Spring, summer workouts help MV prepare for gridiron campaign

Posted by Oree Foster | Aug 10, 2017 | Football |

Navajo Times | Darrien Lucy Holiday Clitso
Monument Valley senior Dylan Etsitty speeds through a conditioning drill on Tuesday afternoon at the Mustang Stadium in Kayenta, Arizona. Monument Valley opens the season at Winslow on Aug. 25.

The Monument Valley Mustangs were busily preparing for the 2017 football season by working out during the spring and summer.

Monument Valley head coach Bryan Begay, who begins his 12th season as the skipper and 13th with the program, said he returns some starters and veterans, but they all have a lot to learn.

“Our players had to learn new terminology and kind of compare the schemes because there was a lot of things that carry over and a lot of things defensively where Xs and Os are the same,” Begay said. “It’s what you do within the Xs and Os that count. And the technique that you utilize and the speed that you play at. I’m excited about what I saw from our defense in spring.”

On the flip side, Begay said he returns some experience on the offensive line, at quarterback, running back and wide receiver positions.

“The coaches have put in some work developing those players that we need to succeed,” he said. “I’m excited about our running backs, quarterbacks, and offensive line. Billy Mitchell III will be a big asset this season as it is his fourth season on the varsity. I kind of felt like last year I didn’t get him the ball enough and we weren’t able to utilize him as much as we were the year before. So we’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen this year.”