Ready To Run

Though at times a tad sloppy, the Glasgow football team got started on the right foot with a successful Red and White scrimmage on Friday.
The Scotties split up seniors and potential starters between teams, causing some plays to look scrambled as new players tried to coexist with the team's top pairs. Even with the stumbles, the Scotties did have a few big plays and found some answers for the start of the season.
The biggest question about the offense has been answered, as Hinsdale senior Justin Pattison was named the starting quarterback for this weekend's game in Glendive. Lane Capdeville, who was also up for the job, will be starting at slot receiver and could play in the backfield this season. In the scrimmage, both quarterbacks performed well in a limited amount of snaps, but Pattison was the more consistent thrower.
Overall, the offenses did well, with the only glaring problem coming on shotgun and special teams snaps.
“We're going against ourselves and our guys know that when we get into certain formations there's certain things that we do,” head coach Dan Dale said. “We did some good things tonight. There were some good pass plays, we had some good run plays, but it seemed like … we kept shooting ourselves in the foot in the scrimmage. But you really never know what you got until you play somebody else.”
The defense had a little to do with making the offense look clumsy. In the new 3-5-3 scheme, the Scotties looked fast and were able to get to the ball quick on runs and short pass plays. Nashua senior Brandon Hansard showed some of the promise for this season, returning two fumbles for touchdowns from the defensive end spot, though one was called back for an illegal block.
After the scrimmage, the officiating crew complimented the team on how well it played, though Dale was unhappy with some of the erratic play.
“Once again, we're young, we're inexperienced, so you're going to see the inconsistencies,” Dale said. “We need to keep being patient and keep coaching them to get them to be consistent.”
Freshman Lane Herbert made some of the biggest plays on offense for the White team. Filling in at quarterback, Herbert had a 50-yard run early in the first possession for the White team and scored later in the scrimmage on a QB draw play. Herbert is one of a few freshmen that have impressed the coaching staff through the first few weeks of practice.
The important part is the coaching staff saw what it needed to in the team's first foray to the big field this season.
“(The scrimmage) was fun,” Dale said. “The kids got to wear their new uniforms, they got to play in front of some fans, play under the lights. It was fun.”
The Scotties opponent this Friday, Glendive, lost its first game this season, getting trounced by Dickinson, N.D., 27-6. The game was actually closer than the final score indicates and Dale expects Friday's game to be much closer than the drubbing the Scotties handed Glendive last season. To open 2009, Glasgow beat Glendive 40-24.
“I think they're going to be better than they were last year,” Dale said. “Glendive's gonna be tough. I believe we can still beat them, but were gonna have to execute, force some turnovers and protect the ball on offense. I think it'll be a closer game than last year.”