Video: Early Contenders presented by Shock Doctor We set the tone for 2018 by looking at high school football's elite.
Head coach: John Lambourne
Last season: 13-1, No. 19 national ranking, beat East 27-14 in inaugural 6A Utah state championship.
Last decade: 122-17
Famous alumni/players: Harvey Langi, New England Patriots LB; Starlite Lotulelei, Buffalo Bills DT; Fred Roberts, former NBA player.
Star power (According to 247Sports): 5-star recruits — 0; 4-star recruits — 1; 3-star recruits — 4
Head coach John Lambourne
File photo by Dave Argyle
RB Braedon Wissler (5-7, 170, Sr.) —
The underrated back led the Miners in rushing in 2017 averaging nearly 10 yards per carry.
LB Lolani Langi (6-2, 195, Sr.) — One of the highest rated players from Utah has already landed a handful of Pac-12 offers.
DT Simote Pepa (6-2, 295, Sr.) — One of the country's best players in the trenches.
LB Junior Tafuna (6-3, 220, Sr.) — Tafuna, Pepa and Langi will help form one of the best defenses in the nation.
S Jared Greenfield (5-11, 170, Jr.) — The 4-star safety transferred from Crenshaw (Los Angeles) and enters the 2018 season as the top rated player in Utah from the Class of 2020.
Running back Braedon Wissler
File photo by Kevin Lee
— at Orem
Aug. 24 —
at East (Salt Lake City)
Sept. 8 —
vs. Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) *Part of the 2018 Polynesian Football Classic at Liberty (Henderson, Nev.)
Sept. 28 — at Lone Peak (Highland)
Oct. 12 —
vs. American Fork
Linebacker Lolani Langi
File photo by Steve Carnahan
• Bingham has been one of the best high school football programs in the country for quite some time. The Miners have won nine state titles since 2006 and are 39-4 since Lambourne took over before the 2015 season. He was a long-time assistant under coaching icon Dave Peck and has kept things rolling in South Jordan.
• The Miners will depend on a strong rushing attack and a great defense in 2018. Wissler had a monster junior season and expect an even better senior season for the underrated running back. Bingham has had some big-time defenses over the last decade but don't be surprised if 2018's is the best yet.
• Bingham has won at least 10 games in every season but one since 2005. Expect that trend to continue in 2018.
