It was a tale of two halves of the season for last year’s Safford Bulldogs. They started the season with 5 straight wins before the injury bug caught hold and wouldn’t let go and the Bulldogs finished the season 6-5. By the end of the season Safford was suiting up just 4 of their original starting 11 on varsity.
“After what happened to us last season, we can use some luck in the health department,” said Head Coach Bob Park.
Park enters his second season at the healm of the Bulldogs, his 23rd overall as a football coach. His coaching staff is stacked with former Gila Valley athletes that have started their coaching career. Tyrell Andrews will handle the Offensive Coordinator duties and former Eastern Arizona College assistant coach; Allen Wilbon will call the defense. Marcus Gaethje, Trey Andrews, former Thatcher head coach Sean Hinton, Rudy Martinez, Anthony Aguilar, Chris Brogan, Luke Alvarado and Andy Romero will round out the coaching staff.
“I feel like we are faster overall with team speed this year,” said Park. He has leaned on his senior offensive lineman and their leadership this summer for the team to make the strides to be ready for this season. Park specifically mentioned three of those linemen. Southern Utah commit Tanner Emery (6’4, 270), Brenden Gunnett and Aiden Arbizo.
💯% Committed. ⚡️🦅🔴⚪️. @SUUFB_ @SUUThunderbirds @delanefitz @CoachATrain99 @CoachHuntSUU @coachblairp @radioguyaz99 @AllSportsTucson @SOAZFootball #OLFam #TBirdNation #FocusFightFinish #StormTheSky #EarnedNotGiven pic.twitter.com/QIuw78nURU
— Tanner Emery (@TannerEmery72) July 12, 2022
The Bulldogs open the season on August 19th at Phoenix Christian and that is the only game Bob Park has his eyes set on right now. “Every opponent should get equal respect, so we take one game at a time and as a coach 1-0 sounds way better than 0-1 to start,” Park added.
After Phoenix Christian the Bulldogs will have road games with Pima, Sabino, Benson and Pusch Ridge. Home games will include Morenci, Pueblo. Thatcher, Palo Verde and Payson. Coach Park expects the usual suspects to be atop the 3A this year with Valley Christian, Sabino, Thatcher and Pusch Ridge but if the Bulldogs can stay healthy, he thinks that they “have a chance to be in that conversation.”
“This group is really coachable and enjoy being around each other and the leadership from the seniors has been great,” said Park. “I’m really looking forward to this season.”
