The 'Balers have been working hard over the past two weeks to get ready for the first scrimmage of the year against Gilroy and North Salinas this Friday night at San Benito High.
Linemen hit the sled during the first part of Monday's practice. The team will have its first scrimmage Friday against Gilroy and North Salinas at home.
Take one look at practice, and it's difficult not to notice a different offensive approach this season for the San Benito Haybalers. Although the 'Balers will still implement the Wing-T formation this year, they'll add a passing twist to their running offense.
"We've tried to implement formations to allow us to throw with success, keeping in mind the Wing-T mindset of running jack, running trap, running down," offensive coordinator Bryan Smith said. "Teams are loading up on us ... The first thing we looked at was how can we formation-wise widen the defense and spread the defense out."
Under a typical Wing-T set, which is considered a running offense, the offense puts three in the backfield and uses deception and misdirection, more or less, to run the ball. However, as Smith points out, defenses can put eight, nine, or even 10 guys in the box to foil any run play, once of course they've figured out where the ball is and in what direction it's going.
By adding a passing attack, San Benito will look to spread opposing teams out on defense, instead of having them load up against the run. Whether or not they plan to throw on a particular play, San Benito's new twist in the Wing-T, if executed properly, should keep opposing defenses honest.
"I think more than anything, formation-wise is where we're going to try to get defenses to spread themselves out," Smith said. "And if they don't widen, well then you better be able to throw the ball ... If the opportunity presents itself, we will throw the ball more."
Like any different formation - "It's not a new offense," head coach Chris Cameron said, "we're just doing some new things with it." - it comes with its own challenges. After losing approximately 27 seniors from last year's 4-6 squad, including each starter on the offensive line, the 'Balers still have a ways to go before Week 1 on Sept. 5 at Milpitas.
"By adding to the passing game, we've had to expand a little bit on our protection schemes, so it's a learning curve," Cameron said.
Hopefully off-setting that curve is the plethora of returning backs on offense, including Mitchell Cook, Nick Acosta, Jeff Bernaldez, Christian Maravilla, Anthony Padilla and John Pulido, among others, while Evan McFadden will be the team's leading receiver coming back.
The quarterback position has yet to be determined, Smith said, but coaches will get a closer look at candidates Trevor Fabing and Kyle Vallejo this Friday when San Benito welcomes Gilroy and North Salinas to Andy Hardin Stadium for a three-way scrimmage at 7 p.m.
"We're getting a little better, but we're not there yet," Cameron said. "For us to be a good football team, we have to play well on the offensive line, and that's the bottom line. We need to be able to be real good on defense and we need to have a real good offensive line. We're not there yet, but we've got time and we're no different than a lot of other teams out there."
Cameron added that with the team's lack of size, the 'Balers will need to be fundamentally-sound and smart in order to push as many games as possible into the win column.
And they could be anchored by the other side of the ball. Typically known for their defense, San Benito will return a strong core this season, including All-Tri-County Athletic League selection Robby Sanchez. Sanchez will anchor the defensive line with senior Sam Doty, who two years ago was named the league's Sophomore of the Year.
The 'Balers return all four starting linebackers as well, including junior Michael Murphy, Ricky Canes, Robert Pinedo and all-TCAL selection Taylor Coustette, who's currently battling a hamstring injury. The secondary will be young, returning only Devin Quintana as a consistent starter from last year.
"But there's a good solid core of those guys that are playing primarily defense-only," defensive coordinator Tod Thatcher said in terms of his defensive backs.
With a somewhat youthful offense, Thatcher said it was huge for the 'Baler defense to return so many players.
"It allows you to start that much further ahead. You don't have to start from Ground Zero," he said. "Those guys have an understanding of how we want to do things. It allows us to put things in at a lot faster rate and be a little bit better at what we do. That experience helps a lot.
"We're miles ahead compared to where we were this time last year as a team. It's a tighter knit of kids, and it's been a good camp."
Andrew Matheson Andrew Matheson is a sports writer for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 334 or at amatheson@svnewspapers.com.
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