Scott thinks the combo of his son and returning running back Brian Salazar, who led the Indians in rushing and receiving as they went three rounds deep into the 2A playoffs last season, will give the Indians a nice offensive attack. Salazar proved his mettle, running 40 yards for a score against the Muskogee defense on the first play of their scrimmage.

Back to the books

Warner coach Curt Denton had this to say to his team after the camp.

“You go out and play catch, then sit inside and play the video game and the things you can’t grasp you use cheat codes to overcome, well, that isn’t how the game is played out here,” he said. “And we need to go out and find out how.”

Warner won one of its scrimmages, but Denton’s concern is valid. According to his figures, of the 25 kids who made the trip to Indian Bowl, 15 are in either their first or second year of football.

“We’ve also got a sophomore class that missed an entire year of football in sixth grade because we didn’t have enough to field a team in Paul Young, they were too old to move down an age group and too young to move up into the school program,” he said.

“When we’re talking coaches lingo and we refer to a two-technique or say rip inside a lot of these kids aren’t grasping that. I told them between now and the start of preseason work they need to hit the Internet and bookstores and anything they can -- read football for dummies. Heck, even attend those clinics they have for women to understand the game their husbands played and watch. If it educates them on football knowledge, I’ll accept it.”

Pirates’ heist

Well it’s more like he landed it their lap rather than any theft taking place.

A.J. McFarland, a two-time All-Phoenix linebacker and the small school defensive player of the year two seasons ago, moved into Gore and was part of the Pirates’ defensive package this weekend. He’s led Class C in tackles the past two seasons.

“We’re glad to have him,” Gore coach Brandon Ellis said. “Our starting middle linebacker didn’t come back. This kid will come strike you.”

That solves one defensive problem and a portion of an offensive problem. McFarland may rotate with James Barry at running back to take some of the heat off the primary offensive weapon, Logan Andrews at quarterback.

Ellis is thrilled with the progress of the 6-4, 205 Andrews, who threw for 1,000 yards last season.