A group of North Union defenders gang tackle a Fairbanks running back during both team’s first pre-season scrimmage of the season Saturday at North Union High School. The regular season is set to begin Aug. 20. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
Fairbanks and North Union football teams met up for a pre-season scrimmage on Saturday.
Both coaches like what they saw out of their clubs, but added there is still some wrinkles to work out.
“We need to put drives together,” said Fairbanks head coach Patrick Cotter. “We shot ourselves in the foot by putting the ball on the ground.
“We had some untimely penalties, stuff that you expect in an early scrimmage… the type of stuff that you have to fix as you go.”
The Panthers are bringing a new offense (Wing T) to the field this season with a heavy focus on running the ball.
They showed they have the ability to do so.
Ryker Green had a pair of solid runs for more than 30 yards each that helped the Panthers move the ball.
Those are the plays Cotter said he wants to build upon.
“Ethan Kise had a nice run that got us downfield,” he said. “We built on that and then we make a mistake by putting the ball on the ground.
“Those are the things we need to clean up.”
With the new offense in full swing ,Cotter took the good with the bad.
“You know we got better as the scrimmage went on,” he said. “This is the first time they really got to go against someone else with it (new offense). We’ve just got to come together and improve the good, get rid of the bad and kick out the ugly.”
North Union on the other hand, brought its tried and true Wing T to the field, with the changes coming in the personnel.
The Wildcats have had some players who have been playing for coach Nick Hajjar for three-to-four years as starters.
Now, he has some fresh faces on the field.
“They are guys who have been waiting their turn and are getting their chance,” Hajjar said. “I am pulling for them to take advantage of their opportunity because they are good football players and good kids.”
Some of those new faces have brought an internal battle for the quarterback position.
Ricky Weigand was the junior varsity quarterback last season and also kicks for the varsity squad.
He plays in the defensive secondary, but during the off-season NU welcomed a quarterback transfer.
According to Hajjar, both ran the offense and distributed the ball well.
“I thought we ran the ball well,” the coach said. “That is who we are and we were able to do that in a bunch of different ways, with a lot of guys getting touches.”
It showed on the scoreboard. The two teams ran an eight-minute simulated game, where the Cats scored a pair of touchdowns, both on runs.
NU’s defense kept FHS out of the end zone, something Hajjar hopes can continue.
“At the end of the day we didn’t give up any points, but there are still some things we’ve got to get corrected,” he said.
The Cats will take on Bellefontaine in their next scrimmage, a team that is very different from Fairbanks, according to Hajjar.
“We are going to see a whole different animal next week,” Hajjar said. “They are a spread, throwing it around with a lot of green grass.
“Between the two scrimmages, they are very different teams,” he said. “However, that will be good for us to see where we are and what we need to work on.”
The Wildcats’ next scrimmage will be at Bellefontaine, Thursday at 7 p.m.
FHS will scrimmage at Jonathan Alder (7 p.m.) on Friday.