Sunday, August 30, 2009

Practice 8-31-09

Monday there will practice in full pads from 3:45 till 6:00 pm.

At this point equipment issues will be counted against the player and can seriously affect their seeding in the depth chart and also their status as a member of the UGMS 7th Grade Boys Football team.

IF YOUR SON DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR EQUIPMENT, THEY WILL NOT PLAY FOR US!!!

I should have a better idea about who will play on the Gold Team and who will play on the Red Team by the end of this week.

GO GRIZZLIES!!!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Practice 8-28-09

Today there will practice in shorts, t-shirts and helmet from 3:45 till 6:00 pm. Any equipment issues will be taken care of after practice. This will be our 1st practice in FULL PADS!!!

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL!!!

GO GRIZZLIES!!!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Practice 8-26-09

Today there will practice in shorts, t-shirts and helmet from 3:45 till 6:00 pm. Any equipment issues will be taken care of after practice. This will be our 3rd practice in shorts, t-shirts and helmets. Friday FULL PADS!!!

GO GRIZZLIES!!!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Practice 8-25-09

Today there will practice in shorts, t-shirts and helmet from 3:55 till 6:00 pm. Any equipment issues will be taken care of after practice.

GO GRIZZLIES!!!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Roy Miller Secures a Spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Roy Miller
#93-Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Former 8th Grade Student at Smith Middle School


Miller Moves in Quickly

Aug 21, 2009 - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' recently-concluded training camp had some surprises, like any camp, many of them pleasant. Wide receiver Sammie Stroughter looks like a seventh-round steal. Quincy Black may be the missing piece to the Bucs' linebacker puzzle. Undrafted rookie running back Kareem Huggins has impressed the coaching staff on a daily basis.

Then there's rookie defensive tackle Roy Miller.

As a former star at Texas, a third-round pick and the first defensive player the Buccaneers drafted this year, Miller wasn't exactly under the radar. Big things are expected from the earnest and hard-working rookie. Still, the intensity of Miller's every-day play, and the quickness with which he has nailed down a spot in the Bucs' defensive tackle rotation was one of the most pleasant developments of camp.

“He has been a buzz the whole camp,” said Head Coach Raheem Morris. “We have been talking about it. You are talking about shorts, and padded practices, so who can tell what this guy can do? We are not tackling yet. Then he goes out and tackles, and now everyone wants to talk about him. He has been showing up. In my mind, he is going to be one of those clear guys that will be in the three-man rotation that we are going to have at tackle.”

The 6-2, 310 pound ball of energy is coming off an exceptional senior year at Texas. After starting every game in 2008 and earning the Fiesta Bowl MVP, Miller argues that the team deserved to split the National Title with the Gators. Now, Miller is ready to stand on an even bigger stage in the NFL.

Despite his exposure to big-time football, Miller still got chills when he ran onto the field for the Buccaneers' first preseason game last weekend in Tennessee.

“It was just crazy,” he said. “It was exciting to go out there, to be in the NFL and to represent the Buccaneers. I don’t remember feeling anything like that since the first day representing Texas. It’s everything you represent. In college it’s a little different; you represent your high school, your family. You just carry that on to the NFL, you represent all of that, Texas, high school and your family. It’s just a wonderful feeling, a once-in-a-lifetime feeling. You’re kind of nervous for that because you’ve never been in that situation. It was just a thrill, it was great."

Miller made the most of his debut. His game looked polished in Jim Bates new defensive scheme and he recorded two tackles and looked like he could be a factor on special teams.

“I don’t know if you guys had a chance to see him run around on special teams," said Morris. "That was impressive. He’s a 300-pound man running around tackling on special teams. That was freakish."

Miller had never played special teams before joining the Buccaneers. Now he is seeing time on the extra point team, the kick return team and the punt return team.

“I’m hoping to make my biggest impact on special teams," he said. "It’s something new to me, but its just fun to be able to go out there and participate. I’ve never looked at special teams like that. Guys will talk about how tired they are but it was just fun for me to go out there and play special teams. Hopefully that will be my biggest impact because those special teams mean a lot to a team. I definitely want to help the defensive line, but any way I’m needed I want to make a big impact."

Miller is making the right adjustments on defense, as well. At Texas, Miller played in more of a one-gap, get-up-the-field style of defense, similar to what the Bucs used prior to 2009. Now he's learning something a little different."

“I like the scheme," said Miller. “It’s a lot different than what I did in college Here, we're playing on the blockers. I really like the stuff Coach Bates has. We have a lot of blitzes and packages that he goes through. I think his big thing is being able to be versatile in different situations. The scheme really gives the defensive line an opportunity to make plays.”

Miller is part of a youth movement on the Bucs' defense, but in his eyes that's a good thing.

“With a lot of young talent, you have a lot of guys that are hungry," he pointed out. "They want jobs. You have guys that have been there and they are securing their jobs. When you get a lot of new talent around and young guys, you have that competitive atmosphere going on. Those guys are hungry. I have that feeling of knowing I have to go out there and push it every day. That’s my mentality. Some positions are open; guys go out there every day fighting, you just want to build on that. That’s one thing I really like about this team, how hungry guys are."

Miller joins a defensive tackle rotation that starts with veterans Chris Hovan and Ryan Sims. Those two have done everything they can to help their young teammate develop his game.

“I’m having fun with those guys," said the rookie. "They’ve been helping me out. Hovan and Sims will pull me to the meeting room, show me some film, talk about me during sessions with Coach Nunn. They tell me I could have done different things and all of that is really helping me transition into this game a lot easier.”

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Parents Meeting-Completed

Our parents meeting was completed successfully last night. Many 8th grade players and 7th grade players were suited up and should be ready to start on Monday.

FIRST PRACTICE WILL BE
MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2009

3:45 pm-6:00 pm


Helmets will be worn, but NO PADS

Gray UG T-Shirt and Red UG Shorts Uniform of the Day

Saturday, August 15, 2009

7th Grade Football Schedule

Union Grove Middle School
7th Grade Football
2009-10 Union Grove Football Schedule

Red Team Plays at 5:30 pm and Gold Team plays as soon as Red Team game is completed.

8-Sep BYE

15-Sept. at Home vs Smith

22-Sept. at Nolan

29-Sept. at Audy Murphy

6-Oct. at Palo Alto

13-Oct. at Home vs Live Oak

20-Oct. at Liberty Hill

27-Oct. at Home vs Eastern Hills

3-Nov. at Home vs Rancier

If Union Grove wins the AFC Conference, then they will play the winner of the NFC Conference on November 10 at Leo Buckley at 5:30 pm.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Football Parent's Meeting

UGMS FOOTBALL
7th and 8th Grade Parents Meeting

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
5:30 pm
UGMS Gymnasium

Make sure the you bring your physical and be ready to fill out necessary paperwork.

Equipment will be handed out to players that bring physical form and lockers will be assigned. Make sure that your son brings a COMBINATION LOCK for his locker.

Any questions email Coach Morales at pedro.morales@killeenisd.org.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Harker Heights Football Camp

August 4, 2009
Report from Harker Heights Football Camp
By: Coach Morales


Harker Heights Football Camp is currently going on at Harker Heights High School this week (August 3-6). As always the Union Grove alumni are shining. Most of the freshmen that are participating are former Union Grove 8th graders and you can see how much better prepared our students are in comparison with other middle schools. Attitude, maturity, preparedness, readiness, willingness to participate and leadership are attributes that the high school coaches have used to describe our athletes.

There is no question, we are definitely doing something right at Union Grove.

GO GRIZZLIES!!!