Fort football has a secret

I’ve spent a few minutes at two practices at Fort Vancouver in the past week. But that’s really all I can report.

I was told there were wide receivers this season. For real.

But then an assistant coach asked that I just report the players to watch as all tight ends and wing backs.

All joking aside, the double-wing offense is no more at Fort Vancouver. But don’t ask for much more from new coach Eric Ollikainen. At least not yet.

“We’ll be a single-back offense,” he said. “I don’t want to give too much away. Can I leave it at that?”

Sure. But we can’t wait to see the new look in action in Week 1 against Ridgefield at Kiggins Bowl.

The Trappers, not known for having much football success in recent years, are working to be the team that starts to turn around the program. Ollikainen has been happy with the progress, and he tells his players when they have done well.

He told the Trappers after Monday’s practice that it was a pretty good practice, if not a great one. Then he reminded them what is at stake. This program does not have the depth for anyone to take a day off from work.

“We can’t afford a bad practice,” he said. “Treat every practice like it’s a game. We have to ‘win’ these practices,” he said.