Aug. 17 is 149 days away, but don’t tell the Warren County High School football team it is too early to be thinking about the start of the 2012 season.
The Pioneers are currently going through offseason conditioning programs as the team wants to do everything it can to avoid another 0-10 campaign.
While the players are getting stronger and faster, the coaching staff is growing as well.
Coach Tommy Johnson picked Greg Cotten from Warren County Middle School to be his new defensive line coach. Cotten spent the last four years at WCMS, where he leaves as the all-time wins leader.
Paul Martin will be taking over linebackers for the Pioneers this season. Martin is a Warren County High School alumni who played football for the Pioneers.
Coach Johnson also had to reshuffle his staff after the departure of offensive coordinator Aaron Pitts, who left to take the head-coaching job at Stratford High School.
Coach Johnson promoted Pedro Holiday to fill the vacancy. Holiday has been with the team two seasons, serving as wide receivers coach and quarterbacks coach.
Holiday has a background in the spread-wing offense, something he feels will take advantage of the Pioneer playmakers.
“This offense gives us the opportunity to put the ball in our playmaker’s hands,” said Holiday.
Coach Chris Johnson has been made the assistant head coach for the Pioneers to go along with his duties as defensive coordinator.
Chris Johnson, the head coach’s brother, is excited about his expanded role with the Pioneers.
“I’m thankful and honored to play this role on our team,” said Johnson. “I am excited about this year and look forward to fulfilling this position to the best of my ability.”
The Pioneers are already looking forward to spring practice, where the team will have 10 workouts in a three-week span.
The first day of spring practice will be Tuesday, May 1. The Pioneers will also practice Wednesday, May 2, and Friday, May 4.
The second week begins Monday, May 7, where the team will do a workout and parents will be welcomed for the first “Monday Night Football” session with the coaching staff.
Coach Johnson plans on having an intersquad scrimmage May 4, then parents will be invited to come the following Monday to sit in during a coaches meeting.
Parents will get a chance to watch the coaches grade films, go through player evaluations and make corrections.
The second week, which will feature practice every day but Tuesday, will end Friday with a scrimmage at Stratford High School in Nashville.
The Pioneers conclude their spring schedule Friday, May 18, with the team’s 10th practice.
The coaching staff has also begun planning a football camp which will be a two-part session for players and coaches.
The Foodland Plus football camp will be held at Warren County High School Saturday, June 9, and will feature a seven-hour session for players ages 8-13.
A coaching clinic will follow as the Warren County High School staff is wanting to reach out to the youth league coaches in an attempt to get a universal language going from the early age groups that will span until the children reach high school.
More details of the camp will be included in the Southern Standard “sports briefs” section when they become available.