Post 11: Monday, Aug. 4, 2014: Camp Visit No. 1 - Washington Blue Lions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The 2014 First and Ten training camp visits began on Saturday morning at Washington High School, where I got the opportunity to watch the Blue Lions practice some offense and a lot of defensive strategy.
I think this Blue Lions team can be better than they were one season ago where they finished 5-5, and a lot of that has to do with their revamped weight room and workout program that head coach Corey Dye credited to strength coach Mark Bihl, who played collegiate football at The University of Michigan.
When an entire team puts in the work in a summer that Coach Dye told me about when it comes to conditioning and the weight room, results are sure to follow.
That's just my opinion.
One downfall as a reporter at their camp was I realized I'm getting older as I was a part of camps last in 2001 as a high school student … you do the math … and two, it started raining.
But even in the hour I watched the team practice, I like the early season practices on the field because there is so much attention to detail. This is the time of the season where each coach gets to coach and make sure everything is perfect or on the way to being as close to perfect it can be when it comes to learning.
When I played, it may not have been as fun to do the "learning of football," but as I've become older and seen the high school game from another side, I've come to respect the x's and o's part of the game more than the physicality it takes to play this game.
But with the 2014 Blue Lions, one part I'll talk a little bit about today is how they have so many offensive linemen returning. Some of those o-linemen are Gaerhett Ferguson, Seth Haines and Austin Wilson, who are all seniors. There are also three juniors in the o-line mix in Zach Murphy, Chad Moore and Mason McCane.
[[In-content Ad]]Having six offensive linemen who have varsity experience can only help make this team move back in the right direction.
Coach Dye also said one weakness from last season where they are working to improve is not allowing as many points as they did in '14. The Blue Lions allowed 428 points.
Dye said: "Obviously one of the weakest areas was too many points allowed. We have to make improvements on that side, and I believe we will."
The defensive coordinator for the Blue Lions this season will be John Enochs, who was the head coach of the Blue Lions back in the early 2000s.
The Blue Lions last won a South Central Ohio League title in 2007 where they shared the title with Clinton-Massie and Miami Trace.
T
Washington could be the "surprise team" in the SCOL this season if they can stay healthy and make those strength gains turn into improvements on game day. It will be interesting to wacth and see how it works out.
I think this Blue Lions team can be better than they were one season ago where they finished 5-5, and a lot of that has to do with their revamped weight room and workout program that head coach Corey Dye credited to strength coach Mark Bihl, who played collegiate football at The University of Michigan.
When an entire team puts in the work in a summer that Coach Dye told me about when it comes to conditioning and the weight room, results are sure to follow.
That's just my opinion.
One downfall as a reporter at their camp was I realized I'm getting older as I was a part of camps last in 2001 as a high school student … you do the math … and two, it started raining.
But even in the hour I watched the team practice, I like the early season practices on the field because there is so much attention to detail. This is the time of the season where each coach gets to coach and make sure everything is perfect or on the way to being as close to perfect it can be when it comes to learning.
When I played, it may not have been as fun to do the "learning of football," but as I've become older and seen the high school game from another side, I've come to respect the x's and o's part of the game more than the physicality it takes to play this game.
But with the 2014 Blue Lions, one part I'll talk a little bit about today is how they have so many offensive linemen returning. Some of those o-linemen are Gaerhett Ferguson, Seth Haines and Austin Wilson, who are all seniors. There are also three juniors in the o-line mix in Zach Murphy, Chad Moore and Mason McCane.
[[In-content Ad]]Having six offensive linemen who have varsity experience can only help make this team move back in the right direction.
Coach Dye also said one weakness from last season where they are working to improve is not allowing as many points as they did in '14. The Blue Lions allowed 428 points.
Dye said: "Obviously one of the weakest areas was too many points allowed. We have to make improvements on that side, and I believe we will."
The defensive coordinator for the Blue Lions this season will be John Enochs, who was the head coach of the Blue Lions back in the early 2000s.
The Blue Lions last won a South Central Ohio League title in 2007 where they shared the title with Clinton-Massie and Miami Trace.
T
Washington could be the "surprise team" in the SCOL this season if they can stay healthy and make those strength gains turn into improvements on game day. It will be interesting to wacth and see how it works out.