DHS Football: Besseghini Envisions Section Title

When it comes to goals for the upcoming football season, Dixon High Rams Coach Wes Besseghini has only one: Win the Sac-Joaquin Division III Section title.

With a summer’s worth of weightlifting and football conditioning behind the Rams, Coach Besseghini has confidence that his team can go 5-0 in preseason play after a rocky off-season that featured  the resignation of former athletic director Tom Crumpacker and the implementation of a new offense.

The biggest thing for Besseghini could be the fact that he’s leaving the past behind.

“I’m ready to start football and I think the kids are too,” he said.

The Rams kickoff the 2012 preseason hosting McClatchy on Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m., and they have until then to perfect their new Wing-T offense.

“We want to continue pushing at the opposing defense, over and over again, so there’s a lot of teams that run this offense and run it extremely well, and we’re going to start modeling ourselves after that,” Besseghini said. “It also allows for player development and use of the type of players we have. We don’t have six wide receivers who run four 4.40 (40-yard dashes), we have running backs that run hard and offensive line that wants to push people around. That offense fits that well.”

Dixon’s preseason schedule feature rematches against Winters (21-12) and Linden (45-0), two teams who defeated the Rams last year, Winters beat the rams 21-12, Linden 42-0.

“Every school that we play on our schedule is still bigger than us but Winters, but I also do think that our schedule allows to play against teams that we will be extremely competitive with,” Besseghini said. “I have no issues with saying that I think that we have the ability to go 5-0 preseason. I think that that’s a good possibility.”

Senior running back Kory Hall has one opponent in particular he’s ready to face again, he said.

“I’m just looking forward to getting Winters,” he said.

Hall also is eager to be an integral part of the Rams new offense, he said.

“It’s a lot more up-tempo,” Hall said. “We get on the ball. We run a lot of plays.”

Hall shares his coach’s enthusiasm and optimism for the upcoming year.

“I’m looking forward to going 10-0, winning all our games and winning a section ring,” he said.

Besseghini said he’s not sure what to expect from players coming up from the JV-level at this point.

“Switching new offenses, we are still kind of in the “feeling out” phase of what’s going on,” Besseghini  said. “Trying to figure out how all the pieces from the JV and varsity team that’s returning fit together.”

During the summer, Besseghini hired longtime Dixon coach and current Dixon Youth Football President Gomez to jumpstart the JV Rams.

Junior quarterback Nolan Williams is slowly adjusting to the varsity game.

“It’s a lot faster paced,” he said. “A lot more bigger players and you have to keep your head on your shoulders the whole time. Make sure you do everything right or else nothing’s going to go right.”

He’s also just as eager as Besseghini and Hall to win.

“I want to lead the team to a section title,” Williams said.

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