Spring Football Report, Part 1

Over the last couple of weeks the pings of baseball bats and the pops of cathcers’ mits aren’t the only sounds that have been in the air in Williamsburg. There has also been plenty of whistles and rustling of shoulder pads as both the Williamsburg Yellow Jackets and the University of the Cumberlands Patriots took to their respective football fields for their annual spring practice sessions.

Hopes are high in both camps, with the Jackets looking to make it back to the Class A state championship game in 2014, and the Pats planning on making a return trip to the NAIA national championship. Both teams lost in their final games of the season last year, so both coaching staffs are eager to rectify that by brining home a couple of championship trophies.

Williamsburg Head Coach Jerry Herron knows that his team has a long road ahead of them if they want to make it back to the state championship, but he feels good about what he has seen this spring.

“Our strength training has went really well,” said Herron. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have a good bunch of kids who are willing to show up and work hard for us. We have a couple of guys who have squatted over 600 pounds, and several have bench pressed over 300.”

In addition to that strength, Herron hopes that his team’s experience will also assist them in winning games during the upcoming season. “This is a veteran group,” he said. “We did lose eight seniors, but a lot of these kids that are coming back are entering into their fourth year on the team.”

“As for our spring practices, a lot of these guys have been through these drills several times before, so they know what they’re doing. The ones who are about to be seniors are pretty much leading the drills for us.”

Despite the amount of veteran leadership on the roster this year, the Yellow Jackets did lose some key players after the 2013 season wrapped, including quarterback Dalton Sizemore. Herron commented on that situation by saying, “Right now we have Skyler Griffith running quarterback for us, and we’ve also been looking at Alex Patterson some. Our JV quarterback has been getting some reps as well. It’s really open competition at the quarterback position, with a lot of kids have been politicking to play in that spot. We’ve been having a lot of fun with it.”

Of course, it won’t matter who plays quarterback this year unless they can get some good blocking up front, but coach Herron feels like that is one spot where his team will shine. “I think our offensive and defensive lines will be one of our main strengths this season,” he said. “We have a good, solid corps returning, so we have a good shot at being comparable to where we were last year. I really feel like the strength and depth we have in those positions is going to result in one of the better lines that we’ve had since I’ve been at Williamsburg.”

In sum, Herron has been very impressed with his team’s willingness to work, and he commented that he feels like this team will be able to come in and pick up where they left off back in December. He also thanked the community for their continued support of the Yellow Jacket football program.

As for Cumberlands, new Head Coach Matt Rhymer was equally optimistic about his team’s chances in the upcoming season. “It has been really exciting to say the least since being named Head Coach of the Patriots football team,” he said. “The guys that are returning from last year are a strong group, and they have really bought in to our philosophy, as well as the environment that we’re trying to establish here. They have worked extremely hard, and the competition level has been really high. We have tried to find ways to compete in everything that we do, and they guys have really rose up to that challenge.”

“We did lose some key players after last season, which has presented an opportunity for some new guys to step up. Through our competition we have been able to find some of those players who are able to rise up and compete at a higher level. We’ve also seen leadership develop in some guys who have been leading the way first in the weight room, and now out on the field in our spring practices. We’ve seen a lot of growth on the team both physically and mentally, and I feel like we are on a great pace to be very competitive this season.”

Rhymer also commented on the strong group of recruits that will be joining the team in the fall whom he feels like will be able to make an immediate impact and really add a lot depth and strength to the Patriots’ roster.

As for how things are looking specifically on the offensive side of the ball, offensive coordinator Paul Pitts has been pleased with what he’s seen so far. “There’s no doubt that our offensive line is ready to lead the way again this season,” he said. “I’ve been really, really impressed with the way our guys have continued to push. They have an outstanding attitude, and they’ve come to practice every day ready to work.”

“I’ve also been very impressed to see how well our running backs have worked together. Not only can they run the ball, but they have been really physical with their blocking as well. This is a tough bunch of kids in the backfield.”

“Of course, you have to be able to throw the football as well. We have had good competition at the wide receiver position. There are probably three of four guys right now who are vying for those top spots in the receiving corps.”

As for quarterback, Pitts commented that returning starter Adam Craig has looked good after undergoing shoulder surgery at the end of last season. He said that backup Randy Maynard has stepped in and developed nicely while Craig is finishing up the rehab process, but was clear that he has seen “no drop off whatsoever” in Craig’s play.

Defensively, coordinator PJ Hughes has made it a goal to field a unit that will be “mentally and physically tougher than any other defense in the nation.”

Hughes will be counting on the experience of his defensive line to help stop opposing offenses, and he is upbeat about the amount of new talent competing for a spot in both the linebacker and secondary corps.

“We lost five seniors at linebacker,” said Hughes. “So there will be a lot of new names and faces. We also lost four fifths of our defensive secondary, but we have a lot of talented young guys who have been waiting for the chance to prove themselves out on the field. They are hard workers, and I think they are going to fit in well with the changes and adjustments that we’ve made at those positions.”

Overall, Hughes said that he wants to see an “attacking defense” this season that is always playing as hard and as tough as they can.

UC’s spring practices will wrap up this Saturday, April 5 with the annual intersquad spring scrimmage. Kickoff is set for 11 AM at James H. Taylor Stadium in Williamsburg.

Whitley County, Corbin and Lynn Camp high schools all have spring practices of their own scheduled for later in April. Look for coverage of those sessions in the coming weeks.