Red Raiders hold media day, weightlifting competition as season approaches

The Touchdown Club aims to promote Red Raider football and draw the community’s support as Madison County prepares to kick off the 2012 season Aug. 31 at home versus Oconee County. The event included a cookout following team photos of most of the fall sports programs at the high school.

Also this past week, Madison County football players participated in a weightlifting competition. Fifty-three Red Raiders earned “Men of Summer” distinction by participating in at least 26 weightlifting workouts. Football players put on significant muscles during the offseason.

For instance, head coach Chris Smith said Willie Blevins put on 18 pounds of muscle in the summer by hitting the weight room hard.

“You can tell when you look at him that he’s really made big gains,” said Smith.

Smith said Keidric Curry won the weightlifting competition with 975 lbs. of total lifts in the bench, clean and squat. Garrison Harris won the 140-lb. and under competition with 660 lbs. Smith noted that Dustin Howard and Jalen Howard both had good nights in the lifting competition.

Smith said the team opened fall practice with an overview of what’s expected on offense, defense and special teams. Now, the players are being instructed on specific duties. He noted that sometimes players may feel practices get monotonous with repetitions, but that’s a part of preparation, he said.

“When you’re running the option out of the spread, you’ve got to get your reps in,” said Smith. “You’ve got to be able to run everything full speed and precise.”

The coach said the main focus in on accountability and getting players to understand what it takes to win.

“The big thing is breaking a culture of losing and getting kids to realize that’s not what we’re about,” said Smith. “We can’t accept or allow them to slip back into that mentality.”