Back in the day whenever Jerry Burch or Phil D'Orazio would throw a pass there was a great temptation on the part of the Calhoun players to yell "fumble."

That's because Calhoun just wasn't a passing team.

Over the years since then the Red Devils have tried passing a little more often and guys like Matt McPhail and Matt Houchin rang up some pretty good throwing numbers. Still Calhoun was a running team that threw the ball every so often.

Well folks this ain't your granddaddy's Red Devils. It ain't even your daddy's Devils.

No this year's Red Devils are going with a spread offense brought in by new head coach Michael Fitzwater. It is a passing offense with the run added in as the change of pace instead of the other way around.

"I wish we had more than three weeks to get it installed," Fitzwater said after Thursday evening's practice session. "They have bought in and are learning quickly but we still have a long way to go. It will be a lot better later in the season and better still next year."

But for now the Red Devils are learning as they go and tonight will be part of that learning experience as they play host to Paden City in a scrimmage following the annual Meet The Team Night starting at 6 p.m. Teams from the high school and middle school are scheduled to be introduced.

Following tonight's scrimmage the Red Devils have one more week to get ready before starting the season in earnest at home against Gilmer County the following Friday.

Calhoun scrimmaged at Clay County last Saturday and dropped a two touchdown to nothing verdict to the Panthers.

"We dropped too many passes and fumbled the ball away too many times," Fitzwater said. "But Clay is a sold Class AA team that ought to win seven or so games so I am not too disappointed."

Calhoun is very young this year with only five seniors. But that lack of experience may not be a bad thing since the team is coming off a 1-9 season and is getting a new coach and a new offense.

Calhoun's potential Achilles' heal is depth, or more correctly lack of depth with only 24 players out for football. Last season injuries early on left the Red Devils pretty much helpless after the first couple of games with many two-way starters out for the year. At one point Calhoun played Williamstown with only 16 players in uniform.

Two changes to the schedule will be noticed as Calhoun no longer plays Roane County or Braxton County. The Red Devils picked up games at Buffalo and Moorefield to replace to two Class AA opponents.

Schedule

8-26 Gilmer County
9-2 Ritchie County
9-9 at Doddridge County
9-16 Parkersburg Catholic
9-23 at Williamstown
9-30 at South Harrison
10-7 St. Marys
10-14 at Buffalo
10-21 Wirt County
11-4 at Moorefield

Roster

By number, position, name, grade, height and weight

1 - WR/DB - Samuel Brady - 9 - 6'0" - 134

2 - WR/DB - Cameron Litviak - 12 - 5'7" - 135

7 - RB/DB - Nathan Cosgrove - 12 - 5'9" - 155

10 - QB/DB - Shay Parrish - 10 - 6'2" - 143

11 - QB/DB - Logan Moore - 10 - 5'9" -130

12 - RB/DB - Kirkland Allen - 9 - 5'7" - 135

15 - WR/DB - Devon Toppings - 11 - 5'8" - 120

21 - WR/DB - Rick Allen - 11 - 5'7" - 148

23 - RB/DB - Paul Andrews - 9 - 5'7" - 130

36 - RB/DB - Lucas Wilson - 9 - 5'7" - 120

40 - WR/LB - Christopher Goad - 9 - 5'7" - 130

45 - RB/LB - Cory Metz - 12 - 6'3" - 195

52 - OL/LB - Nathaniel Hipp - 9 - 5'5" - 142

54 - OL/DB - Jason Boatright - 9 - 5'9" - 145

55 - OL/DL - Evan Mace - 12 - 5'11" - 210

65 - OL/LB - Trenton Phillips - 11 6'1" - 230

65 - OL/DL - Derek Dawson - 11 - 6'0" - 245

69 - OL/DL - Jacob Jett - 12 - 6'3" - 245

70 - OL/LB - David Overbay - 10 - 5'9" - 160

72 - OL/DL - Cameron Jones - 9 - 5'7" - 224

74 - OL/DL - Andrew Satterfield - 11 - 6'2" - 265

75 - OL/LB - Cody Starcher - 10 - 5'10" - 240

77 - OL/DL - Ricky Hall - 11 - 6'5" - 320

83 - WR/DB - Austin Satterfield - 11 - 6'1" - 163