West Tennessee All-Star teams get in first practice

It was cold, damp and windy in Jackson on Tuesday.

While most would consider those conditions horrible to stay out in, a pair of all-star football teams enjoyed the chance to get out in it and practice a couple hours.

“Are you kidding? Our guys were excited to be a part of this and be out there doing this,” said Dyersburg head coach Bart Stowe, who is the head coach for the North team in the fifth annual West Tennessee All-Star Game on Friday at Liberty. “These kids played pretty tough this evening and looked good doing it.”

Scotts Hill head coach Michael Stroup, who is coaching the South team, said it was hard for anybody to have a bad day.

“When you have a group of players as good as the ones we have on our team, it’s hard to have a bad practice,” Stroup said. “We’ve got it seems like every defensive lineman in the world out there.”

With it being the first of four practices for each team, there were a lot of players getting to know each other for the first time along with coaches and players getting to know each other as well.

Neither coach said they had any kind of introductory session before they went out to get some work in.

“There’s not a lot of time, so I thought it best to get everybody on the field and get them working and then they can get to know each other when we get some free time in the hotel tomorrow after practice,” Stowe said.

Stroup had similar thoughts, but he said the players naturally began to get to know each other.

“When you split them up into groups and get them lined up against each other, they will start talking on their own,” Stroup said. “We had a couple who were stepping up to break the ice like (Dresden running back) Dylan Yates. He was the one to get some of the other guys talking.”

While the coaches and players are getting to know each other, both coaching staffs are working to install parts of their offense and defense but not getting very elaborate with it.

“When you have four practices with a team, there’s only so much you can install with kids you’ve never met before,” Stroup said. “The good thing is these kids are good players and have an understanding of what you’re trying to do.

“It’s just a matter of getting everybody on the same page with terminology.”

The game will kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday at Liberty Tech.

Brandon Shields, 425-9751