Pioneers prep for scrimmage

The waiting is over. After months of offseason workouts, summer camps and four days of full-contact practice, the Warren County Pioneers will finally line up against somebody wearing a different color jersey Thursday night when they host Spring Hill in a preseason scrimmage at Nunley Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

While the scoreboard won't matter, the opportunity certainly does. Coach Eric Belew said Monday on the Studio 605 coaches show with former Pioneer QB Michael Thrower that the focus remains on Warren County, but the staff is also treating the week as a chance to introduce players to the game-planning process they'll experience throughout the season.

"We are going to make it about us, but we're also practicing how to game plan," Belew said. "We're still going to plan in that regard, but we really want these next few weeks to be about us and getting better at Warren County football."

The scrimmage is expected to follow a 10-play format, with each team alternating offense and defense before giving the younger players their opportunities later in the evening. There could be changes made on the fly though as the coaching staffs will take every opportunity to simulate game-like scenarios with the scoreboard turned off for a couple more weeks.

Fans will get their first look at a Pioneer offense that should feature more creativity with quarterback AJ Whitman's mobility. Belew has talked throughout camp about the added flexibility a running quarterback provides, allowing Warren County to create more formation variations while still leaning on what he believes will be the team's identity: a physical running game behind an experienced offensive line.

On the other side of the ball, the emphasis has been toughness and pursuit. The Pioneers have spent the opening days of practice installing tackling techniques while building the physical style Belew wants his team to play with throughout the season.

More than anything, Thursday is about taking the next step and buying into the SALT motto Belew always is preaching.

"The wins will be the byproduct," Belew said. "We want our players to be selfless, accountable, love the game and love each other and be really, really tough."

Be sure to follow the Warren County Way all season for the latest coverage of Pioneer football.