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By: Chris Evans
In the first scrimmage of the 2008 season the BlueJays passed with flying colors. Litterally.
The first play for the Guthrie offense may be a special one to watch this season with Keaton Callins to Donte' Foster. Senior to senior. Friend to friend. Athlete to athlete. The pass play was early and often.
"I thought we threw the ball extremely well. Keaton made some good decisions and our receivers made some catches.," head coach Rafe Watkins said after the scrimmage with Enid and Ponca City.
Callins returns to the huddle, as the full time quarterback, with Kye Staley no longer on the Jays sidelines. Callins appears to of had a good M.T.X.E (summer work-out) with a bigger upper body and will need it all with opponents zeroing in on the returning 5A champs.
Callins last season passed for nearly1200-yards and completed 106 passes with just one pick, but this season Callins and the Jays may be more balance offensively.
"Keaton goes through his reads, he knows what he is doing, and he throws good balls. When you have those three ingredients with the forward pass it turns into good things," offensive coordinator Scott Mick said
A year ago, the Jays averaged 268-yards on the ground and 129-yards in the air. The Jays were forced to keep it on the ground for majority of second halves keeping the passing numbers down that Callins can get, but the offense may allow for that gap to narrow down with some new receivers joining Foster.
"We are going have to throw the football a little bit more this year and there is no reason not to with Keaton," Mick said. "It's nice to have the luxury of being able to come out and throw the football and we are going to see that this year."
Foster collected 11-scores last season and is likely to see some double teams, in which, will allow Laron Parker, Kentrell Brothers, DJ Hughes, and Emanuel (Manny) Luevano some opportunities.
Parker has tremendous speed and will be a nice compliment to Foster. Parker made an outstanding catch in the scrimmage last week and was able to get by defenders, who were trying to cover him up.
Brothers, a freshmen quarterback a year ago, was the lone BlueJay to find the end zone and made numerous of catches that were thrown his way.
"Donte' came a long and did a really nice job last year. This year we are going to count on Laron and DJ. Those guys play on the other side of the ball and we are going have to find a happy medium," receivers coach Ric Meshew said. "Couple of others will help us out in Manny, Kentrell, and even Marcus Ware."
In the BlueJay offenisve system, wide receivers are important to the run game and have excelled in down field blocking. The same will have to be true again with 'Lighting and Thunder' (Josh King and Clayton Smith) running the ball.
The offensive line had a good first scrimmage in allowing Callins time to find receivers. Mick says it is easier to pass block then it is to rush block and the Jays up front did a good of protecting.
"We are not going to be Texas Tech and throw the football every down. We are going to run the football some more, but it is nice to work on it," Mick said.
Look for other defenses to take notice of the offensive threats. Gone should be the 8-man fronts to stop the run. Teams will have to respect the pass and soon as that happens watch out for the storm of running backs with Lighting and Thunder.
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