Rocks show commitment on gridiron in spring game

By Joseph W. Gex, II
May 24, 2011, 17:53

The St. Stanislaus Rock-a-chaws have been an all-out spread team for the past decade on the football field. That philosophy will change slightly for the upcoming football season which begins in August.

On Friday, May 20th the Rocks displayed their newly adjusted approach to the gridiron under new mentor Gabe Fertitta who replaced Forrest Williams. Fertitta comes to SSC from Itawamba Community College where he spent last season as the offensive coordinator. Williams is heading north to Ridgeland to take over the Madison-Ridgeland Academy team.

The Rocks showed a concentrated effort on running the football in their spring game against Class 6A St. Martin last Friday night. Carrying the bulk of the load was Bennett Rimmer and Bo Brennan. They were spelled by Riley Baggett, Evan Lundgren and others throughout the controlled scrimmage.

Fertitta commented, “Tonight was a solid effort by the guys. As a coach, you like to see that after three weeks of practicing against yourself. To see the players in a competitive situation and how they react to it was very beneficial. They did a good job.”

The scrimmage was a controlled one where the first string offense had a certain number of plays from various locations on the field against the first string opposing defense for each team. Then, the second string and third string followed suit with the same controlled situations. Each team was also afforded field goal and extra point kicking opportunities in the scrimmage.

On offense, the Rocks scored eight times. Bo Brennan scored on a nifty 50-yard run. Nick Everhart caught two scoring tosses. Joe Guillot scored on a swing pass while Bennett Rimmer scored on a pass and a run. Alden St. Mary caught a scoring toss and Tyler Allen also scored. Everhart also returned a fumble 65 yards for a score on defense.

The Rock defense held St. Martin to just two scores in the game including just one on the first string defense.
The Rocks defensive approach remained consistent with guys flying around the ball and making plays orchestrated by longtime defensive coordinator Mark Logan. Fertitta continued, “On defense, we flew around the ball. Coach Mark Logan does an excellent job. His defense is intense and that intensity is fueled by their coach. Coach Logan is an intense coach and they feed off of him. I was very pleased to see them in action.”

It was a solid display of football on the field after the off season and adjusting to a new style of play. However, the scrimmage did not go without its concerns. Fertitta added, “On our first offensive series, we committed two turnovers. They came about as a result of not knowing what to do. We were able to get past those and move on. We can’t commit mistakes such as those. We have to get better all around. The very best thing that came out of the scrimmage tonight was we got it all on film. Now, we can begin to teach the system. When a player is able to see it on film, it makes a big difference.”

Fertitta added that now the summer season is here. He reminded his players that the summer is a time to get bigger, faster and stronger and more in tune with what their responsibilities are on and off the field. He concluded, “We want the guys to establish their mentality. We want them to be like a junkyard dog on the field. As the players get bigger, faster, stronger and establish the mentality a lot of confidence comes from that. We approached our spring practice as an opportunity to evaluate what we have and where we are. We were able to do that.”

With spring football behind all the teams in the area, the summer workouts begin in earnest with 7-on-7, weight training and film. The summer workouts will continue through late July or early August when the pre-season workouts begin in preparation for the regular season which starts later in August. For the football fanatics such as myself, we are only a short two and one-half months away from getting our fix. I can’t wait. Can you? See you at the game!

Source: http://www.seacoastecho.com/

South Panola to play Gulfport in football this fall

By DOUG BARBER - dmbarber@sunherald.com

 

GULFPORT -- Gulfport football coach/athletic director Mike Justice is excited about his challenging 2011 football schedule.

Class 6A state champion and overall national high school champion South Panola highlights the schedule when the Tigers visit Gulfport on Saturday, Sept. 10, for a 5 p.m. game.
In addition to that, Gulfport and Biloxi will revive the Shrimp Bowl as a kickoff classic on Aug. 19 at Milner Stadium. Biloxi plays Pascagoula in the opening game at 5 p.m. and Gulfport meets Picayune at 7:30 p.m. The Shrimp Bowl will be played in Biloxi in 2012.

The Shrimp Bowl was one of the oldest high school postseason bowl games but hasn’t been played in over a decade.
Other non-region games include road trips to Moss Point and Oak Grove.
Read more about this story in Saturday’s Sun Herald.

