Football offseason passes in a snap

It seems like yesterday Braden River’s football team was suffering after the final seconds of a 64-42 loss to Venice in the Class 7A sectional playoffs.

Here we are, though, eight-and-a-half months following that Nov. 18 heartache, ready to start a new season.

Training camp began July 31, albeit only with noncontact drills. On Aug. 5, teams can begin wearing pads.

For area programs, it’s an exciting time.

Braden River unveiled new uniforms and a new locker room at its July 27 media day. The room appeared dark, using sporadic fluorescent lighting to get players in the right mindset. The familiar Pirates logo lined the walls, as does a new sword logo and a few Braden River banners. Several players compared it favorably to college locker rooms they have visited.

“This was kind of our big day,” head coach Curt Bradley said of the presentation. “It’s our kickoff to the season. We’ve got a strong core group of guys returning, had some additional guys step in, and we’re excited about the future.”

In between taking photos with props like sledgehammers and chains, Pirate players found time to talk about their team. Senior Tyrone Collins, who tore his ACL during offseason workouts, was one of them. No longer walking with a boot or crutches, Collins said he’s looking at an early October return to the field if his recovery goes as planned.

He knows he’s needed as a leader, even before he steps on the field. There are many newcomers this season, and it’s on Collins and other veterans to set tone, he said.

Senior offensive lineman Brendan Bengtsson knows his unit has a big job to do as well. New Pirates quarterback Bryan Gagg has to stay upright, and that will require the line to be immovable objects. The group has taken a head start in generating chemistry, and they all helped assistant coach Spencer Hodges move to another home July 28.

It’s bonding of the best kind, pure labor. When the long hours in pads come around, Bengtsson and his boys will be ready to tackle the challenge together.

At The Out-of-Door Academy, seniors such as starting quarterback Dakota Dickerson, a former running back, are trying to mature into important leadership roles. Thunder coach Ken Sommers has seen it all before.

“It’s my 20th season of either playing or coaching football,” he said. “Part of the summer is hitting the reset button. Also, finding the narrative for what the upcoming season is. I think given where we went in the spring with the triple option, and some new things we’re trying to do with special teams, being smarter about how we manage our program in general, I’m excited about it.

“I think we have a small but tightly knit group of senior skill players who are hoping we can mesh with a large group of younger guys that we have on the line. If we can do that successfully, I think this season could be a huge jump forward for us.”

Dickerson admitted he’s a bit nervous to take charge of the offense, something he’s never done previously. He believes he can, though, and said he’s excited to see how junior linebacker Ethan Marino and senior wide receiver Gus Mahler have progressed over the offseason.

At Lakewood Ranch High, the Mustangs took a shortcut to team synergy by taking a trip to Western Carolina University two weeks ago. They stayed for three days.

“I really enjoy it,” Mustangs coach Mick Koczersut said. “It does a few things. It puts the kids on a campus, so they get to see a college campus. We give them a chance to do football and team-related stuff for three days. It gives them a chance to bond, where they don’t have any friends to hang out with, other than the kids on the team.”

It was also nice because the high temperature was 83 degrees. Spending time in that weather was a nice change of pace for him and his players.

Koczersut is happy the start of camp is here, but he really wants to fast forward a few weeks, so the paperwork and boring stuff can be over, and he can go back to concentrating solely on football. In that regard, I think most football fans are with him.

The regular season is three weeks away. It’s time to get the hype train rolling.