From before dawn until just before the noon lunch whistle, football players were working hard Monday inside the city limits.
UTPB, Odessa High and Permian all began their fall workouts for the upcoming 2022 season with hope and expectations, fueled by enthusiasm, taking center stage.
“I think everybody is anxious to get back on the field,” UTPB coach Justin Carrigan said. “They’re excited and through the roof.
“There’s a lot of great young talent. We had a run test before the practice, started gassing the people; It was a lot of good energy.”
That energy was evident with both the Bronchos and Panthers as well as the two Class 6A programs began the process of evaluating the returning players while trying to integrate newcomers and underclassmen at the same time.
Dusty Ortiz, in his second season at the helm at Odessa High, was happy that much of the time in the offseason was taken up by football.
“It’s all about football now,” Ortiz said. “The players know our routine, they know our expectations.
“Our expectations are finishing with a winning record and making the playoffs. We laid the foundation last year and we need to keep building on that.”
The Bronchos are coming off a 3-7 mark in 2021 that included a Week 2 victory that snapped a 13-game losing streak and a victory against San Angelo Central for the program’s first district victory since 2018.
The key question for Odessa High will be the play of quarterback Jaylien Jones, who was thrust into action during district play last season when starter Diego Cervantes was hurt against Midland Legacy.
Jones struggled through the final few games, but offensive coordinator Creighton Reed expects a different player on the field this season for the Bronchos.
“He’s going to be the starter,” Reed said. “He’s done all the work in the offseason, during spring ball and in the summer.
“Jaylien is a competitor and he’s going to be good for us.”
Jeff Ellison, starting his fifth season at the helm of the Panthers’ program, is much more comfortable with his field general.
Permian quarterback Rodney Hall, starting his senior season, is perhaps the most dynamic player in the district.
Adept at changing the momentum of the game with his feet or his arm, Hall guided the Panthers to the second round of the playoffs last season.
Hall passed for 1,776 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 871 yards rushing.
Those skills were on display Monday as he directed the offense during its first workout, making the right read on the option or looking downfield when available.
Which was good for his teammates to see as Hall worked hard during the offseason to rehab an injury suffered during basketball season.
“He’s fine,” Ellison said. “He did a great job in getting back, in putting in the work.”
As well as the offense performed on the first day, it was the defense that caught his eye during the workout.
He went out of his way, just before adjourning practice, to make sure that the defensive players knew what he had seen and how hard they were working.
“We are going to continue to do that and get better at it,” Ellison said of the defensive intensity. “That’s huge for our defense.
“We take pride on how physical we play, especially on defense. We’re going to be flying to the ball.”
>> Follow Lee Scheide on Twitter at @OA_LeeScheide
>> Odessa American reporter Michael Bauer contributed to this story.
