Post by ironmaiden on Jul 14, 2009 7:40:09 GMT -7
Passing academy catches on...Manuel Johnson blurb
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By GABRIEL D. BROOKS
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
GILMER — Quarterbacks and receivers from across East Texas gathered Monday for the first night of this week's East Texas Passing Academy.
With two-a-day practices starting in only three weeks for many football programs in the area, skill-position players learned new techniques and polished their skills at the event, which is hosted by Gilmer High School and is in its third year.
"We've always done it with our own kids and we wanted to branch it out, see if we could get some kids in East Texas an opportunity to work on the specific skills of quarterback play and receiver play," said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. "A lot of fundamentals, quick game, downfield stuff, sprint-out action with the quarterbacks, all the fundamentals of playing the game, throwing and catching."
Traylor said the camp had 102 participants Monday evening. Coaches from Gilmer, West Rusk, Maud, Redwater, Tyler Grace and other programs are conducting the camp, Traylor said.
While some material Gilmer uses for preparation during the season is being taught this week, Traylor pointed out that the other coaches in attendance have helped mix and match drills so participants can experience well-rounded sessions.
"There are many different schools represented by coaching staffs, so we've tried to blend in some of their stuff they want us to teach, too," Traylor said.
With August 3 looming as the first day of two-a-days for Class A through 3A schools and 4A and 5A schools that did not hold spring practice, Traylor said there's not much down time in the summer months.
"I don't know if we really have much summer any more," Traylor said. "Don't get out of school until June, then kids work out two hours a day running and lifting. You just blink and it's already back on you again."
Gilmer quarterback Darian Godfrey was glad to see plenty of Buckeyes at Monday's session.
"Obviously if they're out here, they want to get better," Godfrey said. "I like to see that."
Godfrey said he was working on polishing what he already knew as two-a-days sit just around the corner, and that he was also working on new things to continue improving. The 6-1 1/2, 200-pound third-year starter likes the group the Buckeyes are bringing back for the 2009 season as they start ranked No. 1 in 3A by Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine.
Godfrey said Gilmer must handle the pressure.
"It's something we expected so we've just go to go out and play like we normally do. Don't let No. 1 get to our head," Godfrey said. "We've got a lot of people coming back and we're seniors, we're mature, we've played in big games."
Pine Tree quarterback Matt Hamer is attending the passing camp for the third straight year. The 6-2, 195-pound Hamer said he has gained 20 to 25 pounds and arm strength while improving his accuracy.
"It's a really fun camp, but the best thing is they help with your mechanics and everything," Hamer said. "You just get better, every day."
With new coach Huey Chancellor guiding the Pirates in 2009, Hamer likes what he sees so far.
"It's similar to what we've been doing offensively," Hamer said. "I feel good about the coach."
Johnson stops by
Former Gilmer and Oklahoma standout Manuel Johnson stopped by Monday to watch activities. Johnson, who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of April's NFL Draft, starts training camp in two weeks.
"I feel good. I just want to stay in shape while I have these two weeks off going into camp," Johnson said. "I think everybody starts on the same slate, so whoever impresses coaches at training camp will go from there."
Johnson said he enjoys returning to his hometown.
"Coach Traylor has camps going on and they have summer workouts for the high school guys, so I kind of want to be around them so I can stay in shape and also be around them to let them know some things to do, some things not to do and what got me to where I'm at," Johnson said.
Johnson will join former Tatum and TCU standout Stephen Hodge, a sixth-round Dallas pick, at Cowboys training camp in San Antonio. The experience is yet another the duo will have shared over the years.
"We've played against each other since the seventh grade. Most people go in where they got drafted not knowing many people, but me and him have known each other for a long time, so at least we had somebody there that we knew and could be a little more comfortable with," Johnson said. "We're both from East Texas. Everybody (with the Cowboys) I'm sure knows we're from East Texas because we talk about it all the time."
www.news-journal.com/sports/c...ssingcamp.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By GABRIEL D. BROOKS
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
GILMER — Quarterbacks and receivers from across East Texas gathered Monday for the first night of this week's East Texas Passing Academy.
With two-a-day practices starting in only three weeks for many football programs in the area, skill-position players learned new techniques and polished their skills at the event, which is hosted by Gilmer High School and is in its third year.
"We've always done it with our own kids and we wanted to branch it out, see if we could get some kids in East Texas an opportunity to work on the specific skills of quarterback play and receiver play," said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. "A lot of fundamentals, quick game, downfield stuff, sprint-out action with the quarterbacks, all the fundamentals of playing the game, throwing and catching."
Traylor said the camp had 102 participants Monday evening. Coaches from Gilmer, West Rusk, Maud, Redwater, Tyler Grace and other programs are conducting the camp, Traylor said.
While some material Gilmer uses for preparation during the season is being taught this week, Traylor pointed out that the other coaches in attendance have helped mix and match drills so participants can experience well-rounded sessions.
"There are many different schools represented by coaching staffs, so we've tried to blend in some of their stuff they want us to teach, too," Traylor said.
With August 3 looming as the first day of two-a-days for Class A through 3A schools and 4A and 5A schools that did not hold spring practice, Traylor said there's not much down time in the summer months.
"I don't know if we really have much summer any more," Traylor said. "Don't get out of school until June, then kids work out two hours a day running and lifting. You just blink and it's already back on you again."
Gilmer quarterback Darian Godfrey was glad to see plenty of Buckeyes at Monday's session.
"Obviously if they're out here, they want to get better," Godfrey said. "I like to see that."
Godfrey said he was working on polishing what he already knew as two-a-days sit just around the corner, and that he was also working on new things to continue improving. The 6-1 1/2, 200-pound third-year starter likes the group the Buckeyes are bringing back for the 2009 season as they start ranked No. 1 in 3A by Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine.
Godfrey said Gilmer must handle the pressure.
"It's something we expected so we've just go to go out and play like we normally do. Don't let No. 1 get to our head," Godfrey said. "We've got a lot of people coming back and we're seniors, we're mature, we've played in big games."
Pine Tree quarterback Matt Hamer is attending the passing camp for the third straight year. The 6-2, 195-pound Hamer said he has gained 20 to 25 pounds and arm strength while improving his accuracy.
"It's a really fun camp, but the best thing is they help with your mechanics and everything," Hamer said. "You just get better, every day."
With new coach Huey Chancellor guiding the Pirates in 2009, Hamer likes what he sees so far.
"It's similar to what we've been doing offensively," Hamer said. "I feel good about the coach."
Johnson stops by
Former Gilmer and Oklahoma standout Manuel Johnson stopped by Monday to watch activities. Johnson, who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of April's NFL Draft, starts training camp in two weeks.
"I feel good. I just want to stay in shape while I have these two weeks off going into camp," Johnson said. "I think everybody starts on the same slate, so whoever impresses coaches at training camp will go from there."
Johnson said he enjoys returning to his hometown.
"Coach Traylor has camps going on and they have summer workouts for the high school guys, so I kind of want to be around them so I can stay in shape and also be around them to let them know some things to do, some things not to do and what got me to where I'm at," Johnson said.
Johnson will join former Tatum and TCU standout Stephen Hodge, a sixth-round Dallas pick, at Cowboys training camp in San Antonio. The experience is yet another the duo will have shared over the years.
"We've played against each other since the seventh grade. Most people go in where they got drafted not knowing many people, but me and him have known each other for a long time, so at least we had somebody there that we knew and could be a little more comfortable with," Johnson said. "We're both from East Texas. Everybody (with the Cowboys) I'm sure knows we're from East Texas because we talk about it all the time."
www.news-journal.com/sports/c...ssingcamp.html