By Kyle Roberts
Despite Monday’s practice getting rained out, Ruston High’s first week of spring practice still finished Thursday afternoon, giving head coach Jerrod Baugh his first look at his team in full pads as they look to follow up from a state championship season in the fall.
“I’ve been really pleased,” Baugh said of the first week. “Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty hot — probably the hottest it’s been all spring, and it’s the first time they’ve put full gear on. So their bodies are getting acclimated to that, and I think they’ve handled it well. Nobody cramped up and to do three days in a row like we do at a high tempo — I think it’s really good how they’ve handled the three days.”
Despite a soggy morning forecast, the Bearcats finished Thursday with ten 10-minute intervals of drills before situational scrimmages for the remainder of their time with major contributors sitting out the week with reasons ranging from injury to track and field state championships. Junior quarterback Josh Brantley sat out with an ankle injury, while freshman receiver Ahmad Hudson will not participate in spring football due to an injury sustained during offseason basketball. And traveling to the LHSAA state championships this weekend for track and both juniors Aidan Anding and Dylone Brooks, who are expected to be back next week.
“They’ll all come trickling back,” Baugh said. “Ahmad won’t be back with his hip injury, and we’ll just play Josh by ear. We don’t want to rush any of that in the spring. Hopefully, he can be back and maybe get some more snaps before the spring game, but the thing about him is that we know what he can do.
“But it’s a good opportunity for us to see (freshman quarterback) Sam Hartwell and let him get some snaps with the first group and get some confidence. Anytime you have guys out, it gives you a great opportunity to get other guys in. For example, with Aiden being out, we’ve had an opportunity to roll three or four guys in to see who else can play corner back. It’s been very productive.”
Coaches from both Ruston Junior High and I.A. Lewis were also in attendance as the incoming freshmen class got their first taste of a true Ruston High practice.
“The incoming freshmen have done a really good job adjusting to the pace of practice,” Baugh said. “That’s a lot of it for us — just getting use to the routines. And the freshmen have adjusted to that really well.
“We’ve been very productive over the first three days.”
Ruston will resume spring practice Monday, May 6, at 3:45 p.m.
