REDMOND – With the talented receiving corps it has returning, the Redmond High football team has ”no option” but to change its offensive scheme from last season.

After finishing a disappointing 3-4 in Intermountain Conference play last year and missing the state playoffs, the Panthers will switch from their fullback-option set and spread the field with an air assault.

”We’ve got a real nice corps of receivers,” says Redmond coach Robby Robinson. ”We’re trying to design our offense around the kids we have versus making them fit the offense.”

Returning at wide receiver for the Panthers are seniors Bryan AnDyke, Justin Van Nice and Matt Ellsworth. Junior Matt Leunen will start at tight end. Sophomore Marcus Hayes and senior Brandon Nichols will split playing time at tailback.

”We have a multitude of weapons,” Robinson says. ”We can put five receivers out and not necessarily throw deep. We can do quick hitches, quick screens, a lot of things that are going to cause problems because all six of these guys are weapons.

”That’s really a strength for us. We’re going to be a scary team to defend.”

But Redmond will be inexperienced at quarterback. Two sophomores, A.J. Robinson and Brian Shannon, are competing for the starting spot.

Though both players are young and lack varsity experience, their coach says each possesses the skills to guide a successful passing attack.

”We’re going to make some mistakes at that position, but we’ll guide them through it,” coach Robinson admits.

But having solid receivers should help compensate for the lack of experience at quarterback.

Robinson says he has been particularly impressed with the play of the 6-foot-7-inch Leunen, younger brother of Redmond senior basketball standout Maarty Leunen.

”We’ve got a really nice tight end,” Robinson says. ”He’s a physical player, and he’s really playing well right now. He’s going to cause some problems for some teams.”

The Redmond offensive and defensive lines look to be fairly strong with the return of IMC all-league offensive tackle Luke Williams (6-3, 255) and offensive and defensive tackle Paul Glover (6-1, 220).

The two seniors will play both offense and defense up front for the Panthers.

And then there is Jeremiah Ward, who stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 375 pounds. Ward grew up in Redmond and returned last winter after spending time in Alaska.

”He’s going to play somewhere,” Robinson says. ”He’s a three-gapper.”

After ranking third in the IMC for fewest points allowed last season, the Redmond defense has been left a little thin, especially at linebacker. The Panthers lost four linebackers to graduation, two of which were named all-IMC at the position. Redmond returns both starting cornerbacks – Ellsworth and Van Nice – but too many players going both ways is another concern.

”We’re either going to have to be in great shape or figure out a rotation pattern with some second-team guys. We’re not deep at all, defensively,” Robinson says.

”We’ve got a nice reputation of playing real good defense. We think we’ll get there, but right now we’re not there. That’s what our practices have been geared around. We’re really inexperienced at linebacker, but that’s going to come. You can’t win in our league unless you can play some defense.”

Robinson believes Mountain View will have a solid defense, and because of that he makes the Cougars favorites to win the IMC championship. Other than that, he says, it’s a wide-open race.

”I think anybody can beat anybody,” Robinson says. ”There’s no powerhouse in our league. Summit’s improved. Hood River and Hermiston aren’t as good. But you better be ready, because there’s good coaches in this league, too.”

Redmond, scheduled to play in the Springfield Jamboree tonight, officially starts its season next Friday night in Central Point against Crater. The next week the Panthers host South Medford – likely to be ranked in the top 10, according to Robinson – then traveling to Hermiston for the IMC opener on Sept. 19.

”Our schedule’s tough, but our goals are the same every year,” Robinson says. ”We want to win our opener, and we want to make the state playoffs. That’s it.”