JOHNSTON, S.C. — The Bulldogs traveled to Strom Thrumond on Friday for a preseason jamboree and it was a night to forget. Preseason is where you work out any issues and expose your weaknesses. Head coach Cedrick Jeter will have plenty to work out before week one of the season. Newberry fell 30-0 to the defending AA state champions Strom Thurmond.
It was only the preseason but the Rebels of Strom Thurmond looked like they were in mid-season form while Newberry looked like a young team trying to figure it out. The two teams played about 25 minutes of action which is equivalent to a half in a full game.
The Bulldogs received the ball first and it was disastrous from the start. The first play was quick screen that was broken up and nearly a pick six by a Strom Thurmond defender. Newberry then tried to go to ground game with junior running back Ty Abrams and that was stuffed for no gain. Their first drive ended with a punt and that would be the ongoing theme of the night for the Bulldogs.
The defense first drive wasn’t any better as they committed an encroachment penalty before the Rebels could even snap the ball. Newberry’s defense would eventually settle into the game and forced a punt themselves but the punt pinned their offense deep into their own territory.
The second drive for Newberry’s offense went about as bad as the first drive. A bad snap over starting quarterback Sincere Glymph’s head went into the end zone and led to a safety. Then, the Rebels would take the short kickoff for 52-yard return to the end zone for another score. Strom Thurmond was up 9-0 in the blink of an eye.
Newberry would have a quick outing again on the third offensive drive and were force to punt. The Rebels would not waste any time as Preston Holmes would break 52-yard run for another score to put them up 16-0 after the made extra point.
The Bulldogs would finally get some momentum on their fourth drive of the night with the run game. They crossed the 50-yard for the first time in the game, but that drive would quickly go south as Glymph would lose 20-yards on sack after attempting to escape.
Strom Thurmond would get right back to it on offense and find the end zone again on another long touchdown run. Both teams would finish the game with their backups in to get some game time experience. Despite the dominant performance by the home team Rebels, Newberry still showed signs of life on the defensive end. The defense had a solid outing even though the scoreboard says otherwise. The secondary contained the explosive athletes on the outside and didn’t give up a ton of big passing plays down the field. The defensive line played well despite not having their best player Dontavias Griffin suited up. The major area of improvement would be their tackling. They gave up a lot of extra yards with missed tackles so that would need to be cleaned up heading into week one.
The offensive side of the ball needs plenty of work for the Bulldogs and it would start up front with their offensive line. The offensive line were not getting off the line of scrimmage quick enough and didn’t move Strom Thurmond’s defensive line at all. A lot of Newberry’s offensive plays didn’t get off to a great start or develop well because the defensive line won just about rep at the point of attack.
“We have to keep developing our guys and keep working,” said Jeter after the game.
Newberry will open the season at home against Union County on Friday, August 21.