IndianFan
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PAnews.com, Port Arthur, Texas
May 25, 2012
PN-G defense impressive in spring drills
David Coleman
The Port Arthur News
PORT NECHES — It all starts on defense for the Indians.
When Port Neches-Groves football fans head to The Reservation at 7 p.m. Friday for the annual Purple and White spring game, they’ll be a lot on display, including a new signal caller and a host of young players getting a shot. Don’t expect the game to be a high-scoring affair, judging by the way the PN-G defenders have played this spring.
“I’m most pleased with our defense,” PN-G head coach Brandon Faircloth said. “They’re running to the football. They’ve improved. We’ve had some guys coming back, but we’ve also fit in some JV guys and even some freshmen, sophomores in. They’ve really improved. They’re making it hard on us to move the football.
“The kids have been working hard. To have all this time watching film with them, it’s invaluable. The time we get to spend on football in 18 practices, watching film from the first day until now, the change is huge.”
PN-G’s offense under Faircloth isn’t so much complicated as it is detailed. With all the motions, shifts and different formations, having 18 practices in the spring to work on those things can be invaluable for next season.
That’s exactly what the Indians have been working on, adding the fundamentals they’ll need during the season next year.
“To have 18 practices to figure out who can play, that’s a lot,” Faircloth said. “I’m a firm believer that you can’t figure out who can play until you get in pads. Coming in in August, we’ll know some things and what we need to work on. We don’t get very funky during the spring. We’re pretty base, make sure we get the stuff we’re going to do every week. Then, towards the end, we sprinkle in the fun stuff.”
The Indians have seen a little bit of shuffling on their coaching staff this offseason, with offensive coordinator and receivers coach Jared Wingfield getting a head coaching job at Mabank and co-defensive coordinator Ryan Cox taking a job as an assistant at Lovejoy.
Faircloth already had a replacement defensive backs coach lined up in Mike Ballew, who coached with him at Odessa Permian. But, when Wingfield left and opened up a spot at receivers coach, he slotted Ballew in there, where he’s a better fit, according to Faircloth.
Either way, the turnover hasn’t affected the play on the field, especially on the defensive side. There are plenty of guys making plays in practice each day, including returning starters like linebacker Logan Warlick or cornerback Kaleb Clark or former defensive back Dalton Peveto, who moves inside to linebacker for the stout group.
“They’re forcing us to be pretty sound and perfect on offense,” Faircloth said. “They’re not going to let you get away with too much. You’ve got to be good on your technique and good on your routes. That window isn’t open for long, so you have to get the ball in there.”
New quarterback A.J. Smith has transitioned smoothly into the new offense, cutting an imposing figure on the field. Listed at 6-foot-5, the athletic Smith is as much at home on the basketball court as he is on the football turf. His size gives him an immediate advantage, with a release point on his throws that mean he shouldn’t have many passes knocked down next season.
“I wish there was something you could do for height, take something,” Faircloth said. “When you’re blessed with it, you take advantage of it. (A.J.) has done a great job out there. He’s worked hard and had a lot of experience, backing up Travis (Miller) last year. I’m confident he’s going to have a good year.”
Smith will have a new group of skill players to work with, but his receiving corps looks to be solid, as it was a year ago. The headliner of the group is soon-to-be junior Logan Chipman, who is still growing and gives the Indians quite a bit of versatility on offense. Chipman can line up all over the field, including in-line as a tight end, making him a tough matchup for opposing defenses.
“We’ll be solid at receiver, I have no doubt,” Faircloth said. “(Chipman) is going to play everywhere. We have to find ways to get him the ball. Whatever ways we can invent to do that, we’re going to do, because he’s going to be highly involved.”
http://panews.com/sports/x234169753/PN-G-defense-impressive-in-spring-drills
May 25, 2012
PN-G defense impressive in spring drills
David Coleman
The Port Arthur News
PORT NECHES — It all starts on defense for the Indians.
When Port Neches-Groves football fans head to The Reservation at 7 p.m. Friday for the annual Purple and White spring game, they’ll be a lot on display, including a new signal caller and a host of young players getting a shot. Don’t expect the game to be a high-scoring affair, judging by the way the PN-G defenders have played this spring.
“I’m most pleased with our defense,” PN-G head coach Brandon Faircloth said. “They’re running to the football. They’ve improved. We’ve had some guys coming back, but we’ve also fit in some JV guys and even some freshmen, sophomores in. They’ve really improved. They’re making it hard on us to move the football.
“The kids have been working hard. To have all this time watching film with them, it’s invaluable. The time we get to spend on football in 18 practices, watching film from the first day until now, the change is huge.”
PN-G’s offense under Faircloth isn’t so much complicated as it is detailed. With all the motions, shifts and different formations, having 18 practices in the spring to work on those things can be invaluable for next season.
That’s exactly what the Indians have been working on, adding the fundamentals they’ll need during the season next year.
“To have 18 practices to figure out who can play, that’s a lot,” Faircloth said. “I’m a firm believer that you can’t figure out who can play until you get in pads. Coming in in August, we’ll know some things and what we need to work on. We don’t get very funky during the spring. We’re pretty base, make sure we get the stuff we’re going to do every week. Then, towards the end, we sprinkle in the fun stuff.”
The Indians have seen a little bit of shuffling on their coaching staff this offseason, with offensive coordinator and receivers coach Jared Wingfield getting a head coaching job at Mabank and co-defensive coordinator Ryan Cox taking a job as an assistant at Lovejoy.
Faircloth already had a replacement defensive backs coach lined up in Mike Ballew, who coached with him at Odessa Permian. But, when Wingfield left and opened up a spot at receivers coach, he slotted Ballew in there, where he’s a better fit, according to Faircloth.
Either way, the turnover hasn’t affected the play on the field, especially on the defensive side. There are plenty of guys making plays in practice each day, including returning starters like linebacker Logan Warlick or cornerback Kaleb Clark or former defensive back Dalton Peveto, who moves inside to linebacker for the stout group.
“They’re forcing us to be pretty sound and perfect on offense,” Faircloth said. “They’re not going to let you get away with too much. You’ve got to be good on your technique and good on your routes. That window isn’t open for long, so you have to get the ball in there.”
New quarterback A.J. Smith has transitioned smoothly into the new offense, cutting an imposing figure on the field. Listed at 6-foot-5, the athletic Smith is as much at home on the basketball court as he is on the football turf. His size gives him an immediate advantage, with a release point on his throws that mean he shouldn’t have many passes knocked down next season.
“I wish there was something you could do for height, take something,” Faircloth said. “When you’re blessed with it, you take advantage of it. (A.J.) has done a great job out there. He’s worked hard and had a lot of experience, backing up Travis (Miller) last year. I’m confident he’s going to have a good year.”
Smith will have a new group of skill players to work with, but his receiving corps looks to be solid, as it was a year ago. The headliner of the group is soon-to-be junior Logan Chipman, who is still growing and gives the Indians quite a bit of versatility on offense. Chipman can line up all over the field, including in-line as a tight end, making him a tough matchup for opposing defenses.
“We’ll be solid at receiver, I have no doubt,” Faircloth said. “(Chipman) is going to play everywhere. We have to find ways to get him the ball. Whatever ways we can invent to do that, we’re going to do, because he’s going to be highly involved.”
http://panews.com/sports/x234169753/PN-G-defense-impressive-in-spring-drills
