2017 Football Camps: Hillsboro, McClain begin fall practices
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Monday was the start of the 2017 high school football season where teams from all across the state were allowed to begin their two-a-day practices, and that was no different for the Hillsboro Indians and McClain Tigers of Highland County.
The teams will have two weeks worth of two-a-day practices, along with three scrimmages before the regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 25. Hillsboro enters the 2017 season coming off a ’16 season where they were 4-6 overall. The Tigers were 1-9 overall in ’16.
There will be some changes within both programs as they both look to replace key players on their roster, even with both teams having to select a new quarterback due to graduation last spring. Both the Tigers and Indians are also playing in the Frontier Athletic Conference (FAC) in 2017 along with the Washington Blue Lions, Miami Trace Panthers, Chillicothe Cavaliers and the Jackson Ironmen.
Of those six teams, the Cavaliers qualified for the playoffs last season.
As for the upcoming first scrimmage, the Indians are scheduled to play at Unioto (Tuesday, Aug. 8) for their first scrimmage of the preseason at 5 p.m. McClain will play at home on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. against West in their first football scrimmage.
The regular season will begin on Friday, Aug. 25 when the Tigers host the Adena Warriors at 7 p.m. The Indians will host the Western Brown Broncos on the same evening, also at 7 p.m. All FAC home games will begin at 7 p.m. during the regular season.
Listed below are some observations from the first day of fall camp:
• REPETITION: Fall football practices, or two-a-days are tough to go through as a player, but as someone who watches football and wants to understand the finer points of the game, it is like Christmas in August. So much can be learned by watching and paying attention to these practices. There is so much repetition to get a play correct, that a tip of the cap needs to be given to both the coaches and players for their attention to detail.
• WEATHER: The two practices I attended were at different times of the day, and both practices had their unique weather traits. The heat was hotter in the afternoon practice I attended, but it was still a little hot, but more comfortable in the earlier practice around 10:30 a.m.
• BEST TIME OF THE YEAR: McClain head coach Jeremey Andrews agreed that this was a great time of the year. It is just all about coaching and learning right now. This is football at its purest form — no matter the level be it high school, college or pro — because this time of the year is all about getting the offense, defense and special teams ironed out.
• VIDEO AVAILABLE: Click HERE to watch a video with footage of both the Hillsboro and McClain football practices from Monday, July 31.
• PHOTO SLIDESHOWS: Photos are available from the Hillsboro and McClain camp visits: Click HERE for McClain and HERE for Hillsboro.
• STAT OF THE DAY: The Hillsboro Indians enter the 2017 season with a three-game winning streak, after wins in their final three games of the 2016 season. They defeated East Clinton (28-14), Miami Trace (54-27) and McClain (43-40).
The teams will have two weeks worth of two-a-day practices, along with three scrimmages before the regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 25. Hillsboro enters the 2017 season coming off a ’16 season where they were 4-6 overall. The Tigers were 1-9 overall in ’16.
There will be some changes within both programs as they both look to replace key players on their roster, even with both teams having to select a new quarterback due to graduation last spring. Both the Tigers and Indians are also playing in the Frontier Athletic Conference (FAC) in 2017 along with the Washington Blue Lions, Miami Trace Panthers, Chillicothe Cavaliers and the Jackson Ironmen.
Of those six teams, the Cavaliers qualified for the playoffs last season.
As for the upcoming first scrimmage, the Indians are scheduled to play at Unioto (Tuesday, Aug. 8) for their first scrimmage of the preseason at 5 p.m. McClain will play at home on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. against West in their first football scrimmage.
The regular season will begin on Friday, Aug. 25 when the Tigers host the Adena Warriors at 7 p.m. The Indians will host the Western Brown Broncos on the same evening, also at 7 p.m. All FAC home games will begin at 7 p.m. during the regular season.
Listed below are some observations from the first day of fall camp:
• REPETITION: Fall football practices, or two-a-days are tough to go through as a player, but as someone who watches football and wants to understand the finer points of the game, it is like Christmas in August. So much can be learned by watching and paying attention to these practices. There is so much repetition to get a play correct, that a tip of the cap needs to be given to both the coaches and players for their attention to detail.
• WEATHER: The two practices I attended were at different times of the day, and both practices had their unique weather traits. The heat was hotter in the afternoon practice I attended, but it was still a little hot, but more comfortable in the earlier practice around 10:30 a.m.
• BEST TIME OF THE YEAR: McClain head coach Jeremey Andrews agreed that this was a great time of the year. It is just all about coaching and learning right now. This is football at its purest form — no matter the level be it high school, college or pro — because this time of the year is all about getting the offense, defense and special teams ironed out.
• VIDEO AVAILABLE: Click HERE to watch a video with footage of both the Hillsboro and McClain football practices from Monday, July 31.
• PHOTO SLIDESHOWS: Photos are available from the Hillsboro and McClain camp visits: Click HERE for McClain and HERE for Hillsboro.
• STAT OF THE DAY: The Hillsboro Indians enter the 2017 season with a three-game winning streak, after wins in their final three games of the 2016 season. They defeated East Clinton (28-14), Miami Trace (54-27) and McClain (43-40).