Although no official score was kept, the Columbia Wildcats got the better of Sumrall in a 7-on-7 football scrimmage June 20 and showcased an improved ball club.
The most evident takeaway from the scrimmage may seem miniscule on the surface, but it can’t be overstated enough. The Wildcats were having fun playing football — a lot of fun. This isn’t to say Columbia’s players didn’t enjoy playing under former head coach James Harvey, but they seemed to be relishing the game far more than they have the past two seasons.
“I thought we had a good, competitive spirit about us. When we messed up, we didn’t point fingers. We just looked at ourselves,” first-year head coach Chip Bilderback said. “It was a real growing opportunity for our team. We learned a lot, fixed some things, and I thought overall our kids competed very well.”
Bilderback said the focus wasn’t on winning but rather getting better and using the scrimmage as a teaching opportunity.
“I think it’s important for our players to get feedback from our coaches every play. We’re all kind of growing and learning this thing together, coaches and players, but the main thing to do is focus on we, not me,” he said. “They’re learning the new coaches and new system, but it’s been a positive experience the last six months.”
While Columbia moved the ball effectively through the air with a handful of touchdown passes, the game plan with new offensive coordinator Craig Cluff, who came over from Purvis, will be to be a run-first offense with about 65 percent of the plays expected to be on the ground.
“We feel like we have some players we can put in space, but also our main thing offensively is we want to impose our will. We really want to be physical. We think we have a great offensive line, and we think we have some backs who can really run the ball,” Bilderback said. “Everything is going to be dictated off us running the ball. That doesn’t mean we aren’t going to throw it, but we want to establish the run early or the threat of the run, which I feel opens up the passing game a lot more.”
Senior Ralpheal Luter and junior Javen Moses are duking it out to be the starting quarterback for Columbia, and it’s a battle that will last a couple more months after beginning in Week 5 last season when Moses replaced Luter as the lead signal caller.
“It’s a good, healthy competition, and both of them are getting better,” Bilderback said. “One will do one thing better than the other, but I think they’re both growing. This thing is going to play into the fall unto who is the guy. Both have really grown the past six weeks, and we feel really good about that position.”
Regardless of which quarterback wins the job, both will still play a role for the Wildcats in 2018. Bilderback said Luter could play H-back as well as defense, and Moses has the ability to play wide receiver.
Several players flashed in the scrimmage with Taveoungh Brown catching two touchdown passes, De’Torres Lewis turning an underneath route into a long touchdown and intercepting a pass on defense, Jamison Kelly catching a deep fade for a touchdown and Sadarion Magee making an impressive, leaping interception. Bilderback said the well-rounded performance reinforced his belief that the Wildcats are solid both offensively and defensively in their two-deep depth chart where every spot is up for grabs with the wealth of depth.
Defensively the Wildcats showcased they will operate with Cover 3 as their base coverage, which allows defenders to flood zones and is particularly effective defending over the middle at the short to intermediate level and in the flats close to the line of scrimmage. The two outside corners are responsible for deep coverage on their side of the field, but if there is no vertical threat they essentially revert to man-to-man with the outside receiver. The free safety, however, is the key to making Cover 3 work as he is responsible for the deep middle third of the field, which can be extremely difficult if two inside receivers are stretching the seam, while also filling the intermediate zone behind the linebackers.
“We like to have 11 guys with their eyes on the ball, and when (receivers) go out against zone coverage you’re able to flow to the ball. It goes along with stopping the run as well with getting eyes on the ball and running to the ball,” Bilderback said. “In our division that’s what you have to do to beat (Jefferson Davis County), Tylertown and even West Marion. Even though (West Marion) throws the ball really well, it’s a lot of quick game that’s like running the ball, so you have to stop that quick game.”
For an example of how effective Cover 3 can be, look no further than the “Legion of Boom” for the Seattle Seahawks. While former Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman received most of the attention for the Seahawks vaunted defense, free safety Earl Thomas has always been the straw that stirred the drink as one of the best center fielders to play the game.
If Wednesday’s 7-on-7 was any indication, Kelly will be tasked with filling that ever-important role for the Wildcats defense, and he flashed his playmaking ability with several pass breakups over the middle. Magee also lined up at free safety, which is where he lined up when he picked off a pass over the middle.
Kelly and the linebackers learned a valuable lesson on a Sumrall touchdown when two inside receivers went deep, and Kelly was stuck in the middle and late to the ball. Bilderback said it’s up to the linebackers to jam receivers close to the line to keep the free safety from being exposed.
“We need our underneath guys to do a good job collisioning so we’re safe. If they don’t touch that guy, your free safety is on an island and you’re screwed,” he said. “That’s why it’s important we get reroutes on that underneath level to help our deep guy.”
Columbia has one more 7-on-7 scheduled in the immediate future, heading over to Hattiesburg High School this week to square off with the Tigers. The Wildcats open their season Aug. 17 at Richton at 7 p.m.
Pictured Above: Taveoungh Brown snares a touchdown in the corner of the end zone on a deep ball against Sumrall. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
