WORTHAM — —
There’s culture change, and then there’s what is happening in Wortham.
This time last year it was lifting weights in the “sweat box” and practicing on a field that looked like a golf course that hadn’t been watered in a decade.
This year it’s lifting in air conditioning with Pat Green and Def Leppard blaring and practicing at night under the lights at the stadium.
One coaching style is old school. The other is also old school with a 35-year-old coach’s touch.
Shane Doege, who replaces the coach he worked under the last few years, Jerry Young, says they had something in common.
“Both of us had a big belief in smash mouth,” Doege said. “I also went with enthusiasm too. We’re feeding off that.”
When Doege took over last spring, the first thing he did was move all of the weights out of the “sweat box” — a room that was either too hot or two cold depending on the season — into a room above the basketball gym.
The last time I was in the now new weight room was at a Wortham basketball tournament eating brisket and beans. Now there’s a mat and weights everywhere.
“The was the first thing I did as AD,” Doege said. “We took all of it apart and got all of the kids to help out. It took two or three days.”
The Bulldogs’ practices also have changed. Their more uptempo, but surprisingly senior linebacker Micah McCord said they’re harder hitting than last year.
It’s not surprising that’s the case under Doege. He’s an intense young coach. It’s just that Young was old school to the bone, so it tells you how much energy Doege has brought.
Instead of running plays out of the Double Wing until getting them right, Doege has put in the Power I, and if a player makes a mistake, they move on to the next play while using it as a teaching moment.
“We want to get in as many plays as we can,” Doege said.
That’s the trend at all levels of football —maximizing practice time. It was one of the theme’s of the first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks with the Miami Dolphins.” I see it at Art Briles’ practices at Baylor all the time. RG3 won Heisman off of it.
Tempo, tempo, tempo.
But also focusing in on getting your work done and staying mentally and physically focused.
“There’s a distinct way I want it to be,” Doege said. “We don’t deviate from our schedule.”
TW Summer Two-a-days Football Tour ...
Daily Sun sports editor Todd Wills is taking his annual tour of the Golden Circle. Here’s the publication schedule for the 2012 TW Summer Two-a-days Football Tour:
Tues., Aug. 7: Frost Polar Bears
Wed., Aug. 8: Kerens Bobcats
Thurs., Aug. 9: Mildred Eagles
Fri., Aug. 10: Hubbard Jaguars
Sat., Aug. 11: Dawson Bulldogs
Tues.: Corsicana Tigers and Rice Bulldogs
Wed.: Wortham Bulldogs
Thurs.: Blooming Grove Lions
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