Spring football: Baker prepares for Maroon-White game

BAKER — Things have gone pretty much as expected for the Baker football team this spring.

As of Monday, the Gators had been on the field nine times as they turned the halfway point on spring practice.

Baker will continue to practice through Thursday before holding a Maroon and White game Friday night. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Admission is $3 with all gate receipts going to the Travis Peoples Spirit of the Game Scholarship fund.

Gator coach Bob Kellogg is looking forward to Friday’s dress rehearsal before next week’s jamboree at South Walton. He’s also cautious not to put too much stock in what happens in the glorified scrimmage.

“We split up our team into two teams and we’ve got an older bunch and younger bunch (mixed into each squad),” he said. “What I think we are going to do is let the varsity go a series and then the JV, playing back and forth like in a game.”

About the only thing fans shouldn’t expect to see is the kicking game.

“They (the teams) are going to be on opposite sidelines, and we are going to have a clock and officials,” Kellogg said. “We are going to play it like (a real game).

“We’ve got it structured where the younger kids will play (younger kids) and the older kids will play (older kids). We have ones going against the best that’s left and then twos going against the best.

“Our returning kids really have performed well,” he added. “Right now we are really concentrating on those kids that are new to us as far as the varsity.

“That’s where we have to find some kids as far as stepping up and being able to come in and fill those positions where we are lacking.”

Kellogg again stressed the importance of finding linemen for both sides of the ball.

“We have a lot of skill returning,” he said, “but line-wise we don’t.

“We really are focusing on our offensive and defensive line and we just need for some kids that were young kids last year to come through.”

The biggest goal for Kellogg and his staff is to see the kids under the lights and get some video of them in a game-type situation.

“This is our first real evaluation where we have a film on them,” Kellogg said. “Right now the line is all so even, and hopefully (who is going to play) is what we are going to know at the end of the nine days we have left — who is one, (starter), who is two (backup).

“Nobody has really stepped out and taken (a starting spot). We are expecting good and bad because maybe they are close. I’m going to look at it in the positive way that we will be good.”

Kellogg continues to be impressed with his class of rising seniors.

“They had a great attitude when they (the rising seniors) came as ninth-graders,” he said. “Really the thing you can say is this senior class is going to be a good group.

“They are real close to each other and they are excited. When I look at them, this bunch has hung with me. Very few (quit) in this class.”