What to expect in 2024 as Sacramento-area high school football teams start conditioning
The high school football season is so close to kicking off in the greater Sacramento region that one can smell it, and they can certainly feel it with the heat in the air.
The California Interscholastic Federation, the governing body for prep sports in California, has imposed workout guidelines for fall sports, none bigger and more influential than football, the activity that draws the most participants and audience to fund all sports on campus with gate receipts.
Football teams this week can engage in conditioning drills but no hitting. They can use helmets but no pads on July 29-30. Athletes can use helmets and shoulder pads on July 31 and Aug. 1 and 2. After Aug. 3, teams can engage in fully padded drills.
Sundays are a mandated day off to allow student-athletes and — theoretically — coaches a chance to rest and recover. Without the mandated no-contact dead period the first two weeks of July and the year-round Sunday off days, the general sense is that too many coaches and athletes would go every single day, a fast track to burnout.
Teams that violate workout mandates are subject to CIF sanctions, all rooted in safety. The days of two-a-day football practices with a military boot-camp approach ended years ago, an effort to spare teenagers from overuse, including concussions. The days of no water for prep athletes during football training in an effort to toughen players up is also a thing of the past.
Water is now allowed and encouraged as coaches decades ago realized that a hydrated athlete is actually a better performing one, not to mention just plain common sense. And regional teams have over the years greatly reduced tackling drills during the season to ensure healthier bodies for a postseason run.
Teams that reach a CIF state final play up to 16 games. When including intersquad and team scrimmages, that’s 18 weeks of full-contact competition.
Some more talking points heading into Football 2024:
When do scrimmages start?
Teams can engage in full-contact intrasquad scrimmages on Aug. 9-10. These have become a starting point for communities to get a peek at their teams, to catch the football fever. Schools can scrimmage other teams on Aug. 16-17, with referees, often in multiple-team jamborees.
Season openers in the Sac-Joaquin Section are Aug. 23-24. Schools have 11 weeks to play 10 regular-season games with a bye week sprinkled in like those in college and the NFL.
Who are the top teams?
The same old crowd, topped by defending section champions Folsom (Division I), Rocklin (D-II), Grant (D-III), Casa Roble (D-V) and Woodland Christian (D-VII). Each of those teams is capable of a repeat in 2024.
In addition, Oak Ridge reached the D-I finals last season, falling to rival Folsom 34-27, and the Trojans of El Dorado Hills expect another big season under coach Casey Taylor. Grant topped always-strong Woodcreek in Division II; Casa Roble, led by 2023 Bee Coach of the Year Chris Horner, edged new-school Twelve Bridges of Lincoln in Division V; and Bradshaw Christian lost 40-39 to Hughson in Division VI.
Each of those runner-up teams figure to be in the title race again this season.
Folsom won a CIF state championship last fall and returns a wealth of talent, including Bee Player of the Year Ryder Lyons, a junior quarterback this season.
Grant reached a CIF state final and was stopped in the final moment in its quest to repeat. The Pacers and 2022 Bee Coach of the Year Carl Reed return a lot of players, including Bee All-Metro quarterback Luke Alexander and Bee Defensive Player of the Year Jeremiah Tuiileila, a defensive end/linebacker.
Across the region, there are scores of returning players from The Bee’s 2023 All-Metro teams.
The Bee’s final Top 25 in 2023
1. Folsom (13-2)
2. Grant (12-3)
3. Rocklin (12-2)
4. Oak Ridge (10-3)
5. Granite Bay (6-6)
6. Inderkum (11-2)
7. Monterey Trail (7-4)
8. Del Oro (8-5)
9. Jesuit (9-2)
10. Casa Roble (12-2)
11. Vista del Lago (10-2)
12. Woodcreek (11-2)
13. Twelve Bridges (12-1)
14. West Park (10-3)
15. Placer (6-5)
16. Laguna Creek (7-4)
17. Vacaville (7-5)
18. Elk Grove (6-5)
19. Cosumnes Oaks (6-6)
20. Christian Brothers (7-5)
21. Roseville (8-4)
22. Rio Americano (9-3)
23. Woodland Christian (15-0)
24. Sutter (9-3)
25. Bradshaw Christian (10-3)
Bubble: Colfax (7-5), Liberty Ranch (6-5), Pioneer (8-4), Pleasant Grove (4-7), Sacramento (5-7), Winters (8-4).
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This story was originally published July 22, 2024 at 5:00 AM.