Spring practice still matters
Over the last decade or more, as year-round involvement in high school athletics has become greater and greater, the value of spring football practice has been on the decline.
As soon as spring practice ends in a couple weeks, players will jump right into team camps, individual camps, 7-on-7 leagues — a variety of activities that will be just as extensive and important.
But spring ball still represents the turning of a new page on the next football season. It’s the first time a coach has virtually all of the athletes he’ll have next fall.
At a large number of schools around the
Oklahoma City area, they’re opening a brand new book on their programs.
When Carl Albert took the field for its first spring workout earlier this week, Gary Rose wasn’t the coach.
The parents of some current Carl Albert players were probably in high school the last time that statement was true.
Regular playoff contenders like Bethany, Douglass and Del City have new coaches.
Seven Class 6A Division I teams missed the playoffs last year, and six of them have new men in charge this spring, charged with getting their schools back to Week 11.
Jeremy Reed spent last season in Arkansas, but the last game he coached in Oklahoma — ironically at his new home stadium in Yukon — he won a Class 5A state title with Altus in 2015.
Now, he takes on not only the challenge of rebuilding a program that has been stuck in a one- or two-win rut the last few seasons, but also generating a culture of success as the Millers’ fourth head coach in the last five seasons.
On top of all that, he’s bringing the flexbone offense to 6A-I, which stands to be an intriguing endeavor.
Rocky Martin coached Putnam City West to football relevance for the first time in 20 years. Can he light a spark at Norman, particularly when crosstown rival Norman North is flying high as one of 6A-I’s best?
In 6A-II, Choctaw and Putnam City West both have new coaches trying to build on recent playoff appearances that have rejuvenated those programs.
In Class 4A, Newcastle made a coaching hire that probably didn’t get the recognition it deserved, snagging former Southmoore coach Jeff Brickman.
And he walks into a unique situation with a senior class that has experienced the extremes of a 10-win season followed by two one-win seasons in the last three years.
Spring practice might not be as vital as it once was, but you can bet that Mike Corley at Carl Albert and Jon Arthur at Bethany and all the other new coaches are doing their best to make it matter.