Dorrel ‘OK’ with first practice, wants more
By DAVID MERRILL Sports Editor
Northwest Missouri State football players go through drills during the first fall practice on Thursday. Here former Maryville Spoofhound and now Northwest Missouri State University backup quarterback Jonathan Baker works on passing drills.
Northwest Missouri State opened its fall football practice sessions on Thursday under the late-morning and early-afternoon heat.
Bearcat head coach Adam Dorrel wasn’t necessarily displeased with what he saw on the first day, but noted that the practices are going to have to start being more productive.
“I thought it was just real average to be honest with you,” he said. “I think we felt sorry for ourselves a little bit. It was real hot and we haven’t had many of those hot days. It was just OK for the first day. I told them, tomorrow, we have to be a lot better as far as our tempo, our body language, and our work ethic in general transitioning in and out of drills. What I saw today isn’t going to cut it.”
Maryville High School graduate Jonathan Baker saw plenty of snaps with he second team offense and he appears to be the current frontrunner for the backup job behind senior Kyle Zimmerman. This is Baker’s junior season and his third year on the roster. He has had plenty of time to learn the plays and the schemes and he said he has Zimmerman to thank for that.
“Anytime you’re in an offense that long, it definitely helps, but at the same time, you never master it,” Baker said. “There’s always so many components to our offense, which is good, but it’s all about learning and trying to master it on film and on the field. As far as competition, we, as athletes, have had that our whole lives. I couldn’t have asked for a better leader and man of faith that I can look up to and learn from than Zimmerman. He’s been doing a really good job of leading me throughout the way.”
Dorrel made it clear during the MIAA media day at the beginning of the month that the Bearcats were on a mission to be more physical up front this season. He is confident that he has the tools in the run game, which is led by senior Phil Jackson II, to do the job. The offensive line is more of a wait-and-see scenario.
“I’m more concerned about the tight end and offensive line spots,” Dorrel said. “Their ability to just do the basic stuff in run blocking- getting your hips down and getting your hands in the right spot. We didn’t do a great job of that today, so that’s something we have to continue to work on.”
While the o-line is still a work in progress, Dorrel isn’t without cornerstones. Jamie Thieman and Chase Sherman are both senior offensive linemen that are well versed in the Bearcat way. Dorrel is going to lean on them heavily this season.
Senior TJ Schieber, junior Clayton Wilson and sophomore Austen Eskew lead the tight end group for the Bearcats into 2016. Four freshmen (Marqus Andrews, Jordan Klingman, Kyle Raunig, and Ryan Spelhaug) are in waiting.
While Jackson knows there are areas for improvement coming off of the first practice, he thought things went well overall.
“I think we’re all excited to end summer stuff and that grind and start a new grind,” Jackson II said. “Guys can’t wait to get to the next practice. The freshmen did a great job today. They were just following the lead and they did a great job with that. We were efficient today because we had that great summer.”
