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Practice squad ensures long-term success

By Faith Mwalwa
<[email protected]>

As if on cue, the men in gold, white and blue dutifully march their way onto the upper field from the stadium area. The heat bears down and gives the air a sticky quality as they all keep their eyes trained on the upper field. They keep straight, compliant faces, some talkative, most silent. The sober atmosphere quickly becomes serious and professional when they reach the field as they toss the football to one another, warm up, and get prepared for practice. Kurt Freytag, running back and senior, wraps athletic tape around his ankle, hops up, and takes his place on the field.

Almost immediately, half the players head down to the field.

“That’s because these are the defensive (starters) and (scout team) offensive players, on the stadium field, and those are the offensive (starters) and (scout team) defensive players, up on that field,” Hope Amos, football manager and senior, said. “If the two (starters) and the two (scout teams) play each other, neither would really get practice.”

The scout team is comprised of lesser-known players, those still making a name for themselves, and still on the rise. The offensive and defensive starting unit consists of well-known, and accomplished players, such as Freytag, quarterback and senior Morgan Newton, and safety and senior Joe Rippe. The two teams, however, must come together in order to form efficient practice sessions and gain perspective. And this, according to Head Coach Mo Moriarity, aids in the success of the entire team.

Moriarity agreed and said, “There is no way we can get ready for Friday nights without the scout team.”

“(The offensive and defensive starting units and their scout teams) play each other so that the two starting teams don’t hurt each other,” Michael Spahn, middle linebacker and senior, said.

Spahn, who was on the scout team for freshman and sophomore year, said that he has played in varsity games since his sophomore year. “The scout team is helping and is being helped.”

On the upper field, the offensive starters, clad in blue and occasionally in white, go drill after drill, striving for perfection. Center and senior Joey Barnes remains a solid human wall as player after player rams into him. The scout team players on the sidelines keep a close eye on the techniques of their teammates and the starters, ready to spring in when called. One of the coaches yells for the start of a new drill; one of the players whoops as they begin. Soon thereafter, the other starting offensive players and scout team defensive players descend from the upper field. On the left side of the field, where the starting defensive players and the scout team offensive players gather, the coaches yell nonsensical words and their players repeat, executing the play.

On center stadium field, the defensive starters and the offensive starters smash into each other, time after time. When the coaches see what they want to see, the players are congratulated and told to repeat the drill.

“We usually don’t put the two (starting units) together. Generally, only on Tuesdays,” Assistant Coach Jeremy Stacy said, talking about the portion of the practice where the two starting units practice against each other.

Practice makes perfect. When asked whether they notice the progress in the scout team players, Scott Dehnke, strong safety and senior, said, “This (experience) teaches them how to run hard and play harder against starters. They need that.”

“Every practice we do, we practice as if we are playing. But it’s not just that. We, as a whole team, take pride in believing that we practice harder and longer for every game,” Spahn said. He said that he holds practices in very high regard, because his own participation on the scout team gave him firsthand knowledge of the scout team’s importance, especially for development of skills for both the scout team player and the starter.

Barnes said, “Practices are where we fine-tune our skills, and sharpen (expertise) in order to get better and better. Yes, we all have intensive practices, but we need this in order to further develop our skills.” Barnes, a brawny and powerfully built senior, has played his position, since his sophomore year, and participated on the scout team briefly that year. He contributes being able to “be the first offensive lineman to make a goal in this school’s football history” to the early years of grueling practice and skills development.

“They get better. They have to (get better),” Moriarity said.

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