The Gilmer High Bobcats are a step closer to the 2023 football season.
Seventy-eight players made it through 10 days of spring practice, which wrapped up with an intrasquad scrimmage last Wednesday. Fundamentals took center stage over the two-week period as coaches emphasized the essential elements of Gilmer’s offensive and defensive schemes.
Head coach Paul Standard gave an assessment of the Bobcats midway through spring and mentioned what he hoped to see improve. By the conclusion of Wednesday’s practice, he was satisfied with the turnaround.
“I didn’t think I’d say this, but I was really pleased with our physicality at practice,” he said. “At times, we haven’t been the most physical team. At times we were last year, and I felt like it was pretty good over the last five days. I think a lot of that has to do with the weight room. We’re way ahead of where we were at this point last year, and this is after graduating some really strong kids.
“When your administration gives you the leeway to get all of your players into one weight training class together, there is camaraderie and team building. It makes a world of difference.”
Standard’s five facets of spring included fundamental work, finding team leaders, improving physicality, assessing incoming freshmen and identifying players who are ready to play on Fridays.
“There are some things we still don’t have answers to, but overall, spring was very productive,” he said.
Many schools around the state opted to play a scrimmage game against another school to close out spring practice. Standard previously stated he prefers intrasquad scrimmages because it allows the program to focus on itself rather then spend 10 days preparing for another team.
However, in Standard’s first two seasons at GHS, those scrimmages were hampered by low participation numbers and not enough varsity-ready players. Even with seven upperclassmen sidelined with injuries during the scrimmage, the team was still able to get meaningful repetitions.
The scrimmage split time between varsity and junior varsity portions. Gilmer showcased its rushing attack, and quarterback Issac Rellinger broke a long touchdown run during one of the varsity sessions.
Rellinger also connected with Ryder Wofford and Ian Berry for touchdowns and found success passing to halfback Douglas Callihan.
“We had a few players banged up who will definitely be able to help us,” Standard said. “The area I believe where we had the most improvement during spring was along the defensive line. This was the first time in three years we were able to go ones (projected starters) versus the best of the rest, and it looked like an actual football scrimmage. In the past, if we put the best on one side of the ball, we really didn’t have enough players to give that varsity group any real competition.
“We went ones versus ones (top offense versus top defense) four times during spring where we really scrimmaged, and I thought our kids were physical and it was good to see.”
Standard has seen the roster expand with the addition of baseball and basketball players, as well as track athletes. While most had never played the sport prior to the start of spring, Standard believes they possess the talent to be productive varsity players.
“So far, all of the new guys, which includes six seniors who have never played before, are still with us,” Standard said. “They all showed up to the team meeting we had yesterday (last Thursday) to close out practice when we went over the summer calendar. The players will get two weeks off and then we’ll get back at it.”
GHS will return to the field in June to begin seasonal preparations.