The Hillsdale College football team had its fall intersquad scrimmage at the Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 14.
Students, faculty, and parents endured 40-degree temperatures to watch the team cap off fall practices with a white offense vs. blue defense scrimmage. This was the last full-team activity for the Chargers until the spring season begins. It was also the athletic department’s first and only spectator event of the semester.
Head football coach Keith Otterbein spoke well of his team’s performance this weekend.
“I thought we played hard and that we competed well,” Otterbein said. “It was a nice change of pace. Even though it’s just practice, having officials there makes it a little more important to the team.”
Otterbein said it was unfortunate, however, to have players who were unable to participate last weekend due to contact tracing and positive COVID-19 cases that have surfaced around campus.
“Many of the guys that will be out there in the spring were missing because of positive cases, but that was also a positive because others get the opportunity to step up,” Otterbein said. “As you look at the COVID era of athletics, you have to be ready for the next man up because you never know how things will go.”
One of the players who was given the opportunity to step up was freshman running back Jack Robinson, who had a great experience in his first intersquad scrimmage.
“This scrimmage really allowed us to see where everybody is really at,” Robinson said. “In situations where it’s not “live” periods, meaning that we don’t go full go and tackle, we really can’t tell if everyone’s technique and skill set is, so it was great to get a picture where myself and my teammates are in that aspect.”
The Chargers will take some time off and then begin full-team practice in January as they prepare for the spring season. They will have a six-game, conference-only season beginning on March 13 against the University of Findlay at home.