Osawatomie quarterback Dylon Needham fights his way for extra yardage during Friday’s annual Red-White scrimmage. (Photo by David Wolman)
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Trojans Ready For The Lights
Players Leave Good Impression On Bailey, Coaching Staff In Team’s Annual Red-White Scrimmage
BY DAVID WOLMAN, DAVIDWOLMAN@MICONEWS.COM
Osawatomie football coach Clint Bailey is trying to build depth in his program. He has seen a steady increase each year in the number of students who come out to play football.
Bailey, entering his third season, now has exactly the number of players that comprise an NFL roster, with 53.
Players down the line, from freshmen to seniors, put on their helmets, snapped their chin straps and took Lynn Dickey Field for the first time this season, trying to leave a lasting impression in hopes of earn a starting job, whether it be the freshmen, junior varsity or varsity team, and also impress the Trojan faithful on hand on a comfortable and dry Friday evening in the Trojans’ annual Red-White scrimmage.
“We saw a lot of good things, that’s from varsity all the way down to freshmen,” Bailey said. “We saw a lot of freshmen break out and do some good things. We saw a lot of people come off the bench and do the job for us. That’s what we’re wanting to see: how deep we can actually be. I was happy with what we showed tonight.”
Coming into fall practice, Dylon Needham, a junior, and Seth Jones, a sophomore, were to battle it out for the starting quarterback job. Through two weeks and the annual scrimmage, Bailey hasn’t made up his mind.
“I saw good things from both of them,” he said. “I saw some plays where they threw the ball well. I saw some plays where they ran the ball well. We’re going to evaluate the tape to see what it looks like and score them and see who had more points. We’re going to look at situations, whether they were against the varsity defense or the JV defense or our mixed junior varsity-varsity team.”
There’s a good possibility both Needham and Jones could split time in Friday’s season opener at Anderson County.
“Right now, I would say, ‘Yeah,’” Bailey said. “I would feel comfortable running either one of them.”
Jones and Needham both handled the offense well in the scrimmage, proving to Bailey how tough the decision will be to name the starting quarterback.
Jones was given the first chance to display his skills.
The six-foot quarterback’s first big completion came on a 15-yard hookup with Daine Needham.
Dylon Needham’s turn as the Trojans’ signal caller soon followed. He and Sean Callahan combined on the highlight of the evening. With a defender approaching, Dylon Needham launched a pass to Callahan, who leaped up and hauled in a reception on the right sideline, all with a defender having a hand in his face.
Jones also showed that he was more than a passer. He ran for gains of 15 and 55 yards on another drive. That set up Westin Shay’s 1-yard touchdown run, the lone score of the scrimmage.
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Bailey, entering his third season, now has exactly the number of players that comprise an NFL roster, with 53.
Players down the line, from freshmen to seniors, put on their helmets, snapped their chin straps and took Lynn Dickey Field for the first time this season, trying to leave a lasting impression in hopes of earn a starting job, whether it be the freshmen, junior varsity or varsity team, and also impress the Trojan faithful on hand on a comfortable and dry Friday evening in the Trojans’ annual Red-White scrimmage.
“We saw a lot of good things, that’s from varsity all the way down to freshmen,” Bailey said. “We saw a lot of freshmen break out and do some good things. We saw a lot of people come off the bench and do the job for us. That’s what we’re wanting to see: how deep we can actually be. I was happy with what we showed tonight.”
Coming into fall practice, Dylon Needham, a junior, and Seth Jones, a sophomore, were to battle it out for the starting quarterback job. Through two weeks and the annual scrimmage, Bailey hasn’t made up his mind.
“I saw good things from both of them,” he said. “I saw some plays where they threw the ball well. I saw some plays where they ran the ball well. We’re going to evaluate the tape to see what it looks like and score them and see who had more points. We’re going to look at situations, whether they were against the varsity defense or the JV defense or our mixed junior varsity-varsity team.”
There’s a good possibility both Needham and Jones could split time in Friday’s season opener at Anderson County.
“Right now, I would say, ‘Yeah,’” Bailey said. “I would feel comfortable running either one of them.”
Jones and Needham both handled the offense well in the scrimmage, proving to Bailey how tough the decision will be to name the starting quarterback.
Jones was given the first chance to display his skills.
The six-foot quarterback’s first big completion came on a 15-yard hookup with Daine Needham.
Dylon Needham’s turn as the Trojans’ signal caller soon followed. He and Sean Callahan combined on the highlight of the evening. With a defender approaching, Dylon Needham launched a pass to Callahan, who leaped up and hauled in a reception on the right sideline, all with a defender having a hand in his face.
Jones also showed that he was more than a passer. He ran for gains of 15 and 55 yards on another drive. That set up Westin Shay’s 1-yard touchdown run, the lone score of the scrimmage.