EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. — Finally, football players had a chance to hit each other, trade smack talk and help each other off the ground.
It’s spring, and football is in the air.
In accordance with Georgia High School Association rules, Effingham County and South Effingham began spring football workouts. The teams are allowed 10 practices within 13 school days.
The Rebels and Mustangs will finish the two-plus weeks of football with intersquad action. ECHS will do situational work in a scrimmage with Johnson and Statesboro on May 15 at Statesboro. South will play a game against Wayne County in Jesup on May 13.
“This is my last year, and we have great expectations,” Rebel quarterback/cornerback Kris Swinney said. “We want to come together and do great things. That starts now.”
At corner, Swinney led the hitting with several jarring open-field tackles on receivers catching screen passes during ECHS’ first practice Wednesday.
The pop of smacking pads and helmets could be heard across the field as the Rebels ran plays between the tackles.
Hard hits were often followed by players helping teammates up.
“The weather was great. The kids were flying around. You couldn’t ask for anything better,” ECHS coach John Ford said.
South Effingham finds edge early
At South, players ran similar plays and drills with similar camaraderie — at the start. Then competitive juices began flowing.
“It was pretty chippy there for a while, but you don’t want a team that doesn’t want to be tough. We want tough,” coach Loren Purvis said after the Mustangs’ opening practice Thursday.
Before spring practices kicked off, football players followed a rigid weightlifting schedule, watched film and worked out in small groups with position coaches.
Spring practice gives coaches a chance to evaluate physical and mental offseason gains. There are more than three months before the football season begins for both teams Aug. 21. ECHS opens at Richmond Hill. South hosts Screven County.
“It felt good to really get out here and play and watch everyone run around and hit,” Purvis said. “We had some really good sessions, and we had some really bad sessions because of mistakes. That’s what you expect on Day 1.”
