Published: August 25, 2008 11:47 am         

Bourquin says Rams varsity needs work after scrimmage

By Craig Holamon
sports@mineralwellsindex.com

After one month of spring football workouts, an intense off-season conditioning program, two weeks of two-a-day workouts and two inter-team scrimmages, the Mineral Wells Rams football team got ready for Friday’s season opener in Glen Rose with a scrimmage against the Burkburnett Bulldogs.

After the Rams freshmen and junior varsity squads manhandled the Bulldogs, the varsity scrimmage belonged to Burkburnett.

The Bulldogs outscored the Rams in a 30-play scrimmage as well as in two simulated quarters and in an evening-ending goal line scrimmage.

When all was said and done Mineral Wells head football coach David Bourquin said his team needs to get a lot done before the season opener.

“We’re just going to have to get ready, we just need to pick up the tempo a little bit. We’re not where we need to be. We’re a young team, we’ve got a lot of work to do before we go to Glen Rose,” Bourquin said. “We’ve got three (sophomores) starting right now. Then after that there are two or three others who have a shot.”

Bourquin said he has a youthful team that has room to grow and improve.

“There are some things we can work on. We’ll get where we need to go. Glen Rose is going to be stout. It will be completely different in Glen Rose on Friday night,” Bourquin said. “We’re going to have to get ready and we need to pick up the tempo a little bit on defense. We’ll be OK once we get all that down.”

Bourquin said he is set to start the season with between 35 and 38 varsity players.

The off-season and pre-season in Mineral Wells has been filled by numerous position battles on both sides of the line of scrimmage. One of the most important battles was settled the hard way during the scrimmage against Burkburnett when quarterback Tanner Tuggle suffered a shoulder injury.

Clint Parkhill replaced Tuggle at quarterback and took the bulk of the snaps during the varsity scrimmage.

“The worst thing now is Tanner Tuggle hurt his shoulder. Parkhill is a good quarterback. He’ll do a good job. I have no problem with that,” the Mineral Wells coach said. “It’s just, what do we do for a backup?” In a normal atmosphere we’d probably but Dylan Bowen in there but he’s down right now. We’re going to have to look and see what we need to about that situation.”