P-W Patriots host second 7-on-7 event on new field
Palestine-Wheatley football coach Terry Farmer knew Tuesday's 7-on-7 passing event was going to be brutal with actual start time temps in the low 90s and a higher heat index.
But his junior high and varsity Patriot football teams worked through the event anyway.
When asked about what his players learned from last week's 7-on-7, Farmer said "It's all baby steps."
Farmer returned to Palestine-Wheatley this year for a second stint as head football coach. Farmer coached the Patriots from 2000 through the 2004 season before leaving.
As for what Farmer and his staff are looking for from the two 7-on-7 events, it is evaluating what they have on the playing field.
"We are doing our best to evaluate these kids and get a better read on this setting and see who reacts better to what." Farmer said.
In the first 7-on-7 last week held at the new Patriots Stadium, Farmer called the readings "pretty good."
Yeah, I would say that," Farmer added. "Not bad. You have to realize that 7-on-7 events don't even come close to what real football is like. We are learning how to adjust to different coverages, who can run in space, who can't run in space, who can turn their hips and who can flip their hips, you know things like that. Just a basic overall skill level the kids have and who wants to step up, who wants to guard the best opposing player, who is aggressive, who is going to be the leader, just all of the different aspects of the game."
Last week, Farmer used two quarterbacks against the visiting teams Clarendon, Cross County and Brinkley, a true freshman and a sophomore.
A week ago, the Patriots beat Brinkley, lost by two points to Cross County and lost to Clarendon by a touchdown.
Tuesday night, Farmer used two different quarterbacks in a 74 win over Marianna Lee, as 16-7 loss to McCrory and a 23-14 loss against Clarendon.
"Those three should give us some new looks," Farmer offered. "We won't be playing either one of those teams during the regular season. We are just trying to get a feel who can throw the ball, and which one has the leadership skills for that position," Farmer added. "But more than anything else, we are just going to let the kids have some fun and just let them run around in the heat a little bit with a taste of what playing on turf is going to be like rather than grass."
That, however, depends on Entergy getting their part of the work completed to light the field in time for their home opener against Carlisle on August 26.
There remains the possibility that the first game could be played back on the old Patriot Field.
According to Palestine-Wheatley School Board president Derrick Boileau, Entergy is still waiting for parts for the control boxes.
As far as last week's junior high 7-on-7 unfolded, Farmer said he didn't get to see much of those games which were played on the new softball field.
"I wasn't over there, but Coach Boileau said the junior high did fine," Farmer said. "I didn't get to see them at all."
The junior high also used two quarterbacks a week ago, a pair of seventh graders and used two different ones Tuesday night, another seventh grader and an eighth grader.
"Of the four quarterbacks used, three were seventh graders," Farmer added.
The Patriots will play a pair of preseason benefit scrimmage games Aug. 15 and 16 at home.