Published: August 19, 2008 12:45 am            

Heat no sweat for ’Dogs

Navarro prepping for scrimmage

Save for a couple of dehydration issues, Navarro College’s football team is having some high quality workouts in its first week.

Andre Bevil is looking sharp in the quarterback spot, the running game looks potent behind a powerful line and the defense is already beginning to flex its collective muscle in early practices.

And the Bulldogs have more help coming as they prepare to better last season’s 9-3 record.

Linebacker Jarvis Smith (6-1, 210), considered the jewel of the University of Houston’s defensive recruiting class, will join the Bulldogs later this week. The Navarro offense will receive a boost from tight end Chase Harper, an Iowa State recruit from Pflugerville.

“We’ve had some of freshmen who have really performed well so far,” said first-year coach Nick Bobeck. “Ray Kibble (Alief Hastings) has played really well at defensive tackle, Josh Powdrill (Beaumont West Brook) has looked good in the slot and (offensive lineman) Nick Johnson (Waco High) is going to be a really good player.”

Bevil is the starter at quarterback, but Bobeck praised the work of veteran backup Eric Humphrey and freshman Milton Howell (South Houston).

“We’ve got three quarterbacks we can win with,” Bobeck said. “All of them are running the offense well. Andre, along with (linebacker) Boom (Jones) and (offensive lineman) Anthony Morgan have stepped up as leaders on our football team.”

Bobeck said five additional freshmen are already making a major impact on defense. Safety Dominick Maddox (Converse Judson), cornerback Stephone Mercer (Austin LBJ), linebacker Brad Graham (Katy), Trevor Drayton (Corrigan-Camden) and Texas A&M transfer Brandon Joiner (linebacker) are pushing sophomores already in practice.

“(Drayton) has really showed up well,” Bobeck said. “He has come back to practice this fall with a new intensity.

“Brandon has been a monster out there. He’s played really, really well so far, as has (Graham). Though he’s not the biggest (middle) linebacker out there, he is very polished, just like you’d expect from a player coming from Katy.”

Offensive lineman Roy Watts was held out Thursday through Saturday because of dehydration issues.

He was scheduled to return to practice Monday.

Navarro will have two-a-days on Monday and Friday this week and will have 2 p.m. practices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The Bulldogs will travel to East Texas on Saturday for a scrimmage at Kilgore College at 5 p.m.

        

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