Pack takes off the training wheels in scrimmage

Published 10:56 pm Saturday, May 15, 2021

MOULTRIE – Colquitt County head football coach Justin Rogers said he and his staff took “the training wheels” off of their 2021 team for the first time on Saturday in a scrimmage on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium and the results were what might be expected given that analogy.

The Packers looked a little wobbly. The offense was impressive early; the defense had the better of it later.

The Packers staff has a better understanding of where his team is now and what work has to be done in the next three practices before next Friday’s 7:30 p.m. home scrimmage against Cairo.

Saturday’s varsity scrimmage was the final segment in what Rogers had billed as a “football celebration,” with the seventh-grade, eighth-grade, ninth-grade and junior varsity teams also scrimmaging in an event that began at 8:30 a.m.

Fans, friends and relatives of players on all of those teams made the trip to the stadium and made donations to help keep the players well-nourished.

“We are so appreciative to the fans,” Rogers said. “We had a really good crowd. We are hoping to make this the ‘first annual.’”

After the sub-varsity teams gave their coaches plenty to evaluate, the varsity Packers offense needed only three plays to score against the defense.

Charlie Pace ran for 11 yards on the first play and Baby D Wheeler ran for 13 on the next.

Pace then broke loose for a 51-yard touchdown run and freshman Brett Fitzgerald, who later connected on a 32-yard field goal, added the extra point.

But the defense, still trying to rebuild its line and secondary, made some big plays of its own, including a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown by Chad White and a 69-yard “scoop and score” by Ontavious Carolina.

The defense also made a couple of big plays defending its goal line.

“The defense gave up some big chunks (of yardage),” Rogers said. “But you’ve got to consider all that we lost back there (the entire starting secondary).”

The Packers rotated quarterbacks Zane Touchton, who started the last three games last year after Xavier Williams was lost for the season, and rising sophomore Neko Fann.

Both had their moments, including a fade from Touchton to Wheeler for a touchdown late in the scrimmage. Fitzgerald converted after that score as well.

But the offense had some missed opportunities, as well.

“We’ve got to do better in the red zone,” he said.

Rogers was concerned most with mental breakdowns.

“We had a lot of self-inflicted wounds,” he said. “We just can’t make mental mistakes.”

And Rogers reminded his team that mental mistakes committed next Friday will be in front of stands filled with Packers fans.

The Packers, who were 9-1 in the virus-fractured 2020 season, will start summer work on Monday, June 7. Except for the GHSA-mandate “dead week” June 27-July 4, practices, including 7-on-7s and organized team activities (OTAs), will continue, preparing for the Aug. 6, home scrimmage against Lee County and the 2021 season-opener at Marietta on Aug. 20.

“We need to have a good summer,” he said.