By Jeremy McDonald
jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
WOODBURN, Ore.– It’s rare when you get to practice wet ball situations during the dry days of summer. But thanks to a rare summer storm system that rolled into the area Tuesday that turned the summer days into more of an October, midseason feel as the second week of 7-on-7 at Woodburn High School
But as McKay learns a new offensive and defensive system under interm Head Coach Brandis Piper, the wet weather serves as that good practice for the Scots and the other teams during their summer training.
“It’s Oregon it happens,” laughs Tight End Brian Coburn. “It’s summer, it rains in the summer and we have to get ready for this. This is a good test. It rains, we have to be ready to adapt to that and I feel like today is a good way to test it out to see what happens when it rains and we have to work.”
Piper, who’s bringing over a similar offensive scheme to what he ran while he was at Stayton High School under former coach Andy Campbell, went to the shotgun a lot Tuesday and occasionally went to the ‘under center’ plays that he has in his playbook.
“We’re doing a lot of shotgun stuff now, really making sure to work that with the Quarterbacks because in my experience there is some things that’s get a little different for them,” said Piper. “Its not to say we’re never going to have anything under center, the nice thing is that we’re trying to develop something.”
Piper added too, as Ty Kynaston and James Jennings took snaps at Quarterback Tuesday in the rain, that he’s trying to develop his program into being able to do both as they come up the system. Starting with one thing at the lower level and working their way up for the time they get to the Varsity level.
And as they wrapped up the day versus Santiam after playing Woodburn and Forest Grove earlier, it was a little bit of a lull compare to the success they had the week before due to the weather.
But with another 7-on-7 Wednesday there is another opportunity to get better as a skills position unit as Tuesday was a good learning experience with what the typical Oregon Football season has to offer.
“I like that it happens now, now that we know what to expect during the season,” said Zair Ku Beiza. “It’s good that we’re practicing now and not later so now our center is getting snaps in to learn how it feels. Our receivers are knowing, with the rain, how to catch and it’s basically helping everyone.”
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
