The season starts in eight days, and Pillow Academy is prepping for its final dress rehearsal.
The Mustangs will host a preseason jamboree Friday at PA’s Bill Davis Field with Washington School and Magnolia Heights.
Pillow will face off against Magnolia Heights at 7 p.m., followed by a scrimmage vs. Washington at 7:30.
Sixth-year PA head coach Michael Fair says there are certain things he will looking for Friday, and the scoreboard isn’t really one of them.
“In the past, we’ve gone undefeated in jamborees and then went on to struggle in the regular season. We’ve looked terrible in a jamboree and then gone on to win a state championship,” he explained. “We just want to see effort and execution against some really good competition.
“Defensively, I want to see us running to the ball, getting off blocks and hitting some folks. Offensively, we want to protect the passer and control the line of scrimmage so our quarterbacks can make the right reads.”
The Mustangs are still working out a few kinks in their new no-huddle spread-option attack. Even though Magnolia Heights and Washington are conference foes, Fair doesn’t expect to hold much back when it comes to play-calling.
“Sometimes you can really out-think yourself in these situations. We won’t scale back what we’re doing because you want to see how it works against a good team.”
Looking to rebound from a disappointing 1-9 season, the Mustangs open the 2013 campaign Aug. 23 at North Delta.
Carroll Academy is playing Friday in a jamboree at Deer Creek. The Rebels will play Deer Creek at 6 and Greenville Christian at 7:10.
The Rebels open up Aug. 23 at home against Bayou.
Leflore County will scrimmage at Hollandale Simmons at 7 on Friday, and J.Z. George is playing in a jamboree at Greenville St. Joe.
Contact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com. Follow on Twitter:@Bill_Burrus.
