Marble Falls 7 on 7 shows plenty at state qualifier

CAPTION: Senior Arnulfo Salazar makes this catch as he turns for a positive gain. Staff photos by Jennifer Fierro

Though the Marble Falls High School 7-on-7 team didn’t win a pool game at the Burnet State Qualifier Tournament May 30, head coach Keri Timmerman and his staff members, who attended as fans, left Bulldog Field encouraged.

Why? Because the Mustangs demonstrated knowledge of the passing concepts crucial to his version of the spread offense.

“It’s good work to get their absolute best, just to see them playing,” Timmerman said. “You’re coming out of this a little bit better; it’s really hard to be able to get out here.”

Marble Falls went 0-3 in pool play with losses to Burnet, Fredericksburg and Wimberley. 

Timmerman noted the Mustangs went through several concepts with junior quarterbacks Anderson Liscum and Crawford Mattox serving as the gunslingers. As the tournament progressed, the Mustangs were able to move the ball down the field, which showed the quarterbacks and the receivers are getting better on their timing and anticipation. In addition, the coach noted the Mustangs don’t have a 7-on-7 playbook, so much of what they were doing was reading and reacting.

And all of that is why Timmerman exited encouraged by what he witnessed. 

“It gives us an opportunity to do some things where they’re working together versus just throwing around somewhere else,” he said. “Maddox and Anderson both have done a great job, and I think the reality of it is that just getting confident in our receivers and what we can do and how we do it. There’s a lot of drop balls. And that’s stuff that you just have to continue to work at.”

The quarterbacks are throwing with more strength and velocity. The balls are hitting hands and chests in stride. The team averaged a touchdown drop in each game where a receiver was open but unable to haul the ball in. 

“What I saw in the quarterbacks was they understand where we want to go, they understand the timing of it, and then they’re learning to figure out who your playmakers are,” the coach said. “And that’s part of being a quarterback is figuring out your playmakers, figuring out your timing, what you like to throw, how you throw it.”

Perhaps the biggest hurdle, however, isn’t watching tape or reading scouting reports or working the white board. And it might not be getting the extra lifts or running or all the other preparation for the season. All of those tasked are designed to help athletes with their mindset and confidence. And Timmerman emphasized the Mustangs are better than they think they are. 

The tournament came at the end of the week off, which the program normally takes once the school year ends and right before the athletic program’s summer strength-and-conditioning program known as Forge begins. That week off meant some Mustangs, who are expected to play massive roles for the team in the fall, weren’t playing in the tournament. And Timmerman also saw thee bright side of that, too.

“Really all it does is create some depth for us and create some opportunity for us to see kids and see how they react,” he said. “A lot of times I saw contested tipped balls or contested catches or things like that. I hate losing, but I’m happy to see our kids understanding what we’re trying to do better. And I think that’s the key for me, for 7 on 7 is all we want to do is get out and get some reps before we get into strength and conditioning.”

CAPTION: Sophomore running back Diego Aguilar takes a short pass and turns it into a first down.