Bison players pad up for first time this fall

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette McCook High School football players battle in the "Oklahoma" 3-on-3 drill during the Wednesday morning, Aug. 11 Bison practice session at the high school practice field.

Oh, them pads were a poppin' Wednesday morning at the McCook High School practice field.

The Bison football team donned full pads for the first time in fall camp in Wednesday's early practice. Head coach Jeff Gross and his staff led his Bison squad through a spirited workout featuring the anxious-awaited "Oklahoma" 3-on-3 drill where the 2010 Bison hopefuls got their first taste of live contact this fall.

Gross has his team working in twice-daily drills this week, leading up to Saturday's Photo Day and scrimmage at Weiland Field. Team and individual photos will be taken Saturday starting at 8 a.m., followed by the scrimmage at 9:30 a.m. The public is welcome to attend both events.

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette McCook senior offensive tackle Derek Chancellor (67) goes 1-on-1 with sophomore defensive end Mitch Collicott in Bison scrimmage action Wednesday morning, Aug. 11. The Bison will have Photo Day and a team scrimmage Saturday, Aug. 14, at Weiland Field, starting at 8 a.m., with the public invited.

Coach pleased with early progress

Coach Gross said after Tuesday night's workout that he is pleased with the early workouts, although he cautioned that Wednesday morning's live contact drills in full pads will likely have an impact on the early-season depth chart.

"What I can determine at this point is, our retention level is very good," Gross said, "things that we put in this summer and retention from the last few years is very good. I like our conditioning level. I like the strength they're bring in through the off-season. Until we put the pads on, that's when a lot more things will be answered.

Gross said his players need to react and perform instead of thinking about plays on the field.

"The faster they know their plays and know everything where they're going and stop thinking, the better. In football, it's a good thing if you just become 'reactory' and not having to think about what you're doing, you hear it and you react to what you hear and see, we'll be better. I like where we're at. I feel like we're probably as good as we were at any point last year right now, and we're through four practices. The skies the limit for that."

The veteran Bison head coach said the team will need to focus on some "technique issues that need to be corrected and fixed," and that will likely be an emphasis in workouts in the near future.

Scottsbluff here Aug. 27

McCook will hold its annual "sports drink" scrimmage Thursday, Aug. 19, at Weiland Field. The Bison open the 2010 season Friday, Aug. 27, when Scottsbluff visits Weiland Field, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.