Panthers, Mustangs mix 7-on-7 in with spring football

Editor’s Note: Both Colleyville Heritage and Grapevine wrap up their spring football seasons on Thursday. Colleyville Heritage will have its game on its campus beginning at 6 p.m. Grapevine will play at Mustang-Panther Stadium at 7:15 p.m. Because Grapevine’s baseball team is still playing in the postseason, we will break down Colleyville Heritage’s game in the June 1 edition and Grapevine’s in the June 8 edition.

The 7-on-7 season began this past weekend in Frisco. Colleyville Heritage went 1-2 in their pool. While it would be great to qualify for the state tournament in mid-July in College Station, all head coach Joe Willis needed was for chemistry to continue to develop between quarterback Cam Roane and his skill receivers.

Of course, high school head coaches cannot coach these teams. A third-party – a parent in most cases – runs practices and instruct in tournaments.

But the marked difference was how much different this offseason has been. Remember, Willis arrived in 2015 following the spring season.

“They didn’t know anything about the defense or offense and exactly what our calls were,” Willis said. “We really don’t do anything different. But the scheme is important. They just need to get a better idea.

“I think there is something to be said when the players don’t have adults around them. They have to figure things out for themselves. They have to communicate and fix problems.”

Junior wide receiver Ke’Von Ahmad was limited to just a few deep fade patterns because he is dealing with a finger injury. It’s not known if Ahmad will play in the spring game. However, Willis said he’s not concerned about Ahmad’s availability. He shouldn’t be. Ahmad had more than 1,300 receiving yards in 2015.

The key for the spring game is finding the answers to depth questions along the offensive and defensive lines. Willis wants this program to be known for playing with a pronounced physical style.

Notable

The scrimmage will be more of a glorified practice, Willis said. There will be some work with the starters against second team units. Willis said the main thing is making sure no one comes out of it hurt.

Grapevine update

The Mustangs also played in the Frisco 7-on-7 tournament but lost all three games in their pool. However, the enthusiasm for receiver and Colleyville Covenant move-in Zack Carnes (6-0, 200, 4.51 40) builds. Jackson said Carnes and quarterback Alan Bowman connected on several difficult patterns. That’s important considering Grapevine is looking for an entirely new receiving corps.

Secondary strength

The Mustangs are expected to return nine defensive starters this fall. However, Jackson is eager to see how his secondary matures.

Defensive backs Carter Ball and Zach Rice return along with safety Bradley Williams. The defensive staff is looking for that other safety. One candidate could be Robert Acosta. Another is Dylan Gonzalaz. Gonzalez, who played in 2014 but did not in 2015, is currently with the baseball team. He has told the coaching staff he intends to play this fall.

The Mustangs feature zone coverage and are prone to coming up with more turnovers. Jackson credits secondary coach Jacob Holder.

“Jacob is just a kid magnet,” Jackson said. “He does a great job building relationships. He’s a teacher, not a yeller and screamer. He pays attention to detail to make sure the guys are where they’re supposed to be.”

Notable

Thursday’s scrimmage will feature a 30-minute period of the first-team offense and first-team defense facing the respective second teams. Following halftime, there will be a simulated game for one half.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Panthers, Mustangs mix 7-on-7 in with spring football."