Faster pace: Lions will feature no-huddle offense

photo by: Richard Gwin

Lawrence High senior running back Brandon Jimenez (81) takes a hand off from junior quarterback Dante Jackson (32) during LHS football camp on Monday July 11, 2016.

On the first day of weeklong team camp, Lawrence High football players spent Monday morning implementing their new no-huddle offense.

It’s a big change for the Lions, who plan to play without huddles for the first time under 18th-year coach Dirk Wedd. After announcing plans to platoon offensive and defensive linemen earlier in the offseason, it has been an easier transition to the quick-paced offense.

Instead of spending half of the practice working on defense, then flipping to offense, the Lions are already split up by position groups and can remain focused on their one side of the ball.

“It’s different because you have to memorize stuff more,” senior offensive lineman Reese Stellwagon said of the no-huddle offense. “It’s just faster-paced so you have to be ready.”

The Lions were only in helmets Monday, and the offense took full advantage of their no-huddle system, catching defenders off balance with their quick snaps.

“In all my years, I’ve never done (no huddle),” Wedd said. “But I see some benefits. You can see some right now. You get that defense on their heels a little bit. It’s hard to gather everything. Today was fun because it was the first time. The defense will get better at it, and hopefully we’ll get better at it. Overall, though, the kids grasp it really, really well.”

Earlier in the summer, the Lions played in Kansas University and Baker University team camps, which included padded scrimmages against teams from across the Kansas City metro area. That was in addition to a three-day pre-camp in June.

In past years, the Lions held their weeklong team camp at the beginning of the summer. Wedd said it has beneficial to move the camp to July so that it’s easier to implement the offense and pick up where they left off when two-a-day practices begin next month.

This is the last week team camps are permitted by Kansas State High School Activities Association regulations. After July 17, coaches are restricted to working with small groups of players.

“We’ll have it in our brain more than we had at the beginning of the summer,” senior defensive lineman BJ Murry said. “It’s not that different besides the platooning. It feels about the same as last year, it’s just we came back from the break, and we’re not as conditioned yet.”

Stellwagon added: “It’s better now because we’re able to get the three weeks of camp in at the beginning of summer, then we’ve got this one to just polish it all up. Especially installing the platoons and no huddle.”

On the opposite side of the no-huddle offense, Murry said he thought it would give defenders an advantage to practice against it each day. Players will have know their assignments ahead of time, and it should help with their conditioning.

Of course, platoons should help players learn their roles faster than usual.

Wedd said only a few skill players and some linemen in special formations are expected to play on both sides of the ball in limited situations.