Getting back on the gridiron: Bulldogs embrace summer work

  • Murphy coach David Gentry watches as the Bulldogs skill players spread out and stretch prior to conditioning drill work during the first week of workouts on June 17. Photo by Noah Shatzer
    Murphy coach David Gentry watches as the Bulldogs skill players spread out and stretch prior to conditioning drill work during the first week of workouts on June 17. Photo by Noah Shatzer

        Murphy – The familiar sights and sounds of football filled the air of Murphy High School’s campus on June 17 – to some extent.
        There weren’t any pigskins in sight, nor was there the sound of pads crashing against pads, but the Bulldogs football program was back and hard at work.
        Murphy senior tackle Ryland Smith, who missed a chunk of the Bulldogs season last year with a torn ACL, said getting back into the swing of workouts has been a welcome change.         “It’s been hard just sitting in the house all day or staying at work,” Smith said. “I’ve been jogging and trying to work out as much as I can, But it’s been rough on many people.”
        Bulldog junior Kellen Rumfelt, who started every game at quarterback for Murphy last season, said that he’s glad workouts have started and that the team is able to be together again.
        “It feels good to be back and to be sore again,” Rumfelt said with a laugh. “I’m just glad that we’re getting back into it. Everybody has been anxious and ready to get back out there. It’s good being able to see everybody and get the chemistry going again.”
        Bulldogs coach David Gentry said that he felt the first week of workouts went well for Murphy and that
        “We had a good week, a lot of kids participating, a lot of good work,” Gentry said of the opening week. “I thought our coaches did a great job with the restrictions and that it was a good start. We just needed to get out, get the kids back lifting weights and running along with a little bit of football orientation within the guidelines for us.”
        Gentry said that the lifting and conditioning is a good start to the summer for the Bulldogs’ program.
        “I think this is a good start, we didn’t need to go back into it full-bore anyway so this kinda gets us going,” Gentry said.
        “Hopefully we can come back in July and get started with more of our football related drills and be a little less restricted – maybe we can even have a football to throw around,” he said with a hearty chuckle.