With a strong crop of proven returning starters back who helped Lafayette’s football team earn a share of the Bay Rivers District football title last fall, Rams’ coach Andy Linn took a long look at his reserves as JV players during Thursday’s scrimmage against Southampton.
Linn said the main objective during his team’s first competitive action – outside of practice – of the season was to make it through with no injuries. Second on the list was getting his team, who likely enters the upcoming season as favorites to repeat for a district title, some live contact against players other than their teammates.
“The guys were ready to finally hit someone other than themselves,” Linn said after the scrimmage held at Cooley Field. “We did all right. There’s a few things we need to work on, but that’s expected.”
Linn seemed awfully pleased with the performance by his first team — both offense and defense — which exchanged 20 plays with Southampton’s starters.
Offensively, star running back Jahlil Green “ran for probably 20 yards every touch,” according to one Lafayette assistant, while quarterback Brendan McGinty displayed good touch throwing the ball and chemistry with wide out Brandon Villanueva-Pernell. Fullback Scheckel Wallace showed good power running ball up the middle, too.
On one particular offensive possession, Darren Patton took a handoff 45 yards up field before Green took the ensuing carry 35 yards for a touchdown.
Defensively, coach John Byron said his squad allowed “maybe one first down” and no touchdowns. Byron said his lineback core of Patton on the outside and Wallace and Deacon Smith in the middle looked sharp, as did Blake Guminski on the end of the line.
Linn said a main focus heading into next week’s scrimmage against Chancellor High in Fredricksburg will be getting more reps for his four new offensive lineman — Charlie Woolum, Mitch Barrick, Anthony Thorn and Guminski at tight end — who will be relied upon heavily to provide the push up front for a talented and experienced backfield core of Green, Wallace and Patton.
Linn shared more of his thoughts on Thursday’s scrimmage in the video above.
