7, 2012. The Grizzlies were selected to finish fourth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason poll (behind CSU-Pueblo, Colorado Mines and Chadron State) and placed four seniors on the All-RMAC Team. ASU finished the 2011 season with an overall record of 6-5 and a 4-5 mark in RMAC play.

DSC TEAM WALKTHROUGH GALLERY

TEAM NOTES
A NEW SIGNAL CALLER: Griff Robles (Spanish Fork, UT/Spanish Fork) has been named the starting quarterback for Dixie State College in the season opener against Adams State. The junior transfer from the University of Utah gets the nod over the only returning QB from last season, sophomore Kaleo Nawahine (Fruitland, ID/Fruitland). Robles saw sporadic action for the Utes over the last two seasons, but comes to St. George with knowledge of the offensive system. He played QB at Spanish Fork High School near the tail end of Coach Brumfield's tenure at the school. Robles was named First-team All-Region IV, First-team All-Valley and Second-team All-State as a senior. He was rated the No. 2 ranked prospect in the state of Utah by both Rivals.com and Scout.com coming out of high school.

WR DEPTH: The receiving corps features a nice balance of returning starters and talented newcomers. The leading returner in yardage is senior Zack Fox (Spanish Fork. UT/Spanish Fork HS) (49-586, 4 TD). Also returning are senior Matt Porrazzo (Rescue, CA/Ponderosa), junior Spencer Young (Salt Lake City, UT/Olympus), and sophomores Beau Hoskins (Blackfoot, ID/Blackfoot) & Brock Johnson (South Weber, UT/Northridge). Joining the Red Storm this season are featured newcomers Mitch Frei (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon), Andre Aron (Inglewood, CA/Westchester) and Randon Willard (Santa Clara, UT/Snow Canyon). Frei was on the basketball team last season, but decided to trade in his sneakers for shoulder pads. Frei was a gridiron standout for Snow Canyon High School. Aron did not play last season, but transfers from El Camino College with solid stats in 2010 (20-243, 1TD). Aron will also figure in the DSC punt/kick return game. Willard, a product of Region Nine football, has been away from the field since finishing up his high school career at Snow Canyon.

SECONDARY TO NONE: The last line of defense for the Red Storm see starters returning at each spot for the first time in four seasons. Nick Porrazzo (Rescue. CA/Ponderosa) and Ray Chapman (Compton, CA/Compton) return at corner while All-GNAC First Team safety Cache Morgan (West Jordan, UT/West Jordan) joins sophomore Daniel Moffett (Kaysville, UT/Davis) on the edge. The last time DSC had four returners in the secondary was 2009 (Rich May, Russ Doman, Wesley Beavers, Seth Mortenson). Cameron Greene (Brigham CIty. UT/Box Elder) also returns as Morgan's backup at free safety.

EXTREME MAKEOVER – DEFENSIVE LINE EDITION: With the exception of one returner, the Red Storm defensive line has new faces in new places. K.J. Boyer (St. George, UT/Pine View) is back at defensive end after missing the final six games of last season with a knee injury. On the other side is transfer Daniel Miller from Ventura College. At the tackles are junior college transfer Willie Townsend (Bennetsville, SC/Marlboro County) and Sean Gibson (Herriman, UT/Riverton), a transfer from Snow College and Utah State. At nose tackle, returner Kris Williams (Hazlehurst, MS/Hazlehurst) is slated to back up Gibson.

BATTERED AND BRUISED: For some members of the Red Storm, the season has ended early. And for others, they eagerly anticipate returning after missing action last year. GNAC Newcomer of the Year and All-American Joe Don Duncan (Corona, CA/Notre Dame) is expected to miss substantial time after aggravating a previous leg injury. Defensive GNAC All-Star Dustin Goza (Roy, UT/Roy) will miss the entire season with a knee injury. Offensive lineman Joe Cowan (Escalon, CA/Escalon) will miss the game at Adams State, but is expected to return to action soon after missing last season with a knee injury. K.J. Boyer (St. George, UT/Pine View) is back from a season-ending knee injury and is expected to start on the defensive line.

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