Lions look to air it out
August 11, 2009

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

GREENVILLE -- If the first play in the first practice is any indication, the Greenville Lions will be throwing the football more during the 2009 season.

That first play was a pass.

“We’re going to try to throw it a little bit more,” said Jim Phillips, who is entering his second season with the Lions.

Last year the Lions averaged 194.3 yards rushing per game but only 54.4 yards passing.

This year they’ll throw more to keep defenses from putting too many defenders up close to the line of scrimmage, according to Phillips.

Three of the Lions’ top four receivers are back off last year’s 2-8 team including Dijoun Sheppard (17-247, 2 TDs), Devonte Green (6-139, 1 TD) and Dakieston Williams (6-21).

But the Lions also return their six leading rushers from last year including Williams (176-921, 8 TDs), quarterback Alton Dennis (175-915, 9 TDs), Ezekial Prado (29-98), Lajorian Harris (12-26), Vincent Young (3-22) and Green (11-16).

Phillips said Dennis is starting to run the option well.

Dennis took turns running the offense in Monday’s practice. Jeffro Davis and Demarquez Pugh also took some snaps at quarterback.

The Lions who concentrate on offense wore white shirts during Monday’s practice while the defenders were in red colors.

The Lions’ defense returns a strong nucleus from last season, led by linebacker Tristian Farley, named the defensive sophomore of the year in District 10-4A last season.

“Defensively I think we could be pretty good,” said Phillips.

All in all the first day of practice went pretty well, he said.

“We were in better shape than I thought they were,” said Phillips. “All the varsity kids were here.”

Phillips said the Lions currently have 38-40 varsity prospects but only 16 to 17 junior varsity candidates.

“I just don’t know if we’ll have a JV,” said Phillips.

There were 34 freshmen out for the first day.

“That’s a good class,” he said.

The Lions are ahead of where they were this time last year because they went through spring football with Phillips and his staff back in May.

“Spring ball was a big plus for us,” he said.

The key now, according to Phillips, is to keep everybody out there for every practice.

Greenville will work in helmets and shorts until Friday, when the Lions put on the pads for the first day of contact drills.

The Lions will have a “Meet the Lions” day on Saturday at about 8:15 a.m. at T.A. “Cotton” Ford Stadium before having an intrasquad scrimmage at about 8:30.

“We’ll have a pretty good scrimmage on Saturday so we can get better,” said Phillips.