LEXINGTON, Va. – The 1st and 10 Camp Tour rolls to Rockbridge County where the Wildcats are entering year two under head coach Martin Cox.
Per usual, the next step of progression between year one and year two for new coaches is refining the culture developing the “want to” and “buy in” from players. The Wildcats have a young team after more than a dozen seniors. But they are hoping to use that as an advantage--more players get used to the system to help shape the program. For Cox, an emphasis on routine in the weight room was a simple way to correct future mistakes head on.
“The thing is, we’re going on our second year of coming out of a summer program which is new for a lot of these guys so to be honest, we’re a little bit ahead because of the summer program,” Cox said. “That youth and inexperience is going to show but not as much as it would, if those guys weren’t buying into that summer program. So, you know, we’re going in the right direction but just may have to slow down a little bit.”
“The defense--we’re hard hitters and we’re ready to get after it,” said senior lineman and linebacker Daniel Grimm. “Our number one goal is to get the ball out of other peoples hands and we’re just gonna rip it out. Skill positions are definitely tough to play. You have to be mentally tough and physically tough and we’re just trying to piece those pieces together like a puzzle and once we get that together will be rolling.
Rockbridge County will open its season at rival Parry McCluer on August 25th.