Sports
Defense looks sharp first few days of spring
Tuesday, 15 May 2012 by David Tuma
Belton began to work on next football season last Friday with the start of eighteen practices. The defense looked sharp the first couple of days and with seven returning starters, looked every bit stronger that last year's outstanding group.
"We are in good shape because of how hard they worked in the offseason. This is the best conditioned group we have had since I have been here," said Tigers offensive coordinator David Brewer.
Being in shape is more than just good hard work that helps a little. There is more to it thatnjust being able to play football. It builds confidence, helps a player make plays, successfully complete drills and being out of shape hurts a player because mentally when the body is exhausted, the body mental concentration goes. It diminishes quality practice time and less gets accomplished.
"What we look at is how well the second half of practice goes. It is the same in the fall when we look at how we stood up in the fourth quarter. These first few practices we where sloppy and careless near the end. This is a great group and they expect to win. That has rubbed off because the younger players moving up expect to win. It is nice to see those younger players getting on a player that doesn't do it right. That is what we are looking for," said Brewer.
The offensive line is a work in progress and will take the spring to find those first six or seven that will play. They moved one defensive linemen to offense similar to what they did in David Ash's junior season.
"The coaches at the junior high level have really done a great job instilling the base offense, terminology, winning attitude and pushing offseason training and weight lifting," said Brewer.
The defense has been strong but the past five seasons, it takes some time, but they will move the ball on offense. "Joe Guthrie has been a problem in trying to get blocked but he was that way in the fall. The defense is only better and it is good for us to face them every day. It ain't easy walking out and having to face to linebackers like Stinson and Santellana. Kyle Battle is the real at cornerback and it helps our receivers having him lineup against him on the line," said Brewer.
