​Sep. 1—DANUBE — Ryan Hebrink hopes it is a better year for his Renville County West football team.Hebrink and the Jaguars were 3-5 in the 9-player South West District and 3-6 overall last fall.”Our guys have worked hard in the offseason and are looking to take a big step from a year ago,” Hebrink said. “The district schedule will be a challenge, yet we are excited for the opportunity that this team has ahead of them. The guys are eager to compete.”RCW enters the 2026 season without its star running back Jacob Savig, who is a graduate.Savig, an All-Area running back, rushed for 1,276 yards and 11 touchdowns last year. He was an All-9 Player South West District selection who also recorded 54 tackles at linebacker. Savig is set to play football at the Division III University of Wisconsin-River Falls this fall.His departure will create a new-looking RCW offense, according to Hebrink.”Our approach from an offensive production is to be balanced,” said Hebrink, who enters his 17th season. “Not simply from a run/pass balance, but from a personnel standpoint.”This will be the first time in the past seven seasons that we do not have a running back over 200 pounds, which will result in a different offensive attack. But with that being said, we have a number of guys, who on any given night, can make big plays for us this season.”Hampton Hebrink will reprise his role as quarterback this fall. He is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound junior who will have four returning wide receivers to work with.They are seniors Jon Driggs and Brayden Klaassen, whoalso play defensive end and linebacker, and juniors Connor Iverson and Juan Reyes, who slot in at defensive back and safety.Klaassen and junior Humberto Ramirez are poised to be the lead backs after Savig’s departure.A pair of key seniors who return on both lines are Jaxon Schroeder, who will play defensive tackle and center, and Ami Gasca, who plays defensive tackle and guard.”We have the potential to create challenges for the opposing teams due to the number of playmakers on our roster,” Hebrink said. “We certainly have a few key losses, although we bring back some nice experience. Much of our team last year was inexperienced and it showed.”Mike Johnson, Andy Davis, Craig Hebrink, Dean Baldry and Michael Landquist make up Ryan Hebrink’s coaching staff.