Minor learning personnel at Princeton
By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on August 3, 2012 1:49 PM
PRINCETON -- Derrick Minor is adjusting quickly.
The first-year head varsity football coach at Princeton High School is learning players' names and fitting his assistant coaches into specific niches as the Bulldawgs make their way through the first few practices of the season.
So far the transition has been relatively smooth.
"I think we got off to a good start over the summer getting to know the players," Minor said. "Now we have a pretty good handle on most of the kids that are going to be up on the varsity when the regular season begins."
Minor was hired late in the game by high school football standards following the retirement of Russell Williamson in May. In the past three months, Minor has hired two new assistant coaches and put in his own weight-lifting routine for the players.
Along with the new training cycles, the players will be adjusting to Minor's offensive and defensive philosophies. Former starting quarterback Brad Williamson transferred to Wilson Hunt over the summer, leaving the Bulldawgs with a hole to fill and likely taking the spread offense with him.
"I never met Brad, so I have been getting ready with the guys who have been here over the summer," Minor said. "We have three or four guys who are learning the offense at the quarterback position and right now we have a pretty good idea of the direction we are going."
The Bulldawgs' coaching staff will get a look at their potential signal callers next week when Charles B. Aycock visits for a scrimmage.
Princeton had 53 players dressed after three days of practice.
"The numbers have been very good," Minor said. "Our middle school team is going to have a lot of players and we are going to have a full junior varsity team."