By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Carlisle Bison football team went full pads for the first time on Friday. Playing it by ear on Thursday, head coach Scott Waymire decided to just go shorts and shoulder pads on the first day teams were allowed to wear pads. That practice did not go as well as Waymire would have liked, but things got better Friday with the team fully suited up, especially offensively.
“Today was a lot better than yesterday,” Waymire said after practice Friday morning. “We came out with a little more intensity, got off the ball quicker, shot our hands better. It was just an all-around better day of practice. I’m pleased that they bounced back like that because we struggled a little bit yesterday.”
The team did some live scrimmaging on Friday, but didn’t go first teamers against first teamers. First team offense went against second-team defense, and vice versa.
Defensively, pursuit was good and run defense performed well. While there was some mixed results, the head Bison doesn’t think it’s anything to get too concerned with just yet.
“We’re flying to the football and stopping the run pretty good,” Waymire said. “Gave up a few big plays in the passing game and we’re going to have to work on that. But overall, I think they’re flying to the football and being aggressive, and that’s all you can ask of them at this point.”
There have been no surprises in the two-deep for Carlisle since the first day of practice, but Waymire says a few young players have shown some potential and some willingness to mix it up.
“Well you know with spring football and all the work we did over thesummer, you pretty much know who your guys are,” Waymire said. “We’ve had some sophomores step up and pop and some who are still a little hesitant. But we’re ok with that. We know eventually they’re going to catch on, get more comfortable and they’re going to come around.”
Next week’s focus will b e improving the intensity and execution from the first week.
“I know they’re probably going to be pretty sore in the morning, but they’ve got two days to get better and we’ll come back and get to work Monday,” Waymire said. “We’ve got some things to work on and we’ve got to get this thing rolling,” Waymire said. “We start playing football four weeks from today.”
