https://outlooknewspapers.smugmug.com/San-Marino/Community/SMHS-Football-Coach-Gives-Rotary-Club-Season-Preview/i-ZvMg9vj/A
Mike Hobbie, longtime head coach of the San Marino High School Titans football team and new coach of the school’s baseball team, treated the Rotary Club of San Marino to a preview of this year’s football squad at a luncheon last week.
“We’re not a giant team, but I think we’re going to be exciting,” he said, explaining his biggest offensive lineman is just 225 pounds. “I hope to be throwing the ball a lot more. I think we’re going to have an exciting offense to watch this year. My defense, I’ve never changed my defense. They consider me an ‘old school’ guy. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Non-contact injuries to receivers have made Hobbie refocus on his stable of tailbacks this year, but not in the same way as last season, when he had them run behind a larger offensive line.
“They’re more the ‘scatback’ type,” he said. “I’ve got lots of 5-foot, 5-inch guys. They’re quick in the field. They can make a lot of those big guys miss.”
The team — which lost its season opener, 42-28, at Hacienda Heights Los Altos — also has experienced some non-contact injuries to their linebacking corps, which could test limited depth as the season kicks off.
Looking toward the future, Hobbie said the current freshman team has a lot of potential to help return the Titans to prominence after a couple of so-so seasons following their state championship in 2015.
“We’ve got a really good freshman group,” he said. “These are the highest numbers we’ve had since two years ago. We’re at 26 for the freshman team and there’s some real talent down there. We’ve got a good looking freshman squad.”
Hobbie also touched on some modern difficulties of coaching, explaining that state rules have become more restrictive on how many full-contact practices high school coaches can hold. He said an unintended effect of those rules is that players are less familiar with proper technique and tackling form, which could result in more injuries.
Most of his freshman team, he pointed out, had not yet played full-contact football. One way Hobbie has tried to reduce injuries throughout his time at SMHS is ramping up his players’ weight room time.
“What that means to us, as coaches, is, 80% of the game is running into each other and you’ve got to have kids get used to running into each other,” he said. “It’s not in our nature to run into each other. “Any really good professional coach knows, you can only contact so much. You don’t want to risk contact injuries.”
Hobbie hesitated to make any promises about the team’s record this coming season, but said he, as always, has high hopes.
“I feel like if we work hard every day, the winning will take care of itself,” he said.
“We’re not a giant team, but I think we’re going to be exciting,” he said, explaining his biggest offensive lineman is just 225 pounds. “I hope to be throwing the ball a lot more. I think we’re going to have an exciting offense to watch this year. My defense, I’ve never changed my defense. They consider me an ‘old school’ guy. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Non-contact injuries to receivers have made Hobbie refocus on his stable of tailbacks this year, but not in the same way as last season, when he had them run behind a larger offensive line.
“They’re more the ‘scatback’ type,” he said. “I’ve got lots of 5-foot, 5-inch guys. They’re quick in the field. They can make a lot of those big guys miss.”
The team — which lost its season opener, 42-28, at Hacienda Heights Los Altos — also has experienced some non-contact injuries to their linebacking corps, which could test limited depth as the season kicks off.
Looking toward the future, Hobbie said the current freshman team has a lot of potential to help return the Titans to prominence after a couple of so-so seasons following their state championship in 2015.
“We’ve got a really good freshman group,” he said. “These are the highest numbers we’ve had since two years ago. We’re at 26 for the freshman team and there’s some real talent down there. We’ve got a good looking freshman squad.”
Hobbie also touched on some modern difficulties of coaching, explaining that state rules have become more restrictive on how many full-contact practices high school coaches can hold. He said an unintended effect of those rules is that players are less familiar with proper technique and tackling form, which could result in more injuries.
Most of his freshman team, he pointed out, had not yet played full-contact football. One way Hobbie has tried to reduce injuries throughout his time at SMHS is ramping up his players’ weight room time.
“What that means to us, as coaches, is, 80% of the game is running into each other and you’ve got to have kids get used to running into each other,” he said. “It’s not in our nature to run into each other. “Any really good professional coach knows, you can only contact so much. You don’t want to risk contact injuries.”
Hobbie hesitated to make any promises about the team’s record this coming season, but said he, as always, has high hopes.
“I feel like if we work hard every day, the winning will take care of itself,” he said.
