If you turned back the clock four years, seeing J.R. Boyd lead Lamar in a spring practice wouldn't look so out of the ordinary. But after three years away from the position where he won three state titles, you can't blame Lamar fans if they crack a smile to see him back.
That being said, Lamar is far from a state title contender. The Silver Foxes started spring practice last Monday, and Boyd has all ready cut almost one-third of the roster because of a lack of effort. That's left Boyd with 32 players as of Thursday, and that number may dwindle even lower. But Boyd says that's necessary to instill the kind of work ethic and discipline that it takes to win a title.
So Lamar has basically no depth this spring, and they have huge holes at linebacker, safety, cornerback and quarterback. Boyd seems to agree with every high school coach in the area, saying the new rule change that says players can wear pads in the spring has helped immensely. But there's plenty left to do before August.
Boyd was an assistant last year under Charlie Poole. Poole let Boyd run some of practice, but Boyd did admit to missing being a head coach. As for Poole, he will coach offensive line at Darlington next fall.
Boyd certainly has his work cut out for him for 2008. He'll get a quick test to see how ready his team is - the Silver Foxes open the season against two-time reigning AA champion Cheraw.
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