Flames get game time in 7-on-7
New Lodi High football coach George Duenas had six simple words to tell his players on Wednesday. “Good finish to a long summer.” Duenas had his players huddled around him at Don Womble Field, the site of the Flames’ 7-on-7 passing game against Brookside Christian of Stockton. This was the second time in five days that Lodi has competed in a game that features quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers against a team’s linebackers, defensive backs and safeties without shoulder pads and helmets. The Flames were at Delta College’s 7-on-7 passing tournament last weekend.
Lodi and Brookside Christian ran 30 offensive plays each. Plenty of reps for Lodi, which will switch to the pistol offense and run a 3-4 base defense.
“It went pretty well,” said Duenas after meeting with his players. “We’ve improved a lot since last Saturday. There was more execution on the offensive along the way.”
In the second series, Flames quarterback Logan Stout, who started as a sophomore last season, threw a touchdown pass to Ike Bishop, a sophomore who started on both sides of the ball for the Lodi frosh-soph football team as a freshman last fall.
Duenas was pleased with Stout’s performance in the game. Stout, a junior who has started on the Lodi High varsity baseball team the last two years, took his time in throwing his passes and found four different receivers against the Knights’ defense.
“Just focusing on progression, and going from there,” Duenas said.
Myles Lozano, who started at quarterback for the Lodi frosh-soph football team last fall, also took reps halfway through the second series. Lozano also had a touchdown pass, to Josh Myers. Brookside picked off a Lozano pass late in the game.
“We did some good things,” Duenas said.
On defense, the Flames were scored on twice, both times by deep passes thrown by Brookside’s quarterbacks.
“(On) defense, they are still learning,” Duenas said. “We’re just making sure that we’re in the right spots.”
Duenas told the players that video of his players’ performance would be placed on the Hudl website. Hudl provides video review and performance analysis tools for sports, in particular for football. High schools and colleges around the nation have leaned on Hudl in the last
three years. The Flames had a video camera set up at the north end of the end zone.
“You can learn a lot from watching yourself,” Duenas said. “It’s an opportunity for both teams to watch themselves, critique and move forward.”
The Flames posted a 1-2 record at last weekend’s passing tournament at Delta College. Lodi knocked off Bear Creek for its only win. McNair and Calaveras won their games over Lodi.
“We had some big drops (of passes), but we cleaned it up after that,” Duenas recalled of the tournament.
Duenas was hired as the Flames’ new football leader
earlier this month, taking over for previous coach Robert Sperling, who resigned for health reasons in April. Duenas will also be teaching classes at Lodi High when the 2018-19 school year begins toward the end of July.
In recent weeks, Lodi football players have been focused on strength and conditioning to get ready for the upcoming season.
Because of the season starting earlier this season — high school football teams can begin practices with conditioning week on Monday, July 23 — the dead period begins on Sunday. Teams can still have weight training but
voluntarily, and the use of a football in any drill is prohibited.
Duenas said his players will get 10 days off during the dead period. Then they can take part in weight training if they wish.
“The kids can enjoy (being) with their families, vacation,” Duenas said.
Lodi will open its season at Ceres in a non-league game on Friday, Aug. 24, which is Week 1. Week 0 begins for most schools in the section on Friday, Aug. 17.
Contact reporter Mike Bush at mikeb@lodinews.com. Follow on Twitter: @MBushLodiSports.