INDIAN LAND -- Monday morning's football practice at Indian Land High School had half an hour left when coach Mike Mayer blew his whistle.
Mayer raised his left arm and made a circle, telling the players to jog to him right away. He told them to remove their helmets and hit a knee.
He wasn't a happy camper.
"Listen, guys,'' he said, "we're going to do these drills and keep doing them until we get them right.''
Mayer sent them for a drink of water, telling them to come back ready to work. The Warriors were not tackling well. Mayer said that's a big concern this year.
At the Warriors' first scrimmage last week, Mayer was pleased with the reads his defensive players made but not with their tackling.
"You've got to make tackles to win in football,'' said Mayer, beginning his seventh season. "After last year, we've got to get it right. We've got to get as many reps as possible if we want to get better.''
Mayer's concerns are no different than other area coaches. Preseason practice is for working out bugs and preparing for the season.
Out of 11 teams -- there are 12 this year -- in the area last season, all but three made the playoffs. Indian Land, usually successful under Mayer, was one of the three. The Warriors were 2-8, 1-4 in Region 3-A.
No one wants a repeat.
When the team works on its kicking game, he reminds the players they missed the playoffs and why.
"It came down to the final play of two games, and both came down to a kick,'' Mayer said. "We were ahead of Great Falls and they had time for one more play. They kicked a 45-yard field goal and beat us.
"In our final game, the winner between us and North Central made the playoffs. We scored on the last play and needed to kick the extra point to tie and go into overtime. The kick was blocked. Our season was over.''
Nathan Folks, a senior offensive lineman, said not making the playoffs and how it came about was devastating. During summer workouts, he and the other seniors vowed to push the younger players hard and ensure it doesn't happen again.
"I came into preseason practice knowing I was going to do everything the best that I can,'' Folks said. "We decided at our meeting that missing the playoffs wasn't acceptable.
"You can tell a difference this year. Our attitudes have improved and everybody is out there hustling. We're looking good, but we still have some improving to do.''
Mayer has more players this year (55) and expects at least five more when registration re-opens Wednesday.
Thirty players made at least 30 summer weightlifting sessions and most of the others weren't far behind. But the Warriors are still young and have only four starters back on each side of the ball.
One returning starter moved. Another is out for the season with a thumb injury that required surgery.
"We're young but past using that as an excuse,'' Mayer said. "I am making an effort to push the kids as hard as I can. I'm pushing them harder than any group we've had since I've been here.
"We didn't do that at first last year because we were so young. We waited until we were a couple of games into the season before getting tough on them. Looking back, we should have started that way.''
Things should be better. The students are excited about moving into their new school, located behind the old one. Mayer said $25,000 has been raised to buy equipment for the new weight room.
Progress is being made each day at practice, even when Mayer has to stop and remind the players who's boss.
"Coach Mayer is right,'' said Brian Gunter, a linebacker/offensive lineman. "If we want to make the playoffs, we've got to learn to tackle better. I feel we are working harder and that's because coach Mayer is pushing us hard.''
Returning tailback Tony Hood agreed. Hood is short at 5-foot-8 but weighs 210 pounds, with powerful leg drive and good speed.
"This is going to be a good year ... can see it all ready,'' Hood said. "We'll show people we can turn it around, that we didn't have a good season because we were rebuilding. People will see a different Indian Land team this year.''
