Burnet football beats the heat, continues spirited practices
CAPTION: Junior quarterback Cooper Evans prepares to hand the ball to sophomore Ethan Sanchez as the Bulldogs work on blocking. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Burnet High School football program made great use of its two facilities to ensure productive practices while keeping players and coaches safe from the Texas heat.
The Bulldogs began each practice at Bulldog Stadium Aug. 3-4 where they stayed for no more than about 75 minutes, took a 30-minute break, then finished inside the Student Activity Center.
The varsity went to offensive drills, while the junior varsity worked with the defense.
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tyler Fambrough ran an efficient second session. He started with quarterback drills with juniors Fisher Powell and Cooper Evans then added different elements: the receivers, the running backs, the tight ends, the line.
The quarterbacks handed the ball off to running backs, then caught a ball pitched to them and reset to throw a pass to a receiver, ensuring there was little standing as this drill illustrated an important part of practice – the desire for multiple quality reps.
As Fambrough and the other offensive coaches — running backs coach Brandon Cunningham, fullbacks coach Roman Arguelles, receivers coach Aaron Terry, and offensive line coach Bronson Wire — watched the Bulldogs, head coach Ben Speer walked to different parts of the field and observed, too. Speer wasn’t in one place for too long and still took several notes as the players and coaches made good use of the time.
“Really exciting, of course, but love the energy,” he said. “It was a lot of fun and enjoyed watching those guys coach, bringing a lot of energy and excitement.”
Before the players arrived Aug. 3 for the first day of training camp, Speer met with his coaches and told them a truth.
“The first 10 minutes of today’s practice is going to set the tone for the rest of the season,” he recalled telling them. “It’s hot. If we’re not organized, we don’t have energy, that’s no recipe for success, and we can’t win it back. You have to come out strong and confident,’ and they were.”
No action illustrates the fun and excitement more than when Fambrough and the quarterbacks either hustled to the next offensive group or the coordinator called a group over to where they were standing. The cheers from each group that was called echoed inside the SAC, demonstrating the Bulldogs were working hard and enjoying themselves, too.
Onlookers cheered after each completion as Fambrough asked the receivers to run out a little farther and the quarterbacks to put more zip and air on the ball.
“Your coaches are moving around as much as your kids – coaching on the run,” Speer said. “I’m big on it. You’re moving around and you’re getting on your guys, being positive, celebrating success.”
In the final 45 minutes, coaches called the scout team defense to line up across the offense for a spirited way to end the second day.
Speer also pointed out that coaches weren’t afraid to go to a player and say ‘I need much more from you’ if they know that athlete is holding back. And to the credit of the players and coaches, they are responding very well.
“Really, really pleased with the organization, the practices, the communication between the coordinators,” the coach said. “Just excellent. They enjoy each other, they work well together. It’s not us versus them; it’s ‘how can we assist you?’ and ‘how can I help you? What can we do to help?’ That’s a great mentality that we have, and our kids are seeing that and seeing how much we enjoy working with and for one another.”
The Bulldogs will be in full pads Aug. 8 for an intrasquad scrimmage. They travel to Fischer Canyon Lake Friday, Aug. 14, and welcome Waco Robinson Thursday, Aug. 20, for scrimmages that begin at 6:30 p.m. The Bulldogs travel to Llano for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday, Aug. 28, for the season opener.
