KUNA, Idaho — It's only been a few years since the Kuna High School football team last visited the state playoffs, but with a change in leadership, good is no longer good enough.
The new head coach has Texas-sized dreams in Kuna. KTVB Channel 7 takes a look at the Kavemen in our second prep preview ahead of Friday Night Football.
As you make the dark drive down Deer Flat Road, headlights highlight a team trying to steal the spotlight.
"This place right here has the potential to be something really special, really cool," head coach Beau Smith said.
At Kuna High this season, beating teams in the 6A Southern Idaho Conference starts with beating the sunrise.
"There's like this work horse mentality," Smith said. "Maybe that's kind of like the rural, kind of farm life that we have here in Kuna."
The Kavemen are kicking off practices at 5 a.m. as the 2024 campaign grows closer.
"I feel actually more awake than doing it in the afternoon," linebacker Dallas Konzek said.
"I'm not gonna lie, I like it a lot," defensive and offensive lineman Hyrum Heindel said. "It's a little exciting getting to play under the lights early I guess."
The early-morning start is the wake-up call required to learn the new motto of Kuna's new head football coach.
"I was raised in Texas, my dad's a Texas high school football coach," Smith said. "There's such a raw potential to be something really cool here, and one of our taglines is 'The Primal Way.' That's our new logo this year. It's got behind every little part of it."
"I think our biggest thing is change this year – changing what we've done to figure out what we need to do," Heindel said. "So, I think the biggest thing is just listening to our coaches, putting our heads down to work."
"He's tripled how much attention he's put toward our culture," Konzek said.
"Compared to last year, it felt like it was just by the players – it was 'me, me, me, me' – this year it's all together," defensive end Jaydon Barker said. "We're playing as a team this year."
Kuna sophomore quarterback Lino Senio is a prime example of what Smith wants his team to be.
"I gotta say, I've never seen a kid – a sophomore – with ice in his veins like he does," Smith said.
A kid that bravely stepped under center as a freshman last season will now be the center of attention for the Kavemen.
"Obviously he had his moments where it's a freshman, it's the big lights, you know. That's hard for any freshman to deal with," Smith said. "He's been working all summer."
"I have my whole faith in Lino Senio," Heindel said. "I think whatever he does, I'd do. I'd protect him until the end."
On offense, Kuna will boast one of the best tight ends in the league.
"Tight end wise, we have Colton Deatherage, a natural like Jason Witten on our team almost," Smith said.
While on defense, the Kavemen may be light, but they are also full of fight.
"They're not the biggest guys up front, but what we do have is we have guys that are fast, athletic, they're able to move around a lot," Smith said.
"We're smart, we're athletic and I feel like that's what's gonna set us apart from other teams," Konzek said.
In two weeks, Kuna will look to avoid a rocky start to the season by making history.
"We're starting off with Rocky Mountain, I'm well aware of who that is," Smith said. "They've got some DI talent on their team."
The Kavemen will take aim at a win that has forever eluded them by embracing the opportunity right in front of them.
"I'm excited. I'm so excited," Heindel said. "That's good competition for our first game."
"This school has never beaten Rocky Mountain," Smith said. "You better believe that game one, we're saying, 'our goal is to beat Rocky Mountain. So, right now we're 100% on Rocky."
The Grizzlies host the Kavemen for the season opener at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30.
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