Scrimmage Gives Fans First Look at the Bobcats in 2023

OFFENSE

Throughout his tenure in San Angelo, first as the offensive coordinator and now as head coach, Coach Kevin Crane once again brings a potent offensive scheme to the field. The Bobcats snapped off chunk plays with their playmakers on several different occasions. Junior quarterback Christian English ran through all the reps with the 1’s and looked to solidify his spot as the starting quarterback. English made several pretty throws throughout the scrimmage. He was on time and accurate with the football, even when flushed out of the pocket. Like any new starter, he has areas where he can improve, rolling to his left and throwing on the run, but his deep balls looked crisp with plenty of air underneath them.

Jayveon Robinson and Tyree Brawlee performed well on Saturday and will probably be the ‘Cats' backbone on the offense this season. Robinson’s playmaking ability and speed fit perfectly with the spread offense that Central likes to implement. Brawlee, the Bobcats' bruising running back, laid the wood up the middle. Anytime the defense brought him down, they had to pay the price.

The receivers showed flashes of brilliance. However, too many drops stalled several drives during the scrimmage. While every quarterback who plays football wants their receivers to catch the ball every time, this scrimmage proved to be excellent practice for the ‘Cats’ pass-catchers. After Central shakes off the initial rust that comes with a new season, the receivers will be fine. In fact, the Bobcats should already be better on Thursday against Lubbock Coronado for Central’s second scrimmage. 

The Bobcats’ biggest strength during the intrasquad scrimmage was the offensive line. English and Colton Hill had excellent protection when throwing the ball. All the running backs found space through the line in several instances. A big question mark heading into 2023 was how the Bobcats’ line would look after graduating three of their top guys from a year ago. This new iteration looks solid and ready to go.

DEFENSE

Central needs improvement on the defensive side of the ball this season. Last year, the Bobcats scored many points and still lost some big games. Crane brought in the new defensive coordinator, Jacob Martin, to address this issue. The ‘Cats brought high energy on defense during the scrimmage. While this unit is young, they flew around the field, swarmed the ball, and hit the ball carriers hard. The secondary played well. Not many free passes made it to the receivers over the middle without someone on the defense ready and waiting. 

The linebackers made several plays in the run game. On two occasions, one on the goal line, the linebackers forced a fumble to end a drive.

The Bobcats’ defensive line has a daunting task in front of them in district play this season. Permian, Midland Legacy, and Frenship all have impressive offensive lines. Knowing that fact, it was evident that the Bobcats’ strength and conditioning program was in full tilt during the offseason. In the run game, the D-line held up well against the ‘Cats' O-line. They still have work to do when pass-rushing, but with Martin’s new scheme, the ‘Cats will improve with more experience.

Coach Martin gave his thoughts on the defense after the scrimmage. Watch it below.

Central gained valuable experience during the intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday. The Bobcats sorely need every shred of game-like expertise they can get before Week 1 against Kileen Shoemaker. While the Bobcats will eventually climb to where they want to be as a unit, the team is young this year. There will be growing pains headed into non-district play. Scrimmages like the one on Saturday are vital to continue the players’ development. Overall, the intrasquad scrimmage was a critical and valuable tool for the Bobcats moving forward.

Next up, Central travels to Lubbock on Thursday, August 17, to play its second scrimmage against the Lubbock Coronado Mustangs at Lowrey Field. The Junior Varsity scrimmage begins at 5 p.m. with the Varsity following shortly after at 7 p.m.