CRESTVIEW — Hot and humid weather greeted the Crestview High School football team Monday morning as the Bulldogs officially opened preseason practice.
First-year coach Tim Hatten obviously wasn't grading on the curve when assessing the first day.
"I'd give it about a C- if I had to grade it, as far as practice goes and getting things done," he said, "but that was normal. It went about like most first days.
"There was a little bit of chaos and we found out some things we have to do. It was more equipment and procedure stuff than it is football stuff. We have some maintenance stuff as far as running practice and getting people dressed out."
Senior quarterback Khalil Foster, who is back under center after a year at wide receiver, had a different take on things.
"I think today we did well," he said. "We did very good.
"I think the summer went well. We all worked hard the whole time. We got bigger, stronger, faster."
Foster welcomes Hatten's spread offense after two years in a run-oriented system used by Kevin Pettis.
"Running the spread gives you a lot of options," Foster said. "When I played wide receiver I didn't have a lot of stuff to do, but now at quarterback I have a lot more stuff.
"I've learned a lot more reads. Now I know what the wide receiver is going to do and what I'm going to do, what the linemen are going to do. I know everything."
With the regular season less than a month away, the intensity and focus are starting to pick up.
The Bulldogs need to work on being fundamentally sound in their blocking and tackling, Hatten said.
"It's (the season is) close," Hatten said. "It won't be long before we are playing for real."
Foster thinks a successful season will be determined by the team's focus during the preseason camp.
"We have all the tools," he said. "We just need to come to practice, get focused and get locked in on what coach Hatten has to say. Whenever we lock in we can do anything we want."
Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bulldogs focus on upcoming season