CRESTVIEW — Anyone who has visited Jack Foster Stadium in the past few football seasons has seen a show coming from the sidelines.
The star of that show is Crestview Bulldogs Head Coach Tim Hatten. “It’s always been a comical thing, especially as you get excited,” Hatten said, referring to the unique way he calls signals to his no-huddle offense. “It can be very funny to someone who really doesn’t like football because they can just watch the theatrics that go on the sidelines.”
The method to the madness is clear to players, especially seniors who have been with Hatten their entire high school careers. The Bulldogs always want to do something different from their competition, and that requires a fastpaced, yet clear, play-calling style.
Hatten’s motto for this season is “Stay hungry,” because he wants his players to always have the desire to know more.
“You’ve got to come to practice every day ready to learn something new; to figure something out,” he said. The Bulldogs avoid high school football standards, and challenge their skill players with a run-pass option to keep opposing defenses guessing.
Crestview’s defense also works on reads that makes their backs, corners and safeties dig deep into their football know-how.
Hatten said his defense is “handling it really well. We have high expectations for them and we’re happy about it.”
The Bulldogs belong to the challenging Class 6A, District 3, which includes their rival, the Niceville Eagles, but the team must establish their own identity in Okaloosa County, Hatten said.
“We’re not where we want to be, but we don’t want to be like Niceville,” he said.
“We want to be like Crestview. “We want to make a name for ourselves with our kids from Crestview.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bulldogs challenge themselves in tough district