Players return to full pads in practice
Monday marked a full three weeks’ worth of practice time remaining before the start of the 2016 football season for the TSSAA.
As the countdown to the season nears its end, Monday also marked the transition to the final phase of the preseason as it was the first day players could practice in full football gear.
“It was a good day,” said Jackson Christian head coach Todd Roland, who’s entering his third season with the Eagles. “Our guys came out hitting and ready to go and fired up and everything you want to see out of them.”
Temperatures quickly went up as the morning progressed after the Eagles were on the practice field at 7 a.m.
Bolivar, Riverside started with midnight practice
One of the earlier things the players did was go through a tackling drill.
“It wasn’t a full Oklahoma drill because they back up about seven or eight yards apart, and they have room to get going really fast and do some damage when they hit,” Roland said. “But I liked the way our guys were getting after each other.”
Offensive coordinator Darby Palmer was bringing players into the circle to try to either tackle or get around the other. Palmer treated the drill by introducing the players sounding like a zealous boxing ring announcer, and the other players standing in the circle responded with loud enthusiasm.
“That’s why I get the young coaches,” Roland said. “I was that guy at Boyd-Buchanan for years, and now I’ve got younger guys to do it for me and I get to sit back and watch and evaluate.”
Roland and other coaches around the area will spend plenty of time over the next three weeks evaluating and developing their players and preparing them for Week 1.
Jackson Christian’s Week 1 opponent will be South Gibson at Ronnie Fowler Field on the Eagles’ campus.
“At this point, we’re getting them ready and making sure they know what to do in in-game situations,” Roland said. “We’ve got a good crew doing that.”
South Side and North Side had a scrimmage to get their looks in.
Most local teams will wrap this week up with their first Friday scrimmages and have another next week before jamborees on Aug. 12.
“It’s here, and we’re glad to see it,” Roland said.
Brandon Shields, 425-9751