By Jayson Larson Editor
The Paul Essary Era at Athens High School is off and running.
And if you think you see it running out of the “I” formation one moment and out of the spread the next, well, you’d be right.
Essary and his Hornets hit the practice field for the first time on Monday, the first day teams are permitted to conduct workouts for the upcoming season.
“The kids came in in good shape and they’re very excited about football,” Essary said. “I’m excited about our talent. It looks like we’ve got a bunch of excellent football players.”
Essary said the first day of workouts, and the rest of the days this week, will be used to instill the basic offensive and defensive schemes within the players. The base offense will be run out of the spread and “I” formations. The base defense is a 3-4.
“We’re trying to get the terminology taught and the basic offensive and defensive schemes,” Essary said. “This is the first time we’ve ever met with (the players) as far as the offensive and defensive schemes.”
The Hornets have been playoff contenders each of the last three seasons, breaking through to the postseason in their 5-6 campaign of 2007.
They dropped a heartbreaking 15-9 loss to Brownsboro to narrowly miss the postseason last year, finishing with a 5-5 record.
Essary — who has been an assistant coach at Deer Park the past four seasons — has four returning starters on the offensive side of the ball and three on defense.
2009 Hornets
varsity schedule
A15 Pittsburg^ TBA
A21 @ Quin. Ford^ TBA
A28 @ Wills Point 7:30
S4 @ Mabank 7:30
S11 Bullard 7:30
S18 Mexia# 7:30
S25 @ Chapel Hill 7:30
O2 OPEN
O9 Crockett* 7:30
016 @ Westwood* 7:30
O23 Fairfield* 7:30
O30 Palestine* 7:30
N6 @ Brownsboro* 7:30
^ denotes scrimmage
* denotes 20-3A contest
# homecoming
