(Post sponsored by Tinsley Title and Holt Wrecker Service )
In this week’s Athens Notebook podcast, Michael Hannigan and Athens Head Coach Zac Harrell look back at what the Hornets learned from their first scrimmage at Fairfield and ahead to a much tougher test Thursday against Lindale.
The conversation also gets into how Athens has developed its young roster, why this year’s offense could feature more running backs, and what the Hornets still need to figure out before the season opener.
Plenty to Like
Harrell came away from Fairfield encouraged by the way his team played, particularly on defense.
“I thought our kids played really hard,” Harrell said. “That’s really what we wanted to see, see how hard and how our kids are going to compete.”
Athens also showed some explosiveness offensively. All three quarterbacks played well, Harrell said, and the Hornets threw six touchdown passes in 42 plays.
There were mistakes, but Harrell said getting those mistakes on film is part of the value of a scrimmage. The Hornets spent time reviewing the video and identifying things that need to improve before Thursday.
Reload, Not Rebuild
Athens graduated more than 30 seniors from last year’s team, leaving plenty of new faces stepping into important roles.
But Harrell said the program has spent years preparing players for those opportunities.
Some players who could have been varsity backups last year remained on JV because the coaching staff believed playing every down would help their development more than standing on the sideline. Harrell said four or five projected starters this season played JV as juniors last season.
“There are no reps like game reps,” Harrell said.
That development is one reason Harrell agrees with the description of this year’s team as a reload rather than a rebuild.
“It’s going to be different,” Harrell said. “We’re not the same team that we were last year, but we definitely think we have the pieces to be successful.”
Running the Football
One of those differences could show up in the Athens offense.
Last season, Athens had depth at receiver. This year, Harrell sees strength in the backfield.
“We’ve got four good running backs, so we don’t need one on the field and three of them sitting on the sideline,” Harrell said.
Harrell said that flexibility has been a feature of the Hornets’ offense throughout his time in Athens. The system changes to fit the players rather than forcing players into the same offense every season.
One thing will not change.
“I believe to be good at football, you’ve got to run the football and you’ve got to have a toughness,” Harrell said.
Final Test
Thursday brings a significant step up in competition.
Lindale is starting the year ranked No. 2 in Class 4A Division I by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.
“They’re going to provide a great challenge for us,” Harrell said. “It’ll be a great test for our kids going into that first game week.”
The scrimmage also represents Athens’ final major evaluation before the regular season.
Game-Like Conditions
The final portion of Thursday’s scrimmage will look more like an actual football game.
After a controlled period, Athens and Lindale will play a live half with a running clock. Coaches will move into the press box and players will operate from the sideline.
For many of the Hornets, it will be their first opportunity to experience those conditions at the varsity level.
It will also give Athens a chance to test its sideline communication, watches, film and replay systems before the games count.
“It’s a good test for everybody,” Harrell said.
This Week
Athens hosts Lindale on Thursday, Aug. 20, at Bruce Field.
The freshman and JV scrimmages begin at 6 p.m. The varsity will begin approximately 20 minutes after they finish, with Harrell estimating a start around 7:20 to 7:30 p.m.
Athens opens the regular season Friday, Aug. 28, at Nacogdoches.
