Keeping it simple has been the focus of Hugh Fountain, as he leads his first spring practices as the head football coach of the Escambia Academy Cougars.

The Cougars have been in spring practices for more than a week working to improve the fundamentals, while learning from their new coach.

Practices have run smoothly with rough edges surrounding the new players to the team, Fountain said.

“It’s been moving along pretty well,” he said. “We have some older players that are doing a good job and younger players that are really working hard. Our main focus is getting the players that took a year off or haven’t played before and get them up to date with the game.”

With so much to adjust to including style of practice and a playbook, new systems have been kept to the bare minimum.

Only a few plays and schemes have been shown to the team, Fountain said.

“We’ve been pretty basic,” he said. “Offensively, we have only installed two running plays and three pass routes, while on defense, we stayed base and have not worked on blitzing. I just want us focused on the basic fundamentals of football.”

With only one week left to accomplish goals, the team will look to improve in one specific aspect.

Playing with a meaner, stronger attitude will be the key to close out the spring, Fountain said.

“We have one more week, so I think with that week will be geared towards our toughness,” he said. “That is the area our players still need work in. That way when we get back after summer, we can work on other things.”