By Ryne Turke
The title of “head coach” is still settling in for Brett Gilbreth, but ask him about his motivation for the upcoming season, and the mission is simple: doing what’s best for the next generation of Routt athletes.
Gilbreth’s time as an assistant last season gave him a front-row seat to what made the program work under Barry Creviston, whose 71 wins are the most by any Routt football coach.
“It’s impossible to fill Coach Creviston’s shoes,” Gilbreth said. “He’s been the face of the Rockets for a long time and has an exceptional record. He was always positive, pushing kids to their limits while making football exciting.”
Less than a month into the new role, Gilbreth says the Rockets haven’t wasted a single minute preparing for the 2026 season.
“We’ve hit the ground running with weight training and agility,” Gilbreth said. “It’s been a really exciting couple of weeks and we’re having a blast.”
Coming off a 1-8 finish last year, Gilbreth sees a team ready for a turnaround. He’s already planning to tailor the offensive scheme to the specific DNA of his current roster.
“We don’t have many super big kids, but they’re fast, athletic and strong. We’ve got to change our offensive style to be faster and more run-oriented. I’m ready to get them into camp and evaluate our depth.”
The excitement surrounding the Rockets starts with a solid group of returning players ready to make their mark.
Wide receiver Nolan Mossman is back after leading the team with 416 receiving yards last season, joined by defensive anchor Anson Butcher, who returns following a team-high 101-tackle campaign.
Gilbreth also pointed to the development of Thomas Meehan, Chris English, Lake Unland, Jackson Place, Taegen Rives and Chase White as proof that the culture is shifting.
“We’ve got a young core,” Gilbreth said. “In order to build this program, they have to step up while our seniors continue showing them the right way to do things.”
The road ahead is never easy in the extremely competitive Western Illinois Valley Conference, but Gilbreth welcomes the intensity.
“There’s nobody that should be slept on in this conference,” Gilbreth said. “That’s the great thing about the WIVC. It pushes everyone involved. Every team in this conference has great athletes, and from time to time the top dog is going to change. My kids are hungry and know the road ahead will be difficult, but I believe with my whole heart there’s nothing these kids can’t do.”
Gilbreth says the program received a huge boost of energy when new broke that Freesen Field would be the permanent home of the Routt Rockets moving forward.
“There’s just something about having a place called home,” Gilbreth said. “That’s why this year is so special for us. When you look at the JR Irish kids coming up, they’ll never have to wonder where they’ll play high school football.
That’s something we don’t have to worry about anymore. When this project is completed, it’s going to drop some jaws.”
Routt opens the 2026 season on the road at Greenfield-Northwestern on August 21.
