Observations from Saturdays pool play at the Badger Sports 7-on-7:

• Josh Newberg’s Team Tampa posted a 2-2 record to warm up for Sunday’s single elimination play.
• Team Tampa was uneven all afternoon long.  Some blame was placed on QB’s Louie Pappas (Tarpon Springs) and Greg Windham (King).  They both had participated in the Elite 11 quarterback camp in Orlando earlier in the day and both seemed a little off.  Windham was late throwing the deep ball, but what a demonstration of arm strength.  Pappas has real good timing on short throws and consistently worked underneath the coverage successfully.
• This is not football.  Windham, for instance, thrives on real pressure with one of his strengths being his ability to stay with a play until the last possible second and finding an open receiver.  An invisible ‘rush count’ certainly does him no favors.
• Dante Fowler (Lakewood) and Tyriq McCord (Jefferson) showed how ridiculous their skills are as defensive ends by covering underneath routes quite well.  I believe only one wheel route beat them on the day.
• Linebacker Isaac Tanner (Freedom) was singled out for praise by the coaches.
• Josh Grady, Vanderbilt QB next fall, was often the coach and play-caller for the Team Tampa offense.
• Matt Jones (Armwood) sat out the final game with a minor leg injury.
• Tight End Kent Taylor (Land O’Lakes) is an absolute beast.  He reminds me of a slightly smaller Aaron Hernandez.  In fact, Florida has already offered him so maybe they are thinking the same thing.  He often was the target of the QB’s real close to the goal line or as the ‘rush count’ was nearing it’s end.
• The DB’s struggled a bit as no less than four balls that were batted or dropped ended up in the opposing offense’s hands.
• Coaches on hand that I noticed included Wharton offensive coordinator Craig Rainey, Armwood head coach Sean Callahan, Middleton head coach Alonzo Ashwood, and King quarterbacks coach Hayward Bryant.