The first day of two a days is always the hardest in any sport. As I took my kids out with me to Brownfield first practice, they said it was hot. My reply is we love the heat, we’re born in this heat, and we love to train in this heat. Why do you think Dad runs in the middle of the day when it’s the hottest? Because it’s the hardest time to run. These are the small things that matter, that make teams better, not just Brownfield but the entire football teams in West Texas. I’m going to let you, the reader, in on my next article and what I’ve been pondering on. It’s about how us, the rural west Texans don’t live the lavish life of the DFW/Austin and other big cities.
Our athletic programs are not what they have over there. But what we have is a hard work ethic instilled in us whether it’s our families coming from the oil field or farming. We are blessed and lucky enough to have Lubbock/midland-Odessa to have close to us to travel to. Now back to today’s topic, Coach Brantley had his team out there at 4:50 in the afternoon working. It was the first day, players had some miscues that could be cleaned up and I saw some well-thrown balls being placed where they needed to be. Two things did come to mind when I saw Coach Brantley coaching. Confidence and precision. He is talking to his young QB, wanting him to get the ball out quickly. This play is designed to get four yards he said. Get the ball, set your feet, and throw on target with meaning behind it. I’m adding a little bit more than what he said in that last sentence but it’s to give the readers of this article more detail of what he’s talking about.
Confidence and precision. In football there are too many moving pieces, too many things have to go right in every single play on offense to be successful. If even one slip-up can set the team back and even cost them a victory. An offensive lineman taking one wrong step can less the pass rusher slip by for sack. A motioning receiver is not set up before the snap of the ball can cost them five yards. You have to be perfect in play-in and play-out. That’s what I believe I witnessed yesterday.
Now to those young men out there practicing, the trainers came up to me asking where they could find the pictures. This is me speaking to you, don’t worry about what I’m doing, I’m just some guy you never met doing his job. Your job is to get ready for that next rep, thinking of your footwork, thinking about how you would attack that corner. Does it look like cover two because of two deep safeties or is it single high safety telling you it’s probably man or cover 3 coverage?
There were times in practice when the slot motioned to the other side of the formation, mentally were you thinking about what if those safeties roll coverage, what if that linebacker moves with the motion, it might tell you if it’s man coverage and how to beat the corner to get the ball. I get it, you are excited because a couple of people were out taking your photos or videos and there is nothing wrong with that. But there is a time and place for everything. I wish you young men, Coach Brantley, and his coaching staff all the success. But y’all will have to go out and earn it day in and day out.
