Obviously all teams are looking to work on various things before the season starts, but when Mayfield takes on traditional, small school power Milan TN (Fri 8/8) they will simulate game conditions for about 3 quarters.

 

This is always a good test for both schools because both usually go deep in the playoffs in their respective state. Mayfield has come away from this "practice" in the last few years looking the part as championship contender.

 

Many of my fellow Cardinal posters are waiting for this scrimmage before making a real evaluation on the 2014 team.

 

Do most of you look at it as, just that, a practice with another team... or do you usually put more stock in to what you see?

Well, there are several ways to conduct a scrimmage. If is it game-like conditions, no matter if it for three quarters or an entire game, personally I use it as more of an evaluation of game potential. Some schools do a "situational" scrimmage (10 plays of goal line, 10 plays of 1st and 10, 10 plays of third and long, ect). I think this type of scrimmage is better at evaluation players and working on timing and getting game speed looks but a little more difficult to evaluate the "team performance" or expectations. Furthermore, some teams split their starters up some for scrimmages, that is almost impossible to determine what the team will be like with all the starters together.

 

But, game simulation, I think you can get a pretty good feel of where the team is.

More stock in it than a practice. When you have two high caliber teams running a scrimmage this way, I think you can get a pretty good feel for your team. Results might cause me to change my opinion on a team slightly, but that is all. Coaches can make a lot of adjustments based on what they see in a scrimmage and things can still change a good amount if there are problems uncovered in scrimmages.

I think its a good way to break the monontany of practice and let the kids get closer to game conditions and shake off the cobwebs from last year. Im not sure I would put much more stock in them than that. Good icebreaker for new inexperienced kids. Experienced kids and kids that were going to be needed to carry the team, not even sure I would play them to guard against early injuries. I see them like the preseason NFL games...evaluate your new guys and dont risk injury to your go to's.

"Anticipating" the fun of beating on someone else other than your teammate!

 

:thumb:

"Anticipating" the fun of beating on someone else other than your teammate!

 

:thumb:

Love it, good to compete against someone else for a change.....great opportunity for the coaching staff to evaluate where they are as a team vs. where they want to be. Great thing is that you still have a couple of weeks to make adjustments. Love to watch the first year starters, see how they react when the lights come on

It's football!! Anticipation for anything resembling a game is highly anticipated. Wether the scrimmage is a let down or not isn't relevant, it is just a sign that the season is right around the corner.

For coaches it's an evaluation process on scheme and personnel. For fans of course its LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!

As a player? Hitting someone in a different color jersey. As a parent? Hoping no one gets hurt.

Do most of you look at it as' date=' just that, a practice with another team[/quote']

 

That's how I see it. While a scrimmage can be a somewhat of a gauge for where the team stands, I'm looking at it primarily as a tool for game preparation. The only difference is that another team is involved rather than just your own team.

For me its not about winning or losing. I want to see the following.

 

* How guys react - Did someone step up I didnt expect? Did someone fold that I didnt expect too?

* How many mistakes did #1's make

* Did take care of the ball.

*Did they have fun?