The Devine’s varsity, JV, and freshman football teams finally get to go against someone other than themselves Friday evening in Bandera as the Warhorses play the first of two scrimmages that lead into the varsity’s season-opener in San Antonio against the Kennedy Rockets on August 30.
Due to low numbers on Bandera’s freshman and JV teams, the Warhorses freshman and JV teams will combine their scrimmage to ensure all players get valuable repetitions. They begin at 6:00pm and scrimmage for one hour. The varsity teams will follow around 7:00pm.
Naturally, Head Coach Paul Gomez and his staff are eager to see what the new season has in store for the Warhorses as he begins his third year at the helm.
“I am excited about playing somebody else and getting some film for feedback. Our young men have been working hard and really pushing themselves. We remind them that every rep in practice needs to be a game rep if they want to be at their best come Friday night during the season.
We are very excited to see how these young men do, what our strengths are, and what our weaknesses are. We are going to make mistakes. We just want our kids to play with great effort and be as discipline as they can.
We all know it’s not where you start but where you finish that’s important, but being able to get us on film against another team in this type of atmosphere will be a great learning tool for us moving forward.
It’s hot outside and we have to take care of our bodies but it’s hot everywhere and everybody in the state of Texas is fighting through dog-days of football.
Each experience will allow us to build and improve our team to help accomplish our goals for the season. Our kids have bought in to what we are trying to accomplish and understand that together we are stronger and that every player plays an important role on our team. When we play for our teammates instead of ourselves, we can accomplish great things this year.
We put our heads down and really went to work this week. We are employing a lunch-pail mentality. We are getting better every day.”
Coach-speak
Offensive Coordinator and quarterback coach PJ Wells Bandera expectations.—“I have high expectations for both quarterbacks to be leaders on the offense. I expect them to take control of the huddle and to make the right checks and reads. When the opportunity arises to make a play, they need to get it done.”
What wide receiver coach and Special Teams Coordinator Scott Taylor is looking for Friday.—“I expect our wide outs to give great effort and block on the perimeter every play. I expect great routes and for them to make plays when they get the opportunity.
Defensive secondary coach Heath Poppe.—“I am excited to see what our young kids can do.”
Tight ends and linebacker coach Evan Eads simplified things just a bit.—“I want great effort, and want them to be vocal.”
By Jerel Beaty
Staff Writer
Editor’s note: The version of this story that appears in the print edition mistakenly said the scrimmage was on Thursday. It is on Friday, and the online version of the story has been changed to reflect as much. We regret the error.