Once upon a time, offseason preparation for high school football culminated with a single four-, six- or even eight-team jamboree.
Compare that to the sport’s current landscape, where teams are staying as busy as possible all summer long.
In June, first-year Indian Creek coach Casey Gillin took his squad to scrimmage at Mooresville, a program coached by his father and former Braves coach Mike Gillin. The Braves returned three days later for the Pioneers’ seven-on-seven tournament (winning three of six scrimmages).
At a time when new field turf is being installed at the Indian Creek stadium, Casey Gillin has plenty more in store for his team as it attempts to fine-tune prior to the season-opener against Batesville on August 19.
Later this month, the Braves scrimmage Bedford North Lawrence. A week later, Gillin’s squad makes the short drive to Edinburgh for a series of 11-on-11 scrimmages that include the host Lancers, Alexandria and the Washington Hatchets from southern Indiana.
On Aug. 12, Indian Creek takes on Beech Grove in its final preseason tuneup.
Gillin sees benefits in both types of scrimmages.
“I would rather do 11-on-11 any day, especially with this being my first year,” Gillin said. “I think one seven-on-seven tournament is important because of coverage coaching on defense, and also for the quarterback’s reads.
“You want your skill players to be really good, but you want your linemen to be good, too. Overall, putting everyone together is better because that’s what you’re going to be doing when the season starts.”
Seven-on-sevens put an offense’s quarterback, center and five other players — a combination of running backs, receivers and tight ends — on the field.
And though running backs sometimes do participate, there are no running plays.
A team’s defense is a mix of linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks.
Pass-oriented programs tend to gravitate more toward seven-on-seven opportunities because they help teach the skills, footwork and timing necessary to be effective in moving the chains once the season begins.
In Johnson County, Center Grove, Whiteland and Greenwood have long been geared more toward running the pigskin. Edinburgh threw the football on 60% of all offensive plays in 2021, but could be vying for a more even pass-run ratio this season.
The scrimmaging set for July 20 on the Lancers field promises to serve coach Tyler DeSpain and his coaches well.
“We basically set it up where two teams are playing on one half of the field, and the other two teams scrimmage on the other half of the field,” DeSpain said. “Then we rotate. For us, I like to see the whole picture. What gaps are opening up.”
The other county teams threw the football as follows last season — Whiteland 13%, Center Grove 28%, Franklin 29% and Indian Creek 30%.
Greenwood coach Mike Campbell had his players scrimmage against Triton Central, with another against Southport upcoming. The Woodmen scrimmage Columbus North on Aug. 12.
“We do the team scrimmages where we get a lot of 11-on-11 work,” Campbell said. “We do seven-on-seven in our summer workouts, but we’re a run-oriented team.
“But as far as playing the ball in the air (on defense), that’s a benefit of seven-on-seven. But I like 11-on-11 more.”
In the aforementioned seven-on-seven event at Mooresville, Indian Creek lost to reigning Class A state champion Indianapolis Lutheran and last season’s 3A champ, Gibson Southern. The Braves’ other setback was to Speedway, another 3A school that went on to win the competition.
Future preseason foes BNL and Beech Grove (both 4A), Washington (3A), Alexandria (2A) and Edinburgh (A) represent various school sizes, as well as football philosophies.
The summer months, in a sense, represent the first of many game plans Casey Gillin will draw up as a head coach.
“I’ve had a pretty good mentor with my dad, and I bounce ideas off my coaching staff, too,” Gillin said. “There are so many good opportunities out there. What I wanted to make sure we did was see different offenses, different defenses and different levels of competition.”
