Marble Falls football ends training camp with scrimmage against Gatesville

CAPTION: Marble Falls junior defensive back Kaden Langbein outleaps this Hornet for the interception during the controlled portion of the scrimmage against Gatesville Aug. 22. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School football team welcomed Gatesville Aug. 22 in the final scrimmage of the 2024 pre-season campaign.

Next up is the season opener against Austin Crockett at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, at Mustang Stadium.

The Hornets scored two touchdowns in the controlled portion of the scrimmage and two more in the live portion.

“Gatesville is a really good football team,” Mustangs head coach Keri Timmerman said. “They had to drive the ball. We had a play down here for that second score that was a great catch by their player and a great throw, and we were right there, step for step, and we played the ball instead of the player.” 

Meanwhile, the Mustangs looked to move the ball through its new spread offense led by quarterbacks Doak Timmerman, a junior, and Colton Minor, a senior.

“Colton and Doak both are adjusting a lot to the new schemes,” Timmerman said. “There’s just a lot. They’re not just lining up and snapping a ball and handing off. They’ve got a lot of decisions that are pre-snap, post-snap reads, and so I think they’ve done a good job really trying to get their jobs done. I think we’ve got to clean up some things in protection, and I think we’ve got to clean up some things in their timing. I think there’s some things that are open that they’re seeing, but they’re not just turning loose. It’s goes back to not having thrown the ball much. I mean Doak hasn’t been a quarterback for a year and a half and Colton hadn’t really (been) a passing quarterback ever. So all of them are just trying to find that internal timing.” 

Junior running back Joaquin Aguilar was the workhorse in the rushing attack.

Timmerman applauded his players’ efforts as teams and attendees endured humid temperatures throughout the matchup.

“I thought we came out flat, but I thought the kids recovered really well, that they fought back,” he said. “I think the thing is that at moments, we can see offensively and defensively where we can be. I think the consistency piece right now is what I’m talking to kids about. We can’t go big play, misplay big, big play, misplay.” 

The coach pointed out the Mustangs’ opponents during the scrimmages have tough off-season programs where coaches build their players through rigorous strength and conditioning. Gatesville is especially used to success throughout its boys program where they advance to the playoffs annually.

“It’s not like we rubbed up against soft people,” he said. “That’s why I scheduled Gatesville and Lago, because it’s two really good football teams that are really physical and (District 4-4A Division I opponents) Stephenville is going to be physical and Brownwood will be physical. Lampasas, even though they’re more of a spread-based right now, they can line up and run the ball down at you. We’ve got to be able with our front and our back ends to fight that. I think what we’ve got to do is clean up some things in the back end, so we get those guys down there to help. I think at times we’re a little bit hesitant, and I think we can clean that up, but I do think this is going to only make us better.” 

Now that the regular season is starting, Timmerman said the month of August helped reveal what needs to be worked on. Tying together the front and the back end is on the list, and the coach noted Marble Falls will use every single week to its advantage leading up to the district opener against Burnet in October.

“It’s game week — you get to be locked in,” he said. “Can we fix the things that we had maybe just a little off tonight? I think that we’re getting closer to what I want. We’re not exactly where I want to be at and I’m OK with that. It’s week one right now, but I’m really proud of the kids. At the last half of it would have been real easy in the heat (to quit). I think everybody stepped up, so I was very proud of them.”

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CAPTION: Marble Falls offensive lineman L.T. Gurganus keeps the Gatesville Hornets out of the backfield. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro