Prairie Football Training Camp

Prairie Falcons
Coach Terry Hyde

Air time:
The Prairie Falcons promise they will run the ball a little more this year than last year. Really, that is an easy promise to keep. They barely ran the ball last year. Still, Terry Hyde’s team will still be pass-happy. 

And that makes wide receivers and quarterbacks very happy.

First thing first, the Falcons had to determine a starting quarterback. Hyde and his staff announced Thursday that junior Colin Seitz will get the call in Week 1. He barely beat out sophomore Coleman Weisenborn. Both QBs played significant minutes last year, as well.

“They’re competitive, but they really support each other,” Hyde said. “Of course (Weisenborn) is disappointed he’s not the starter, but he also knows he’s still competing for that position.”

Hyde said he is not afraid to make a switch later in the season.

Seitz said he knows he has to keep working hard to keep the job.

“It’s definitely a friendly competition. We both want what’s best for the team,” he said.

Weisenborn, by the way, will see plenty of time on the field, even if he is not playing quarterback. He also can be used as a running back and he might see some time at linebacker.

“He’s too good of an athlete not to be on the field,” Hyde said. 

Just throw the ball: 
The wide receivers in Prairie’s system know they can’t lose. Both QBs can wing it. And the wide receivers are thrilled with the idea that if they run their routes, they know, eventually, the ball will find them.

“In CCYF, I was a running back. All I did was run. I didn’t have any hands,” senior receiver Avi Slifer said. “Freshman year, a whole new style of offense. Spread it out, run and gun. You have to get timing with the quarterbacks, and you have to work on your hands all year long, keeping them soft.”

It seems to have worked for Slifer, who comes into his final year as one of the deep threats for the Falcons.

“When you know you’re putting the ball in the air 50 times and you’re scoring touchdowns, it’s always fun,” Slifer said.

Night practices help:
The Falcons use District Stadium for one of their two daily practices in camp, going from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Under the lights makes it more like a game-feel, plus on those really hot days, the Falcons get to practice when it is a bit cooler.

Win-win.

Quoteworthy:
“Work hard, but have fun in your work,” Terry Hyde said of his philosophy of practice. 

The drive for five:
Most teams say they have a goal of winning a league title or making the playoffs. The Falcons, for the most part, have simplified things.

“There are some kids in this group that were still in diapers when Prairie had its last winning season,” Hyde said, referring to the 1997 squad that was 5-4 in the regular season. “This group is motivated to get to five (wins). These guys want to be the group that snaps that string.”

“We have bigger goals than that,” Seitz said, “but you’ve got to start somewhere.”
 

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