Gamecocks finally set to open the season

After a two-week quarantine pushed back the opening of the 2020 season for the New Brockton Gamecocks (0-0, 0-0), they are finally ready to open up against the Class 3A, Region 2 foe Opp Bobcats (1-1, 0-0) on Sept. 4.

New Brockton coach Zack Holmes said that he thought the way his team handled practices last week, following a two-week layoff, was good.

“I thought we did a good job coming back and getting back in the swing of things,” Holmes said. “It was a little bit of a challenge but the guys did a good job with it and with getting back acclimated and culminating that with the scrimmage on Saturday.”

New Brockton held a scrimmage at Bates Memorial Stadium in Enterprise on Aug. 30 after being forced to practice Friday afternoon. Holmes said that the Gamecocks originally planned to have a walkthrough on Friday and treat Saturday like a game day, but bad weather on Thursday forced the Gamecocks to have a practice on Friday instead.

“I thought we were a little sluggish but part of that was the quick turnaround,” Holmes said. “There was some adversity there but I thought the kids fought through it and did well.

“There were some bright spots but plenty of things to fix, too. We answered some questions on where certain guys are going to fit and the young guys got in at the end and did really well. Both (young) quarterbacks threw touchdown passes.”

The Gamecocks won’t get much of a warm up as they travel to face off against the high-powered Opp Bobcats. Opp scored 67 points in the season-opener but dropped a 26-14 loss to Class 2A’s Elba last week.

Opp is led by one of the most prolific passers in the state in senior Hal Smithart who completed 32-of-58 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns against Elba. Smithart also threw six touchdowns – all in the first half – in week one against Geneva.

“They are going to throw the ball all over the field,” Holmes flatly said of Opp. “Their quarterback is a special player. They’re going to throw the ball and throw it a lot, but (former Alabama coach Mike) DuBose is also calling the defense this season.

“So, that’s an SEC level coach calling their defense. They will be well-coached and sound and will get after you.”

Running the ball will be a priority for the Gamecocks as they try and keep Opp’s spread offense off the field as much as possible.

“We have to take advantage of anything they give us and be content with getting first downs, running the ball and driving the ball on long, sustained drives,” Holmes said. “I thought Elba did a good job of that watching them last week. You have to run the football.

“When you throw the ball all the time, and that’s who you are, timing is a big part of that. The more we control the ball and the bigger the gaps between their possessions are the more that obviously plays to us. I thought Elba did a good job of that and as the game went on you started to see some of that show up.”

Elba was also able to put pressure on the quarterback and created three interceptions as a result.

“We’re going to have to be sound defensively and we’re going to create a pass rush and defend the pass,” Holmes said. “They also have a couple of good running backs and so they can take advantage of you wherever they need to.

“They do a really good job of distributing the ball to all the receivers – and backs – so we’re going to have to do a good job of being sound and being disciplined.”