Area students take part in '7-on-7' drills

PORTALES - In an early sign that high school football will be back this fall, about 600 students from high schools as far away as Silver City amassed Saturday at Eastern New Mexico University's Greyhound Stadium for a day of "7-on-7" practice drills and a little preseason competition.

ENMU's head football coach Tye Hiatt said the focus of Saturday's activities was "the passing game." There were blocking and agility drills for the players on the line, too.

In the morning, while freshman and junior varsity players went through drills and scrimmages on a practice field, varsity players tested their pass throwing and catching skills in informal scrimmages against other squads on the Greyhound Stadium's main artificial-turf field.

Nobody "suited up," though, Hiatt said. It was a day for quarterbacks to test their skills in finding receivers and hitting them accurately under opposing pressure, and for receivers to test their ability to watch the ball and snare passes with defenders in the way.

Defenders also tested their pass interception and blocking skills.

In the afternoon, however, things were scheduled to get more serious in tournament play among the dozen-plus teams that gathered on the stadium and nearby practice fields, Hiatt said.

Hiatt said ENMU was proud to host the teams, because of the early training opportunity it provides for the athletes, but also because, he said, "We can scout them."