Source:  http://www.sunherald.com/2011/05/26/3148492/south-panola-to-play-gulfport.html#ixzz1NZTtvlYf

Daphne's T.J. Yeldon uncommitted to college, committed to winning

By Mike Herndon, Press-Register


Daphne running back T.J. Yeldon scores a touchdown during the Trojans' spring scrimmage against Escambia County on Saturday, May 21, 2011. (Press-Register/Jon Hauge)
DAPHNE, ALABAMA -- The Daphne Trojans are about to start practice, and T.J. Yeldon is getting fidgety, although the interview has just begun. He's a young man of relatively few words, and he isn't ready to give the ones everyone is waiting to hear -- the name of the college program that will get his signature in February.
Yeldon, who helped lead Daphne to the 6A state title last year, is the top running-back recruit in the state and the top uncommitted 2012 prospect in the Mobile-Baldwin area. He has offers from top college programs around the country, and, while he routinely tells those who ask that there are six schools at the top of that list -- Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Southern Cal, Oregon and Clemson -- he said he hasn't eliminated anyone.
"I'm still open and looking," he said.
His answers to other questions are similarly short and to the point:
What's he looking for in a college? "A school where it's like a family, where you get along with everybody and that's good in academics."
What are his individual goals for his senior season? "I'm going to try to hit 2,000 (rushing yards)."
And then Ryan Anderson walked into the room, without saying a word, and what makes Yeldon tick became clearer. As Anderson, a muscular 250-pound linebacker who has recently committed to Alabama, took a seat across the room, Yeldon was asked about the Trojans' chances of repeating as state champs.
"We can if we get the defense going," he said with a sly grin. "We're killing them at practice right now."
Much of a Daphne defense that held Hoover to six points in the state championship game in December is back. Is facing this defense in practice tougher than many games?
"Not this year's defense," Yeldon replied, shooting a playful glance at Anderson. "Last year's defense was tough."
Finally, Anderson could stand it no longer. "It's easy to say that when you can't hit the backs," he said.
Put Yeldon in a room with another football player -- even a teammate -- and it doesn't take long to see that competition drives him.
"What T.J. brings is a great athlete with just huge desire," Daphne coach Glenn Vickery said. "He reminds me a lot of Julio (Jones) in his competitiveness. When the lights come on, let's go play."
At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and blessed with 4.4 speed, Yeldon is big and tough enough to run between the tackles, fast enough to be a home-run threat in the open field and versatile enough to get snaps at slot receiver and wildcat quarterback. He ran for 1,110 yards and 18 touchdowns last season and had another 506 receiving yards.
"He's got a great body, he can play several spots and he's got great instinct," Vickery said. "All those tangible things he has and then the intangibles -- the work ethic and the desire to compete -- are those things that I think make him a complete player."
Vickery first noticed the depth of Yeldon's competitiveness during a 2008 game against Pace, Fla., when Yeldon ran back a kickoff for a touchdown as a freshman. A host of college recruiters, including Auburn's Gus Malzahn, Alabama's Jeremy Pruitt and Clemson's Charlie Harbison, saw it Saturday, when Yeldon scored touchdowns on the Trojans' first two possessions in their spring game against Escambia County.
"His desire to compete, it's every play," Vickery said. "That's not always the case for a 17-year-old kid. Sometimes they want to play this game and not play the next. Every game's important to him."
Yeldon, who is also a standout forward on Daphne's basketball team, is in no hurry to end the recruiting process. He said he's enjoying the ride, but knows the time will come when the recruiting process will get difficult, when he has to start telling recruiters no.
"That's probably going to be the hardest thing, because I like all the schools and all the recruiters," he said. "My parents say they want me to stay at home because the only time they'll get to see me is if I stay here. But it's wherever I feel comfortable."

Source:  http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/05/daphnes_tj_yeldon_uncommitted.html

 

 

 

James Adding Offers

Paul Jones
BulldogBlitz.com

With each passing month, Long Beach (Miss.) defensive tackle Nick James continues to collect SEC offers. And the 6-foot-4 and 330-pound junior said the early offers only motivate him to do more in 2011.

Nick James is one of Mississippi's top defensive tackles.

"I thought Alabama had offered me but they haven't although they said they are planning to offer," said James. "But I do have offers from Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State, LSU and Ole Miss.
"I just feel fortunate to have these opportunities. It makes me want to become the best player in the state and show people I have earned these offers.

Two of James' latest offers came from the pair of in-state SEC schools - Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

"I was real thankful to get those offers," said James. "I will soon have family at Mississippi State with Dee Arrington. And with Ole Miss, my cousin that coaches at Perk (Gulf Coast Community College), he went to Ole Miss and that is a good thing, too."

And James added he's talked to several of his teammates and friends about the Bulldogs and Rebels of late.

"I liked getting those offers and people I've talked to said they had good experiences at Mississippi State and Ole Miss," noted James. "I haven't gotten a chance to check out their campuses but I want to soon. Both schools are good academic-wise and me and my father have to plan out some visits to those schools.
"I talked to (teammate) Richie (Brown) the other day about his visit to Mississippi State. He said he liked it and that the coaches are pretty cool. So I want to check it out for myself."

But for the most part this spring, James is more focused on improving his play on the defensive line. He managed 33 tackles and three sacks last year and did a solid job plugging up the middle and allowing freedom for the likes of Brown and other Long Beach linebackers.

"I am just trying to stay lower more and that will make it easier to change directions," said James. "I want to get better at my foot planting and explosiveness and I've been working a lot in those areas. I just want to get a whole lot better and see if my work pays off when we put on the pads in a week and start spring ball."


Source: http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1200763