DEMOPOLIS &8212; The gauntlet of work put in by John Essex High School football players since beginning their training under new head coach Fentress Means following the start of this school year is being tested tonight, when the group plays their preseason jamboree against R.C. Hatch High School.

Means said the game is an opportunity for him to see what his group, who have performed double duty in the weight room and on the practice field since the coach&8217;s arrival, has picked up in the past three weeks. He said the game will also provide him an opportunity to adjust team&8217;s practice depending on what is shown on the gridiron.

Means said so far the positions his group has taken on the field have been assigned by their performance at each position during practices. He said performance during practice and during a game are two totally different things, so he will be watching how his group reacts during the game closely.

Means said R.C. Hatch High School will run out of a spread offense this season, which his team also runs out of. He said this allows the defenses on both teams to play against the same schemes they have looked at all summer, which he said is both good and bad.

Means said this knowledge puts the pressure on the offense to perform their routs to perfection. It also allows both coaches the opportunity to find exactly where the weak spots in their offenses are located.

Means said he will use the information he gains from the game to adjust and tweak his offense and defense before they head into their regular season schedule next Friday against Marengo High School.