Tiger Dude
08-21-2005, 07:15 PM
Updated Sunday, August 21, 2005
Tigers say new offense is ready for prime time
By LARRY BOWEN
Eagle Staff Writer
The A&M Consolidated football team didn't dominate Tomball in their scrimmage Friday night, but the Tigers didn't disappoint, either.
After reviewing tapes of the scrimmage Saturday morning, Consolidated coach Jim Slaughter said he was pleased with his team's performance, even though the Tigers didn't handle Tomball like they did when the teams scrimmaged last season.
"Last year, I felt like we pretty well dominated the scrimmage," Slaughter said. "I'm hoping that Tomball is a much-improved football team, because I thought the scrimmage was pretty even.
"It was a very physical, tough scrimmage, which is what we were looking for. We didn't have anyone get hurt seriously, and that was a good thing."
The Tigers and Cougars worked for about 2 1/2 hours at Tomball's field. It was the only preseason scrimmage against outside competition for Consolidated, which will open the season at 1 p.m. Saturday against Aldine Eisenhower at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
The scrimmage matched the teams' first, second and third offenses and defenses, and included a couple of sessions devoted to the kicking game. The teams finished with one quarter of game-type action.
The only scoring from the matchups of first units came on a Consol field goal during the first 15-play session.
Both teams produced impressive drives during the last portion of the scrimmage. Tomball reached the Tigers' 3-yard line, but the Consol defense stopped the Cougars. From there, the Tiger offense moved inside the Tomball 20 before time expired.
"I got everything out of that scrimmage that I wanted to see," Slaughter said. "I feel like we're on track [for the season opener].
"There were no disappointing performances. At this point, I think the kids that we're looking at are going to be able to come through for us. I'm not thinking we've got to make any major changes."
The Tigers unveiled their revamped offense, which was adjusted in hopes of spreading opposing defenses. Consol coaches decided that working on the new system was important enough to give Eisenhower scouts a chance to see it in the scrimmage.
"We had long, hard discussions on what we were going to do," Slaughter said. "We talked about not showing it, but because we needed to work on it, we didn't hold a whole lot back.
"Our philosophy is we're going to show you what we're doing and hope that you're going to be in a mad scramble to defend all of it."
The scrimmage provided no definitive answer about the battle to be Consol's starting quarterback. Senior Josh Myatt and juniors Chris Jones and Kyle Gideon shared time at the position, with Myatt leading the Tigers on the long drive at the end of the scrimmage.
"There's no one that's definitely out of the hunt," Slaughter said. "At this point, there's not one guy that's standing out as the guy, either."
Slaughter said he was pleased with the work of receiver Detron Lewis, running backs Daniel Palmer and J.J. McMurry, and offensive linemen Matt Johnson and Matt Coates.
"Matt Reinberg has really been a welcome surprise for us at tight end," Slaughter said. "He is really looking good."
Consol's offense was hurt by penalties and mistakes, problems that plagued the Tigers late last season, but Slaughter said he doesn't see the scrimmage miscues as a sign of more to come.
"We're really talking about not doing those things after that happened to us last year, but I do not feel like it's the same as last year," Slaughter said. "To me, it's just early season mistakes.
"We were concerned because we're putting in a new offense, and I was very pleased with our offensive performance."
On defense, the Tigers got good play from linebackers Ryan Fitzgerald and Cody Smith, cornerback Leroy Thompson, and tackles Apollos Daily and Brant Scott.
"I think that's going to be a pretty durn good unit," Slaughter said. "I've still got some rookies that have some learning to do. I'm not disappointed in how they got after it, but they've got some things to learn."
n Larry Bowen's e-mail address is larry.bowen@theeagle.com.
Tigers say new offense is ready for prime time
By LARRY BOWEN
Eagle Staff Writer
The A&M Consolidated football team didn't dominate Tomball in their scrimmage Friday night, but the Tigers didn't disappoint, either.
After reviewing tapes of the scrimmage Saturday morning, Consolidated coach Jim Slaughter said he was pleased with his team's performance, even though the Tigers didn't handle Tomball like they did when the teams scrimmaged last season.
"Last year, I felt like we pretty well dominated the scrimmage," Slaughter said. "I'm hoping that Tomball is a much-improved football team, because I thought the scrimmage was pretty even.
"It was a very physical, tough scrimmage, which is what we were looking for. We didn't have anyone get hurt seriously, and that was a good thing."
The Tigers and Cougars worked for about 2 1/2 hours at Tomball's field. It was the only preseason scrimmage against outside competition for Consolidated, which will open the season at 1 p.m. Saturday against Aldine Eisenhower at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
The scrimmage matched the teams' first, second and third offenses and defenses, and included a couple of sessions devoted to the kicking game. The teams finished with one quarter of game-type action.
The only scoring from the matchups of first units came on a Consol field goal during the first 15-play session.
Both teams produced impressive drives during the last portion of the scrimmage. Tomball reached the Tigers' 3-yard line, but the Consol defense stopped the Cougars. From there, the Tiger offense moved inside the Tomball 20 before time expired.
"I got everything out of that scrimmage that I wanted to see," Slaughter said. "I feel like we're on track [for the season opener].
"There were no disappointing performances. At this point, I think the kids that we're looking at are going to be able to come through for us. I'm not thinking we've got to make any major changes."
The Tigers unveiled their revamped offense, which was adjusted in hopes of spreading opposing defenses. Consol coaches decided that working on the new system was important enough to give Eisenhower scouts a chance to see it in the scrimmage.
"We had long, hard discussions on what we were going to do," Slaughter said. "We talked about not showing it, but because we needed to work on it, we didn't hold a whole lot back.
"Our philosophy is we're going to show you what we're doing and hope that you're going to be in a mad scramble to defend all of it."
The scrimmage provided no definitive answer about the battle to be Consol's starting quarterback. Senior Josh Myatt and juniors Chris Jones and Kyle Gideon shared time at the position, with Myatt leading the Tigers on the long drive at the end of the scrimmage.
"There's no one that's definitely out of the hunt," Slaughter said. "At this point, there's not one guy that's standing out as the guy, either."
Slaughter said he was pleased with the work of receiver Detron Lewis, running backs Daniel Palmer and J.J. McMurry, and offensive linemen Matt Johnson and Matt Coates.
"Matt Reinberg has really been a welcome surprise for us at tight end," Slaughter said. "He is really looking good."
Consol's offense was hurt by penalties and mistakes, problems that plagued the Tigers late last season, but Slaughter said he doesn't see the scrimmage miscues as a sign of more to come.
"We're really talking about not doing those things after that happened to us last year, but I do not feel like it's the same as last year," Slaughter said. "To me, it's just early season mistakes.
"We were concerned because we're putting in a new offense, and I was very pleased with our offensive performance."
On defense, the Tigers got good play from linebackers Ryan Fitzgerald and Cody Smith, cornerback Leroy Thompson, and tackles Apollos Daily and Brant Scott.
"I think that's going to be a pretty durn good unit," Slaughter said. "I've still got some rookies that have some learning to do. I'm not disappointed in how they got after it, but they've got some things to learn."
n Larry Bowen's e-mail address is larry.bowen@theeagle.com.