PC planning to do group work during football practice

Parkers Chapel has spent the first month since resuming football workouts focusing on strength and conditioning, but that will change toward the end of the month.

Parkers Chapel coach Elliot Jacobs said the Trojans will start doing group work on July 20.

“In the last two weeks in July, we're going to start getting out, keeping the governor's directives, but at the same time, trying to get some football stuff done, especially defensively, passing routes,” Jacobs said. “We'll try to get that done in the last two weeks of July before we start in August because we're assuming we're starting on time, so until someone tell us different, that's what we're going to do.

“Our main thing will just be doing individual work. We'll split the kids up into small groups in their position groups with their position coach. Just going over footwork drills, different things like that. Nothing where they're touching each other, but where each kid is getting work in.”

Jacobs said he is happy with where things stand with his team.

“We're doing about as well as we can do given the situation that we're in,” Jacobs said. “Our kids are working out three, four days a week busting their butts. We're going to continue that through next week.”

Jacobs added that players have been able to come in at various times during the day to get their work in.

“We've got a lot of kids that work, so we give them several different times Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday that they can come and get their workout in,” Jacobs said. “Right now, we're focused on getting as strong as possible.”

Like all programs across the state, Jacobs is waiting to see if any new directives will be issued.

“After next week is when we'll start doing more group things,” Jacobs said. “Hopefully by then, the governor will have made another announcement and we can go forward. If not, we'll still do group things, but make sure we're doing it in a way that we're legal.”

With the graduation of several key seniors from last year's squad that won the Trojans' first playoff game since 2010, trying to find replacements will be a tall order, and Jacobs is hoping to start on that later this month.

“We've got a few positions where we're going to have new kids,” Jacobs said. “It's a new season, so everybody has to put their work in and be ready to go whenever the governor or whoever is making that decision tells us we can go.”