Quick whistles at Golden Valley football camp

Golden Valley High School quarterback Armando Muzquiz took the snap and pitched the ball right to running back Isaiah Montanez, who sprinted around the right end.

As soon as a Los Banos linebacker put his hands on Montanez, multiple whistles blew to stop the play.

The whistles came quickly on the next play, as Muzquiz fired a pass in the flat to receiver Cadrian McDaniel. As soon as the Los Banos defensive back put a hand on McDaniel’s jersey, the whistles stopped the play.

That was the scene this week at Veterans Stadium as Golden Valley, Los Banos, Le Grand and Stone Ridge Christian worked under the new no-contact rules at the Golden Valley team camp.

“To be honest, it’s not much different for us,” Golden Valley coach Dennis Stubbs said. “Once in a while, somebody might make a tackle, but we’re trying to keep everyone up. In the past, we might have wrapped up, but now there has to be an exit lane for the back.”

The camp opened Tuesday night with the focus on passing. The teams faced off in seven-on-seven drills in full pads. Offensive and defensive linemen were off to the side competing in drills against the other teams.

Wednesday, the focus was on running plays in an 11-on-11 setting. In the first session, teams worked on outside run plays and screen plays to the perimeter. The second session was focused on inside runs and play-action plays.

On Thursday, 11-on-11 scrimmages were held with the teams rotating through opponents.

Le Grand coach Raul Alvarez felt the contact was noticeably missing.

“In the past, we’ve gotten a real good look at who can hit and who couldn’t,” Alvarez said. “That component is missing. It’s a big part of football. In games, we go full speed. I feel camps should be as close to games as we can get.”

All the coaches still felt they were able to get a lot out of the camp. Teams are still able to run plays against an opponent. Defenses line up against different offensive sets and make sure players are in the right spots and carry out assignments.

Offensive lines worked on technique in game situations, and quarterbacks, running backs and receivers worked on getting on the same page and learning how to react against different defenses.

“We’re not here to see who the toughest guy is,” Stubbs said. “We’re here to see who can follow directions.”

Contact or no contact, there was plenty of talent on the field, with three of the teams making the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs last season.

Los Banos features a big offensive line with four returning starters along with Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year Adam Herrera at quarterback, Daniel Fernandez at running back and David Walker at receiver. The Tigers again should be a favorite in the WAC.

“Coming out here and competing is great,” Tigers coach Dustin Caropreso said. “Offensively, we want to see if our guys know their assignments, and defensively, we want to know they know where they’re supposed to be. We want to continue building off the success of last year.”

Stone Ridge Christian was the smallest team there, but the defending Division VII section champ held its own. The Knights are strong across the line, as they showed in winning last week’s Hogg Challenge at Golden Valley.

“Stone Ridge was a great addition to the camp,” Stubbs said. “They’ve got a great staff. They love being here. We don’t just take anybody here.”

Stubbs’ team is trying to bounce back from an 0-10 season. The Cougars have some nice pieces in Muzquiz and Montanez. The coaching staff has been impressed with McDaniel and the other receivers.

“Our offensive line has gotten better than last year,” Montanez said. “I’m excited when I look at those guys. I’m better because I’m more patient than I was last year.”

Le Grand is breaking in a new quarterback in Beto Marquez but returns a 1,000-yard back in Carlos Iniguez.

“It’s good to get the kids in pads,” Alvarez said. “We get to see them line up against someone else, and we get to run plays live so to speak.”

The three-week dead period for fall sports in the section begins Monday. Coaches aren’t allowed to have contact with their players except for weight training and conditioning.

The first day of fall practice is Aug. 10.

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 8:26 PM with the headline "Quick whistles at Golden Valley football camp."