Cardinals hit practice field

By Jeff Ireland

At 8 a.m. on Monday, with the mercury already well over 80 degrees, the Brighton Cardinals football team hit the practice field in helmets and practice jerseys.
Everybody’s schedule is different, but all area football teams began making serious preparations for the upcoming season this week, which begins in less than a month on Aug. 20.
The Cardinals were running plays about three-quarter speed and trying to develop some timing in their passing game.
“We’re doing a lot of learning right now,” said Brighton head coach Will Wolfe, who led the Cardinals to an 8-3 record last year and a home playoff game for the first time in school history. “We’re just trying to get in as many reps as we can. The goal is for everybody to be on the same page once we’re in pads.”
Teams in Tennessee can begin practicing in pads next week, and that’s generally when things really get going in earnest.
The Cardinals will be looking to build on the momentum they got started last year. With eight starters returning on offense and seven on defense, there’s plenty of optimism surrounding the program. And it showed at practice.
Brighton players and coaches maintained a quick pace throughout the morning, shuffling players in and out while running through the team’s fast-paced offense.
Returning quarterback Danny Potter worked on his timing with the Cardinals receivers and plenty of time was spent on the running game as well.
Wolfe said the Cardinals will take part in a multi-team scrimmage on Aug. at Dyer County before playing in a jamboree at Covington on Aug. 13. The regular season begins Aug. 20 at home against Raleigh-Egypt.
“We’re trying to accomplish a lot of different things right now,” said Wolfe. “Obviously conditioning. It takes a while for their bodies to get used to this.”

Note: Check back soon for updates on other area teams.