Tyler Speight begins stretching exercises during Southern Wayne’s preseason football workout. Watching from behind is teammate Matt Whitley. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Nagha Miles takes a water break on a humid day in southern Wayne County during the Saints’ football practice. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Logan Denning unloads a tight spiral during a passing drill at Southern Wayne’s preseason football practice. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne assistant coach Dylan Denning is wrapped by Tyler Speight during a special-teams coverage drill. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Elijah Walker gets in some leg stretches before Southern Wayne breaks into different drill stations during preseason football practice in Dudley. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
New Southern Wayne head football coach Matt Hine expects to put a talented and athletic team on the gridiron this fall. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Jahmere Bannerman practices despite an injury to his right hand. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Nagha Miles and Elijah Walker work on blocking technique as assistant coach Ricky Lofton, red shirt, watches in the background during Southern Wayne’s preseason practice. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Daquan Stevens makes a one-handed grab on a pass from Logan Denning during a passing drill in preseason practice. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Naeem Longmire, left, and Blake Womble work on proper handoff techniques in a running back drill. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Lamontez White starts a stretching drill with teammates Noah Glaspie and Josh Smith behind him during preseason practice. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — Southern Wayne may look like a Rubik’s cube at the moment.Don’t worry.
New head coach Matt Hine and his staff are going to twist and turn every piece until the offense, defense and special teams are clicking on all cylinders.
The Saints have averaged 50 players daily.
Injuries and off-the-field issues have sidelined a few, but Hine expects they’ll join the team within the coming days.
“I was pleased to be back out there with our players,” said Hine, the ninth head coach in SW history. “They worked hard. My older players were already showing the young players how to play specific techniques. We did a good job keeping everyone involved and working.”
The players work out on a newly-painted practice field behind the baseball diamond. Cleats have worn down the green grass during station drills that have included warm-up exercises, special-teams coverage, passing plays, blocking schemes and running back techniques.
Hine has seen progress compared to offseason workouts, spring practice and summer 7-on-7 outings. The running game has shown the most improvement.
“We need to improve our techniques across the board … improving overall football IQ,” Hine said. “Controlling our effort and intensity to make sure we are getting as many reps as possible, and get our kids paying attention to the little details.
“Our freshman class has come to work since school ended.”
Southern Wayne will see live action in a multi-team jamboree Aug. 11 at South Lenoir. A schedule has not been released, but the event also includes Carolina 1A member North Duplin.
Those contests should provide some answers.
“We need to develop a steady increase in learning and intensity, install more of our schemes, especially the run game and defense,” Hine said. “We have to practice play at full speed.”
