Montclair Mounties Still Have Work To Do As They Gear Up For Season Opener

The Montclair Mounties football team still has plenty of work to do, according to head coach John Fiore, as it prepares for a new season. The first-year MHS coach acknowledged that while there are some special holdovers on the roster, there are still old habits that need breaking.

"There's still too much undisciplined play," Fiore said when he addressed the team at midfield following a recent home intersquad scrimmage. "Some of you are going to have bumps and bruises, while some have bruised egos."

Fiore said there were "flashes of brilliance" out there but also wished some of his guys wouldn't flap their gums so much. That has since quieted down — but Fiore still sends out reminders.

"The officials kept saying that some of you guys won't keep your mouths shut," he told his team. "You're doing a great job keeping your mouths shut during practice, now you have to do it during games."

Prior to its recent quad-school scrimmages, the intersquad scrimmage represented the first game-like conditions the Mounties have faced in over 10 months, so it was understandable if some players were a little too anxious to show and prove. And although Fiore and his staff appreciated the team's gumption and spirit, they don't want guys getting too carried away, possibly costing the team a decisive penalty when the real action begins on September 11.

Another part that needs improvement is how Fiore's vaunted line protects. Perhaps the most cohesive returning unit on the team, the O-line struggled some in recent scrimmages, as they were flagged for a handful of holding calls — and had dozens more that went uncalled, according to the staff.

"I would say no one [performed exceptionally] because there were so many holds that they didn't call," said assistant coach/defensive coordinator Mike Katz following a recent session. Although he wasn't happy with the O-line, Katz still found some humor in the hold-fest that saw MHS particularly struggle against fellow powerhouse Elizabeth during last week's quad-scrimmage. "I'm watching the scrimmages and I'm thinking if this is the way games are going to be called for us then we're in good shape," he said.

Fiore chimed in that one of the main topics during a post-game discussion with the officials was to clean up the offensive line's penalties.

"That's what the officials wanted to talk to [offensive lineman] Julian [Pinnix-Odrick] about afterwards," Fiore said. "They told him there were at least 20 holding calls that weren't called. I mean there were some plays were guys were being tackled."

If it sounded like the defenses seemingly got the best of the offenses, it's because they did. But Fiore promised that's usually the case during training camps, when defenses get the early jump on their offensive brethren.

"Defensively we're more ahead of the game," Fiore said of both sides of the ball. "But overall we're probably about where we thought they were going to be. I don't think we all thought, 'Wow, we're ahead of the game. Or, man, we're so far behind.' It was somewhere in between. We've got some work to do … we're cautiously optimistic. That's probably the best words to use."

Any optimism is due to the accumulation of young talent on a squad short on senior leadership. Most of the talented holdovers are juniors and sophomores, so Fiore has reason to have a glimmer of optimism.

"[Quarterback/Slot/Returner] Khalif Herbin gives you flashes of brilliance and [Running back/cornerback] Aubrey Lewis is the real deal. [Backup running back/defensive back] Anthony Webb, getting in with the second team, shows flashes as well," said Fiore. "From what we saw out there [defensive back/receiver Rashawn] Barrett also stands out and [tight end] Donte [Bellamy] has played very well. That being said, we still have a lot of work to do."

Supporters of the program should take solace in the fact that although the team has looked just "alright" in Fiore's eyes so far, they're still missing key components, which means they should improve by leaps and bounds when they scrimmage St. Joseph of Montvale on September 2.

"We're still not at full strength. [Defensive back/running back] Otis [Wilson] and [wide receiver Aamad] Bush and [running back/defensive back] Stephaun Marshall all won't get back until St. Joe's," said Fiore, who added all three will be ready come opening day. "And when they're out, those are three kids who start on both sides of the ball, so you're talking about six positions [not being filled]."

Injuries were a sore topic around the Furlong Fieldhouse as the two-a-day portion of camp winded down. Fiore never questioned the toughness of the three aforementioned stars but did say there were others who still needed reminders to display a dedication to the squad.

"They're not used to getting pushed. And they're not used to knowing the difference between a bump and a bruise and a real injury. So, those are things we have to work on, playing through a little bit of pain," he said, adding that team conditioning is not a concern. "There's no one who will get on the field regularly that is struggling [with conditioning]. And if they did we'll just keep running them."

Hard work and tough love was the theme of camp. And judging by the rave reviews from players, parents, and program supporters alike, these Mounties have the talent and coaching to be better than "just alright" come the season opener.