Coaches pull off the players who are bunched and didn't hear the whistle that stopped the action. The fans have come to practice more frequently to practice this year than years past.
Contact sessions like these get the players energized and are crowd pleasing.
The biggest turnout to see a Greer High spring football practice – that’s right, practice – lined the fence and created a little parking problem during Thursday’s drills. At issue, according to one visitor, was having cars parked in the line of vision.
The final spring practice is today at 4 p.m. and Monday’s spring game at Dooley Field at 6 p.m. Practice and the spring game is free. “You can bet we’ll be at the spring game,” said Mario Irby, a member of the 2003 state championship Yellow Jackets.
There’s an enthusiasm spreading on the football team and throughout the program that makes watching practice a “must see” event. Wednesday’s practice, devoted to defense, was almost like a revival in pads, said one parent. “The defense shut down the offense.”
Greer must alternate defense and offense days since many players participate both ways.
Mario and Vic Irby and Jeff Mills, defensive linemen on the 2003 championship team, came out to practice Thursday to see what all the talk was about. “They’re getting at it pretty good,” said Jeff Mills, who watched practice with Mario and Vic, a member of the last state championship team in 2003. Mills and the Irbys were standing nearby as contact and scrimmage drills were being conducted. “I believe they run a lot more than we did,” Vic Irby said.
Furman assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach Tim Sorrells was at practice Thursday. He spent the afternoon shadowing the offensive line. Rarely did he glance anywhere else on the field. Alex Waters, a rising senior, 6-5, 250-pounds, was the headliner.
During one drill, Waters was practicing chucking his opponent to keep the lineman away from him and under control. The head of Waters’ partner was repeatedly snapped back, like a bubblehead, as Waters locked his arms on his shoulder pads.
Greer Head Coach Will Young and his staff are often as enthusiastic during drills. Players have unknowingly shrugged off Young as he gets in the scrum separating players when they don’t hear the whistle to stop a play. Other coaches rush to their players to support outstanding hits and plays with chest bumps, tap on the helmets and sometimes a bear hug.
But the biggest surprise has been how vocal the fans are at practice. Thursday one fan challenged a coach to sub players when a play went awry. Others cheered good plays and some celebrated scoring plays with fist pumps.
• Josh Gentry, one of three quarterbacks taking snaps Thursday, said he’s focused entirely on offense this spring. Gentry backed up Reese Hannon last season. Hannon graduates in two weeks and will attend Furman University in the fall. Jonathan Atkins and Emmanuel Kelly are also getting snaps.
Gentry said he is making progress. “My work is progressing. I’m concentrating on reading the defenses and stepping up to see where the pressure is coming from.”
• Brook Chapman, D’Ante Fleming, Quez Nesbitt and Malik Johnson recorded Greer’s fastest time and earned second place in the 400 relay in last week’s state championship meet. They ran a 41.70, just .69 seconds behind state champion Dreher.
“We’re happy that we took second but we’re already looking forward to next year we’re definitely going to win the gold,” Chapman said.
• Chapman probably best summed up this week’s practice. Asked if he’s hurt anybody with his power running and physical stature he said,” No. I don’t want to hurt anybody in the spring. I don’t want anyone to quit yet.”
Travis Perry sported some unusual practice shoes Thursday. Perry, athletic director and football defensive coordinator, was cutting the grass on the upper practice field and had to run to practice as it was starting. Furman Coach Tim Sorrells kidded Perry about his brown shoes. “I call them my working shoes,” Perry said.