McDaniel College's football team is making some noise in preparation for the upcoming season.
At least the Green Terror were doing so during the final minutes of Tuesday afternoon's practice, where the defensive unit whooped and hollered in trying to stop its offensive counterparts in the session's closing drill.
Coaches and players on the sideline shouted instructions while the defense shuffled around. The offense worked in two-minute fashion, meaning things were moving quickly, in trying to score a touchdown.
The din was audible, and it reached a peak when junior linebacker Drew Scott intercepted a pass and received his share of accolades from teammates and coaches.
First-year head coach Mike Dailey loved it.
"I'm a new voice, we've got some new assistant coaches that are new voices, and I think that helps them," Dailey said after the practice. "But they have done a good job of bringing that energy themselves. We're talking about every day, bringing the juice. And you'll hear some of our coaches joking with them, 'Who's pouring the OJ? Who's got the juice today?'
"If they can pick themselves up and have a positive attitude and some energy, I think it makes a difference."
Dailey's hope is McDaniel channels that energy and "juice" into the 2016 season, which begins Sept. 3 at Catholic. The Terror went 0-10 last fall, a record that extended their losing streak to 19 games.
The program hasn't had a winning season since 2004, and Dailey is the third different coach in six years (Mike Hoyt went 3-37 in four seasons before stepping down).
Each year brings optimism and hope, a fresh start and a chance to right the wrongs of the previous campaign. The Terror seem eager to get started in their quest to end the long losing skid and prove their doubters wrong.
It was visible in Scott's interception. And when the defense blocked a field-goal attempt a few series earlier, a play that resulted in echoes across the practice field.
And maybe during the morning session, where a scripted play turned into a shoving match between offense and defense.
"You expect it at this point of the year," said Scott, who had 46 tackles last season. "You've been waiting [long] enough to hit a different color. It's right around the corner now, to get that opportunity. Can't feel better about it."
Scott was smiling at the thought of starting the season. He also grinned when asked about playing for Dailey and feeding off his energy to help create that "juice" his coach is looking for.
"It's a whole different feel on our entire team," Scott said. "It's a great feeling. I've been on some winning teams before, and I feel that winning attitude."
Scott is part of a defense that returns seven starters, including last year's leading tackler in senior linebacker Matt Quattrone (74, including 6.5 for loss and a team-best two sacks).
Dailey said there are several position battles still ongoing, and he'll know more following Thursday's scrimmage against Stevenson in Owings Mills. Junior Will Koester and senior Matty Callahan are fighting for the starting quarterback job in Dailey's spread attack.
Koester played in six games (1,108 yards, six TDs) last season, Callahan in five (922 yards, four TDs).
After the scrimmage it's a focus on Catholic, which beat the Green Terror 34-33 in last season's opener after McDaniel led 30-14 early in the fourth quarter. McDaniel has fallen short in recent seasons, more often than not, because of failed execution in critical moments. It's Dailey's goal to change that trend in a hurry with his energetic and noisy bunch.
"I've got no issues at all with effort. I've got no issues with enthusiasm and energy," Dailey said. "The football definition of execution is, 'Knowledge of assignment, and proper technique.' And we're always stressing that. Know exactly what you have to do, and do it properly."
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