Gilroy’s intra-squad scrimmage on Thursday – which was conducted
at game-speed tempo and included yardage markers – gave head
football coach Rich Hammond reason to be pleased.
Gilroy – Gilroy’s intra-squad scrimmage on Thursday – which was conducted at game-speed tempo and included yardage markers – gave head football coach Rich Hammond reason to be pleased. Not that his players were clicking on all cylinders. Hammond was happy because his team doesn’t have a game tonight, like several other TCAL teams.
“I’m extremely happy because I don’t think we’re ready on the special teams and things,” he said. “It also gives us a chance to go out and scout our (first) two opponents, Mountain View and Oak Grove.”
After a four-team scrimmage last Friday, the GHS coach wasn’t thrilled with the play of his junior starting quarterback Jamie Jensen. But the eye in the sky – a video recorder that captured every snap taken – told a different story.
“I was unhappy with Jamie after the scrimmage, but then we go home and watch the film and he’s 9-for-13 for 150 yards. 9-for-13, that’s 69 percent, and you can’t ask for much more than that.”
Hammond said Jensen played well in each day of practice this week, giving him an even stronger hold over the position entering the season. Junior Dante Fullard, who looked excellent in the four-team jamboree, has been pushing to see time as a signal caller, but for the now the position is in Jensen’s hands.
“I think we have the potential to be a better football team with Jamie throwing the football,” Hammond said. “He gives us more of a vertical game to stretch people.”
Fullard should see plenty of time behind center, and other places, though, considering he is such a threat with the ball. Similar to the system used by NCAA football champions Florida last year, the Mustangs will rotate quarterbacks depending on down and distance, as well as who is in a better rhythm at that particular moment.
“Dante does a good job,” the coach said. “They’re different kinds of players. One guy (Jensen) throws the ball better and one guy (Fullard) scrambles better.”
Note: While the GHS coaching staff will be attending games of its first and second week opponents on Friday, more recently coaches have started the practice of exchanging game tapes as a sign of good faith to prepare. Considering the ridiculous amount of hours that are put in at practices and training sessions, Hammond said coaches suffer from a lack of quality time with family and friends.
However, Oak Grove shouldn’t expect to see a package from the 95020 zip code in its mailbox anytime soon.
“We’re not exchanging our tape with them,” Hammond said.
The reason being that Oak Grove refused to share tape of its games with Mustang coaches last season, while one of their assistants recorded a Gilroy game on cable channel CMAP, which airs games the following week.
