Sports Texoma

DENISON — If the football team had opted out of spring practice the previous two years, it might not have had a huge negative effect on the success of the program.

But if there was ever a time the Yellow Jackets wanted to partake in the month-long activity, now is as good a time as any.

"It's a whole lot more necessary this year than in past years," Denison head coach Cody White said. "We've got some depth concerns in some places."

The finishing touches on the first portion of preparation for 2010 will take place this week as the Yellow Jackets wrap up spring football with an intrasquad game at 6 p.m. on Friday night at Munson Stadium. The varsity-only contest will consist of four 10-minute quarters.

The Jackets went 13-2 last season and made the fifth state semifinal appearance in school history before losing to eventual champion Aledo. But with that great success -- coupled with a 12-1 record in 2009 -- comes a high turnover rate due to the graduation of a strong senior class.

"The only thing that concerned me, because we played so long, is we didn't get into our off-season earlier, but I'll make that trade every time," White said.

Denison will open the season in August with 18 different starters from the ones that closed out the year five months ago.

"It's competition all the way through two-a-days," White said. "There's always two or three kids over the summer who make extraordinary strides."

Competition to be a starter was tough the past three seasons. Several spots were held by players who are now headed to Division I programs including the school's all-time leading passer, Jordan Taylor, and D.J. Jones, who leaves as the school's all-time leading rushing.

Those looking to lead the next incarnation of Yellow Jackets have been learning throughout.

"We've changed some stuff on offense to fit the kids we have now," White said. "I think more or less it's putting guys in the right spots. You have to be flexible with what you do."

One of the major moves is to give Stacy Golston a chance to see the field from the other side. The rising senior will play both ways this coming season and is being penciled in at running back.

"I think people will be surprised with how good Stacy is at running back," White said.

Golston is also learning a new position on defense. After spending the last two seasons as a first-team all-district linebacker, he will shift back a level to safety and pair with Hayden Chapman, the only other returning defensive starter.

"It may be an experiment gone awry," White said. "But that's what spring's about, trying new things."

As far as quarterback goes, the chance to follow in Taylor's footsteps will fall to either rising juniors Jordan Watson or Rian Conrad and Tylor McLaren, who will be a senior in the fall.

"They've all gotten better but we're still playing with three," White said. "They all have different strengths and weaknesses."

Rotating the three hasn't been an issue with 7-on-7 and two-a-days, which includes a scrimmage against Rockwall, still a proving ground.

"It's not my preference right now. Some of them have shined at different times," White said. "It might not get answered until predistrict."

The linebacking unit has come together quickly, despite replacing multiple starters for the third straight spring. Jon Cazelle, Gage Mrozinski, Tim Bolen and Dylan House are the core battling for starting time.

"Our linebacking group has been pretty good," White said. "There's some adjustment because it's a bunch of new guys."

Among those who have stepped to the forefront during the past month according to White have been Mrozinski at linebacker, rising junior Elijah Butler at cornerback and rising junior Clay Eppler at defensive end. Those returning with varsity experience who have shown progress include linemen Connor Counce, Richard McKinney and Malcolm Wright.

There were no major injuries suffered during spring practice, although tackle Garrison King, who missed all but a half of action last year with a knee injury, was held out at certaintimes as a precaution, and Dillon Wedel, another tackle, was sidelined for a time but the injury is not considered serious.

Defensive coordinator Tim McFadden was elevated to his role right at the start of spring practice as the coaching staff underwent a minor shift.

"It's been a pretty seamless transition," White said. "There's going to have to be some changes a little bit but the general philosophy is staying the same."