Local teams start season with scrimmages: Dayton, Hardin, Liberty

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Local teams start season with scrimmages

By JASON FOCHTMAN

Updated: 08.18.09

The Broncos will look to plug some holes after the offensive line struggled in a 13-7 loss against West Orange Saturday.

During the opening drive, the Broncos looked like they hadn’t skipped a beat by marching down the field for a touchdown on their opening dive, but some missed assignments and two-key fumbles hampered the team as they were unable to score after the first quarter.

Assignments football is the key to success, said offensive coordinator Jeff Nations.

“We didn’t do a very good job communicating with ourselves last night and executing our assignments,†he added.

The scrimmage was the first varsity game for six offensive players including three linemen, two wide receivers and the starting quarterback.

“They learned a lot and played hard. We just didn’t do the little things,†Nations said.

Though senior Payton Ploch is not new to the varsity level, Saturday was his first game as quarterback for the Broncos.

“It was his first at quarterback ever at any level,†Nations said. “Things tend to go real fast in that station.â€

While Ploch struggled with the game’s speed at his new position, the offensive line has to do a better job of blocking for him, Nations added.

Defensively, the Broncos had a shutout though the first-half but could maintain it after the offensive struggled to sustain drives throughout the rest of the game.

“[The defense] did enough for us to win, we need to hold up our end on the other side,†Nations said of the offense.

Regardless of the outcome, Nations said the team sees the scrimmages as a learning experience.

“We’re far from being out,†Nation said the coaches told the players. “This is practice; we found some holes and things we’re going to fix.â€

This week the team will focus on making sure everyone knows their assignments and work on ball security, Nations added.

Hardin

Hardin players got their first chance to go against players in different colored jerseys during the scrimmage against Beaumont Kelly at Hardin High School on August 15.

The main objective of a scrimmage is to evaluate, head coach Larry Haynes said.

Wide receiver Hunter Davis returned to the field after a knee injury in the second scrimmage ended his season last year.

While Davis was “a little rusty,†he looked good after he settled in, Haynes said.

Offensively, we’re going to have to get better, Haynes said.

The only thing that concerned Haynes was turnovers, he said.

Of the 30 snaps, the team did not force a single turnover.

As the team begins its third week of practice, coaches will focus on areas such as pass protection and zone blocking for the offense and work to overcome the team’s small size on defense.

“Defensively, we’re small,†Haynes said. “We’ve got to find ways to beat certain blocks, but overall [the scrimmage] was very good.â€

Liberty

Following the intra-squad scrimmage this weekend, the Panthers have a better understanding of the speed of the camp that will prepare them for Friday nights.

The scrimmage gave the team the opportunity to execute the offense and defense under a little faster speed, head coach Shane Deel said.

“We wanted to get our kids out and see if they can get in and out of the huddle and see what [they] can do. Overall it was pretty good from that standpoint,†Deel said.

Quarterbacks Jeremy Dickey and Colton Anderson have the offense down and made the defense pay with their feet, Deel said.

“We ran a quarterback counter and stuck it for about 60 [yards],†Deel said.

Even though the defense had its occasional blown assignment, they did not give up very many big plays, Deel said.

Deel liked the intensity and energy he saw from the team, but said the Panthers need to become more physical football team.

By the end of the scrimmage the team had no injuries, players had gotten a lot of reps and everyone very winded, a good sign to Deel.

“It was our best practice yet,†he added.

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