HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL - MSAC GRID-O-RAMA SHORT-HANDED
NITRO ADJUSTS BANGED-UP 'CATS HANDLE
Publication: THE SUNDAY GAZETTE-MAIL
Published: 08/21/2005
Page: 1C
Headline: HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL - MSAC GRID-O-RAMA SHORT-HANDED NITRO ADJUSTS
BANGED-UP 'CATS HANDLE
Byline: RICK RYAN
Things looking up at SA, 7C
Prep notebook, 7C
rickryan@wvgazette.com
It's hard to run through a dress rehearsal when some of your top players aren't
even dressed.
But Nitro still managed to do OK Saturday morning during the Mountain State
Athletic Conference Grid-o-rama at Laidley Field. The Wildcats edged both
The inaugural event, which showcased all 15 MSAC teams at Laidley
over the weekend, more resembled regulation games than traditional preseason
scrimmages. Teams wore game jerseys, 12-minute quarters were played, chain
gangs were used on the sidelines and coaches weren't allowed on the field.
It didn't much resemble a typical Nitro game, however. The normally wide-open
Wildcats played without starting quarterback Michael Scott and ace receiver
Chris Fulmer, both out with ankle injuries. So coach
Scott Tinsley, using untested sophomore quarterback Adam Howell, stuck
to the ground much of the way.
"We were surprised when Scott came out with a two-tight-end offense,"
said
That meant a lot of work for senior tailback Josh Culbertson, who finished
third last year in voting for the Kennedy Award, which goes to the state's top
player.
Culbertson broke off a 55-yard run to the
"My quarterback got hurt Thursday morning," Tinsley said.
"He got his ankle stepped on. It's not broken, so that was a good thing.
But I don't know about [his status] for Friday. I'd say he's questionable at
best. I hope he's all right, but we won't know more until Monday."
Nitro opens its regular season at Musselman Friday.
Fulmer's injury appears less severe than Scott's, and Fulmer is expected to
suit up against the Applemen.
"There was no reason for him to scrimmage," Tinsley said.
"We know what he can do. And us being without a
quarterback was another reason for him not to be out there."
Scott won the starting job during summer drills and preseason workouts this
month, with backup Jamie Hamrick relegated to a receiving post.
"We went with Adam Howell today because Hamrick hadn't been getting any
reps [at quarterback]," Tinsley said. "We've been playing him
at slot receiver. But obviously, starting Monday, Jamie's going to have to get
reps at quarterback."
Scott's injury likely increases the workload on Culbertson, who ran for 2,603
yards and 35 TDs last season.
When then-starting QB Michael Williams broke his leg and missed three games
last year, Culbertson averaged 37 carries and 201 yards in that stretch.
"I would say if Michael Scott is not there [Friday], you're going to see a
lot of Culbertson," Tinsley said.
"It was hard to get a handle on it," Whitman said. "We'll have
to look at the film to get a little more detail. We tried to play a base
defense so we could see who can play. And we want to see who can catch and who
can't."
The three quarterbacks the Warriors used combined to complete 2-of-10 attempts
for 23 yards with an interception, two sacks and a lost fumble. Returning
starter Josh Clark was 1-of-3 for 11 yards with a pick on a tipped ball.
Receivers dropped four passes.
"It's a problem we're working hard at," Whitman said. "We've got
to come up with a couple guys who can consistently catch it. If not, we're
going to be a one-sided offense and that's not going to be good."
Junior tailback Chad McClure, playing just the first series against
"We were not trying to show everything," Whitman said, owing to the
presence of most the league's coaches, "plus we really don't have a game
plan to work on for these [scrimmages]. We wanted to work on things we think
"We're looking for kids who can block and tackle," Whitman said.
"We wanted to work on that fundamental phase of it. All in all, we didn't
get anyone hurt, and that's the big thing. We were pretty satisfied with
it."
Senior Matt Humphreys, an outside linebacker and backup tailback, was taken out
after a few plays because of a nagging heel injury that again flared up.
"That was done by the principals of the schools," said Highlanders
coach Rich Williams. "If it was left up to the coaches, we wouldn't have
done that. It's as simple as that."
The three quarterbacks the Highlanders employed hit on 5-of-9 passes for 66
yards, but were sacked twice and lost a fumble. Thomas was 1-of-4 for 10 yards.
"We've got a long way to go before we call ourselves a football
team," Williams said. "We'll find out next week just exactly who's
going to step up and change personalities. Hopefully, instead of individuals,
we'll have that team thing and because of that, we'll be successful."
Junior running back Mike Taylor, the basketball standout, carried three times
for 30 yards against
Backup quarterback Brandon Brooks heaved a 28-yard completion to Drew Cummings,
who made a one-handed catch at the Warriors' 12 with nine seconds left in the
scrimmage. But a 30-yard field goal try sailed wide right.
"It would have been a nice way to end it right there," Williams said.
"That [catch] will make the highlight film, even if it was a
scrimmage."
The MSAC scrimmages were divided into three-team pods of three hours each, with
schools working out for an hour against each of the two other opponents. The
pod of Nitro,
To contact staff writer Rick Ryan, use e-mail or call 348-5175.