This was an article before the Spring game. The enthusiasm through out the program is evident.
http://www.panews.com/sports/local_story_141210724.html?keyword=topstory
Spring game tonight for 'new-look' Indians
By Tom Halliburton
The Port Arthur News
PORT NECHES -- In between this and that passing drill or a brief sermonette for his surrounding squad, Brandon Faircloth blurts an occasional, "I guess I've gotten lucky."
Yet this would appear to resemble far more than luck around the steamy new Reservation's green carpet. Faircloth may be taking Port Neches-Groves football on a magic carpet ride with seven home games this fall.
The new Indians' chief has directed more than voodoo, luck, or magic with his PN-G squad this spring, though. It's been a month dominated by hard work, just as Faircloth promised when he accepted his first head football coaching job in the winter.
That work culminates tonight with about a 90-minute Purple and White spring game in Indian Stadium at 7:30. The No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense will compete on one team against the No. 2 offense and No. 1 defense. They will use a running clock and whack at each other for four 12-minute quarters.
Faircloth has sprinkled in a word here or there such as "amazing" and "unbelievable" when he talked briefly about his personnel and team progress after Tuesday's workout.
The Indians coaches truly have cultivated a solid familiarity and orientation with their 2009 football candidates during this off-season and spring practice. Faircloth and his new assistants have set the bar high all month. They like what they see, too.
"This has really been amazing," Faircloth said, in an overview of the team. "They have done real well. Our coaching staff has been very pleased with our progress."
To be sure, Brandon admitted some considerable apprehension to seeing the spring game. He acknowledged the mental and emotional contrast between working in the stadium in the afternoon and playing in front of a crowd tonight.
"I'm looking forward to watching them under the lights," the new Indians' chief said. "It's one thing to watch them at 2 o'clock and another when the fans come and the lights go on."
A crowd of purple and white faithful definitely will be curiosity seekers tonight, but a fair number of shadetree observers have dropped in frequently for the afternoon workouts. One of the frequent watchers has been former Indians football coach Ken Watson, who definitely likes what he sees from spring drills.
Juniors Brennan Doty and Matt Desmond are working at quarterback and are showing the aptitude and desired work habits to impress Faircloth.
"It's really been unbelievable at quarterback," Faircloth said. "We haven't put anything in different than the things we did at Odessa Permian. But these guys have gone above and beyond. They've studied film and they're smart kids and that makes a big difference."
PN-G had to start over last season at the wide receiver positions. Guys such as Kyler Segura, Spencer DeRon, Blake Reyenga, Amir Jalali, Collin Gizzi, and Garrett Boudoin enable Faircloth to like his chances at wide-outs.
Then there's a returning running back Caleb Harmon, who has made a favorable impression.
"I think Caleb fits our offense perfectly," the young PN-G boss said.
A vital and unique varsity staff member in this Tribe, running backs coach Kyle Segura is a close ally of previous Indians' chief Matt Burnett. Segura also coached the running backs on Burnett's staff. While the offense has experienced a few alterations, Segura noted one major constant in the 2008 Indians offense and the 2009 upcoming attack.
"It's a different offense but it still has the power running game in it," Segura said. "I think our athletes are responding very well to coach Faircloth and our new staff. It helped them a lot because he got here early in our off-season program."
New defensive coordinator Duane Kroeker also has some most interesting timing in that PN-G returns a nice complement of regulars on his platoon too. They include defensive lineman Dallas Davis, linebackers Christian Kerr and Kane Benoit, safety David St. Clair, and corners Dre' Dunbar and Aaron Brandom.
Assistant head coach and offensive line chief Joe Dale Cary owns one of the more demanding chores of reshaping the Indians' blocking wall after losing several seniors to graduation. That does not mean Cary has lowered the bar any for his offensive line candidates.
"I'm looking for guys to play with great effort," Cary said. "I want them to play with the techniques they've learned in the last two months. And play tough and physical."