Placer prepares for fall with 7 on 7 in summer

While most students are enjoying the first few weeks of summer break, the Placer High School football team is hard at work in preparation for next season. In just a little more than two months, the stands of Ralph LeFebvre Stadium will be packed with fans and the echoes of colliding shoulder pads will fill the air. It may seem far away, but any football coach will say 10 weeks is not nearly enough time to prepare. Summer workouts are already in full swing and last Wednesday, longtime rivals Placer and Lincoln met in Auburn for a friendly 7-on-7 session. There was no love lost between the foes, each boasting more than a century of gridiron history, but the session was more about improving skills and getting reps. Both teams showed flashes of offensive and defensive firepower and found areas where they could improve. Overall, Placer coach Joey Montoya says he likes what he's seen so far but knows there is a lot of work to be done before the season kicks off Aug. 22. "We've got a very competitive group, and we got some speed in a lot of positions," said Montoya. "I've been very happy with our winter and spring and I think this group is just going to keep getting better and better." For a young team like Placer that is replacing 12 starters, the summer sessions are especially important. It's crucial for the Hillmen to see reps against a new opponent with more unpredictability and unfamiliarity. While there may be some new starters mixing in, there are multiple players that are ready to prove they can carry the legacy of Hillmen football and they were simply waiting for a chance to get playing time. "We had two great groups together last year and whenever you've got two great groups, sometimes as a junior, you don't get as much playing time," said Montoya. "But these guys all had to play a significant role." This summer is especially important for senior Liam Grant, who looks poised to assume the role of starting quarterback. Running a wing-T offense is not easy and the signal caller has to be equal parts athletic and cerebral. Grant spent his junior season as the QB2, but Montoya says he has shown tremendous development this offseason. "Liam has probably made the biggest improvement of any player I've ever coached at the quarterback position. He's smart. He knows the game and he spent a ton of the offseason with our quarterback coaches," Montoya said. "He's just put in so much time and it's really shown with his development. He's working with our guys and he is going to work with other QB coaches on his own. It's really shown because his progression has been huge." Montoya and the Hillmen are coming off another strong season after finishing 9-3 and reaching the Sac-Joaquin Section semifinals. Placer will continue its summer workouts through June and will officially begin practice July 28.