The switch will renew the Hinkle-to-Warner passing duo this season for a Tumwater offense that plans to pass more in hopes of opening the running game.
Last season, Warner started the first seven games at quarterback before switching to wide receiver, earning honorable mention all-conference at quarterback.
Daniel Hinkle took over at quarterback, following the footsteps of his brother, Rocky, who threw touchdowns to Warner two years ago.
“Only Hinkles throw to me,” quipped Warner, a senior who played wide receiver as a sophomore. “Daniel is just a natural quarterback. Just like his brother.”
In the spring, Warner told Tumwater coach Sid Otton he was willing to switch to wide receiver permanently, giving the Thunderbirds a 6-foot-3, sure-handed receiver and a 5-9, quarterback with pinpoint accuracy.
“Kyle came to me and said he thought we’d be a better team if we did this,” Otton said. “I appreciate that about him. Kyle is a tremendous competitor and a great athlete.”
Tumwater returns four starters on offense and five starters on defense off a team that finished 6-4, losing to R.A. Long in the district playoffs.
Christian Bush, a 6-foot, 195-pound senior, returns at running back. He earned second-team all-league honors after rushing for more than 800 yards.
Easton Elkin, a 6-4, 255-pound offensive tackle who earned honorable mention all-conference, is a cornerstone to a line that is big but inexperienced.
“Christian is a real blue-collar worker. Great attitude. Great leader,” Otton said. “The major thing is going to be our offensive line.”
That line doesn’t lack in size. Taylor Stephens, at 6-2 and 260 pounds, starts at center. Tyler Burbidge and Marquez Bryant, both at about 200 pounds, are at guard. Josh Hanson, at 6-7 and 210 pounds, shows potential at tackle.
In the backfield, Ronnie Hastie and Payton Olson, a pair of sophomore running backs, will get their chance to carry the football. Otton said he thought Hastie had the best summer camp and will likely play offense and defense.
Olson, while a shade under 5-7, has impressed Otton with his gritty, hard-to-tackle play.
“He’s a small kid and he doesn’t have that real burst of speed,” Otton said. “But he’s quick and he understands everything. He’s just hard to beat. We’ve always liked smaller running backs who can burst through the seams.”
Defensively, Tumwater is led by linebacker Brady Grondel and cornerback Michael Glasgo, a pair of first-team all-conference players. Grondel, a two-year starter, led Tumwater in tackles last year.
“His motor never quits,” said Pat Alexander, Tumwater’s defensive coordinator. “He’s an excellent run stopper. He’s very quick. He loves contact.”
Easton Hargrave, a two-year starter and a second-team all-conference defensive lineman, is a playmaker with a nose for the football.
“He’s not real fast. He just makes plays,” Otton said.
Alexander said Tumwater’s success will depend on how many turnovers the defense can force. Tumwater practices stripping running backs of the football and Alexander reminds his players to try to pop the football loose.
“We kind of have this immature mentality,” Alexander said. “It’s like kindergartners – ‘It’s my ball and I want it.’ Forcing turnovers is something we preach all the time.”
But it’s not just forcing turnovers. It’s scoring on defense.
“Our team goal on defense is break the school record of 56 points for the season,” Alexander said.
Tumwater has a pair of speed rushers at defensive end in Demetrius Jones and Zach Wimberly .
With Glasgo, Jamison Dowers – a second-team all-conference pick – and Warner in the secondary, Tumwater will be tough to pass against.
“Our secondary is really quick,” Grondel said. “We’ve got a lot of fast kids on defense.”
To get better defensively, Tumwater had to get faster. Otton did that by stacking his defense with speed. Riley Prentice, who was honorable mention at linebacker last year as a sophomore, is one of the quickest T-Birds.
Jamie Bryant, a 6-5, 250-pound sophomore, has the speed and size to cause trouble for opponents at defensive tackle.
“We’ve always been an attack team,” Alexander said. “The added speed just means we can attack better than we did.”
Gail Wood: 360-754-5443 gwood@theolympian.com
HEAD COACH: Sid Otton, 37th season
COORDINATORS, SETS
O: Jamie Weeks, wing-T
D: Pat Alexander, multiple
TOP PLAYERS: LB Brady Grondel, sr., 5-11, 190; RB Christian Bush, sr., 6-0, 195; CB Michael Glasgo, sr., 6-0, 175; DE Easton Hargrave, sr., 6-3, 185; CB Jamison Dowers, sr., 6-3, 185; LB Riley Prentice, jr., 5-10, 175; QB Kyle Warner, sr., 6-3, 180; DE Demetrius Jones, sr., 6-3, 215; OT Easton Elkin, sr., 6-4, 255.
OUTLOOK
Quicker on defense, Tumwater will be in an attack ingmode this season, blitzing more. Jones and Hargrave, a pair of all-league defensive ends, could be double trouble for opposing quarterbacks. Tumwater has nine players back who received all-league mention, two first-team picks. The Thunderbirds have the experience and talent to make another run for a league title. A winning tradition is another T-Bird edge. “That really pushes you in the offseason,” said Grondel, a first-team all-league linebacker. “You don’t want to be that team that finishes with a losing record.” Otton is the state’s all-time winningest football coach with 309 victories.
