With preseason preparations entering their next phase, Morgan County officially opened the GHSA’s mandatory acclimation week as the team begins transitioning from summer workouts to full football practices.
The Bulldogs wrapped up a summer schedule that included 7-on-7 competitions at the University of Georgia, hosting their own padded camp and traveling to compete against another program before reporting for the first official week of preseason practice.
Head coach Clint Jenkins said he has been pleased with the progress his team made over the summer.
“I think our guys have done a good job,” Jenkins said. “They’ve worked hard, and you can definitely see progress in certain position groups and areas. It’s always kind of a work in progress, but I feel good about where we are preparation- wise and where we are in the weight room.”
Conditioning remains a priority, particularly for a team that could rely heavily on its depth throughout the season.
“We’re always trying to get in a little bit better shape,” Jenkins said. “I think that’s going to be a big one with our depth, like it usually is every year. But I feel like we’re in a good place, and I’m proud of our kids and how they’ve worked.”
The GHSA’s acclimation week allows teams to gradually increase equipment and contact while helping players safely adjust to the late-summer heat before full-contact practices begin.
“You can kind of get around the heat by practicing in the mornings or evenings,” Jenkins said. “But you’re not going to get away from it in the first couple of games. If you’re going to play football in August, you’re going to have to deal with it on Friday night.”
Morgan County is practicing in helmets and shorts this week before moving into full pads next week.
“We want to expose our kids to it and make sure we’re easing them into it,” Jenkins said. “We’re trying to make this as safe as possible.”
Jenkins said the Bulldogs are also using the week to put the finishing touches on their special teams units.
“We’re putting in all our special teams,” Jenkins said. “We had some of it in this summer, but we’re putting the finishing touches on that. That’s a third of the game right there, so this is a super important week.”
The Bulldogs will continue evaluating their conditioning as practices become more physical and as they head into a preseason scrimmage against Cherokee Bluff before opening the regular season against Madison County.
“You’re always trying to figure out where you are,” Jenkins said. “Are we ready to play a whole game? Are we ready to play four quarters? I think some days we’ve held up pretty good, and then some days I think we’re not quite ready to play four quarters yet, but that’s okay at this point. That’s what we’re working on.”