Belfry at Richlands (VA) Scrimmage

Belfry took their annual trip to Richlands, VA for the jamboree. Here's what I heard:

- The team from Lynchburg Heritage didn't make it... only three teams this year, Belfry, Richlands (2A Runner-Up), and George Wythe (1A Semi-Finalist)

- Belfry varsity scrimmaged Richlands twice and G.W. once.

- No starting DT Chase Runyon or starting LB Austin Fields. Haywood played All-Stater Derek Wellman very sparingly. Very few snaps at FB and 50/50 snaps at LB.

- Scrimmage #1 vs. Richlands. Belfry fumbled twice and failed to score and Richlands hurt them with penetration. Richlands scored once against Belfry's 1's. Wellman had a sure Pick-6 but obviously it was blown dead in this 10 plays format.

- Scrimmage #2 vs. George Wythe. Belfry scored three TD's and kicked a FG. Forgive me for not catching it but I don't think G.W. scored on the Belfry 1's.

- Scrimmage 3 vs. Richlands. Richlands scored twice on the Belfry 1's, Belfry did not score but fumbled at the goal line. On Belfry's last set of 10's both teams went strictly JV and Belfry's JV scored twice in 10 plays.

- Richlands was the best team of the lot tonight and executed the best by far. Not sure there is a true comparable team in KY I can use, maybe a Mayfield team with a little more size and depth but usually with not as much overall speed as the cards. Wythe is comparable to a NewCath or Beechwood type of team most years.

- Belfry scrimmaged the way Belfry always does. Revolving door of subs and a little more passing than what Haywood will do in the season. Very vanilla defense with very little blitzing or twists/stunts.

- Defensive line has a lot of work to do. Obviously not having Runyon doesn't help (it may a while before he is 100% so they need to adjust), but Belfry struggled to create penetration against the pass. Screen game hurt them.

- Safeties didn't have their best day and made some coverage blunders. Nothing that can't be fixed quickly, Richlands is a high level passing Offense and does some complex stuff well. Corners faired well... Varney had an INT on Richlands' last pass.

- OLine saw 9 or 10 in the box and did "OK". Missed assignments as you expect, struggled with Richlands penetration early on but got better as they went. Did a good job against the smaller Wythe team despite the numbers disadvantage.

- Browning was primary QB and did a fair to good job. Hit several passes. Exchange and timing issues which is common this time of the year in a Belfry Offense with a new QB. He will be just fine.

- Hensley took the vast majority of snaps at FB with Haywood playing Wellman very conservatively. Did a quality job. Hunter and Devin Varney saw the brunt of the HB snaps.

- The Young Bucs on the JV team really looked great. Freshman FB Coleman and HB Dixon are going to be ball players. I have heard from several people that it's going to be hard to keep Dixon from getting some touches, even this year.

- All in all pretty much exactly what I was expecting. Great competition did them a lot of good and green starters took some time to adjust. Both lines have a long way to go but the OLine has the size and talent to get the job done and play at a high level. Lots of skill talent but they need reps and timing in a big way. The back half will be fine once they get back into the swing of thing sand eliminate the mental errors, but the hopes of a 5th Title will squarely hinge on how the Dline plays and how the LB's can cover up for Belfry's lack of bulk up front.

- I think I say this every year, but I love this particular scrimmage and how it is set-up and hope Belfry continues this tradition of going down there. Classy programs and the coaches are bought in to the intent of what they are all trying to achieve.