Bobcat football is one of the many programs at Gilmer High who has been busy in June.
The Bobcats were back on Pettit Field Monday to begin their third week of seasonal preparations, and head coach Paul Standard has 81 players on the roster. The only protective equipment permitted during this portion of the preseason is helmets. The installation of the Bobcats’ offense and defense has been a key aspect of summer so far.
GHS practices four days per week, and when the Cats are at home, they report to the Gudger-Sluder Field House by 6:50 a.m. After an 80-minute weight training session, players eat breakfast and attend position meetings. Gilmer ends its day with a two-hour practice, which wraps up at 11 a.m.
Passing is also a vital part this time of year, even though fans might not see the ball in the air too much during the fall.
“We put in all of our passing game, and I know people will laugh at that,” Standard said. “We have a pretty good passing game. Do we use it a lot? No. We’re an option offense, and there are going to be times when we have to throw the ball where a play-action pass isn’t going to be the answer. On plays where you have to throw it, you’ve got to be able to execute it.
“There are a lot of high school teams who are run based, and when they try to throw it, they don’t look like they know what they’re doing. I’ve always said we’re going to be a run-oriented offense, but that we have a passing game that when we have to use it, our kids know what to do because we’ve worked on it.”
GHS will attend three seven-on-seven passing events this month. Competitions pit offenses and defenses against each other without linemen on the field. The Cats were at Coahulla Creek last Thursday and faced five teams.
“We did really well and I was pleasantly surprised,” said Standard. “We have a lot of new faces in the receiving corps and two quarterbacks who are new when it comes to varsity completion. They (senior quarterback Bo Cronic and sophomore A.J. Callihan) both did well and we caught the ball. It was just a good day and hopefully we do that this Thursday as well (at Ringgold).”
Standard estimated that 75 percent of the offense and defense are in place. The Cats have used June to practice against different defensive looks and fronts they may face during the season.
“The greatest compliment I can give to our team is that we’re really close,” Standard said. “We have a good group of seniors, and they’ve really helped out our young kids. Our older veteran guys have really done a great job of showing them the way, and that started back in the second semester in the weight room and through spring practice.”
GHS will head to Ringgold Thursday for its second seven-on-seven passing competition of the month.