Bay football works through week one of fall camp

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) -The Bay Tornadoes are now through the first week of fall camp. Jeremy Brown the man now leading the Tornadoes. He took over at Keith Bland left to take a principal’s job in Dothan. Bay coming off a 2-8 season, the injury to starting qb Will Smiley part of the reason for that losing record. The Tornadoes get Smiley back, coach Brown saying he’ll take snaps but will play receiver, running back and just about everywhere else. And there are other returning starters back for Brown to work with. They’ll play in the new 2A Suburban class District Two alongside Rutherford, North Bay Haven and South Walton. Here’s Brown on the numbers he’s working with in this first week of camp.

“We really like our numbers. We’ve got about 25 guys out right now on our j.v. We’ve got about 46-47 on varsity. So we’re good with the numbers. We think when school starts we’ll probably get some more j.v. guys out, just some freshman maybe trying to give it a shot for the first time. The numbers are great. The effort’s been phenomenal. We had a great summer, we worked them really hard. They responded the way that we hoped that they would, and they did. So we’re just really excited for this group and ready for, just glad football season’s finally here.”

Coach Brown able to lead the team through spring and summer workouts. In spring they worked the kids into the schemes and systems. He says they focused in summer on really stressing strength and stamina, some things that seemed necessary. Now it’s a smooth transition into fall practice., says Brown.

“Fall camp now you’re trying to brush up on things. You’re trying to install some stuff and maybe even cut back on some stuff. Say maybe that doesn’t fit what we’re trying to do, it doesn’t fit our talent level, so we’re gonna cut that out of the offense, cut it out of the defense. And then you kind of roll into the special teams, get some of that in the summer. So we feel maybe we’re a little ahead of the game. So maybe Monday when able to actually start hitting the kids can focus on just being physical. Because they’ll know who to block, know who their gaps are on defense, and now they can just go play football.”

As for now leading his alma mater on to the field in practices that will soon lead to the regular season opener, well that makes coach Brown feel like a kid at Christmas!

“Oh yeah, this year, I know for me it’s more special than it’s ever been. Because it’s Bay high, that’s where I graduated from. I had my 30 year reunion last weekend. And to be the head coach at the place you graduate high school, then that following Monday you come out and start your first real football season. I mean you’re talking about special. It was special. I didn’t sleep a wink last Sunday night. I was Like a little kid on Christmas day when I got up Monday morning. And I really think that my excitement, I hope it poured over to the kids. They came out Monday and these first four days of practice have been phenomenal.”

Bay will not play a preseason classic, but instead start the regular season on the 19th at Enterprise in Alabama.

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