Maroon Devils scale back for off week, call Robbinsville matchup “a war”

Sherman Holt, head coach of the Maroon Devils, said the team planned a lighter schedule during the open week to rest players and correct execution issues ahead of conference play. "Monday was a big mental day. We watched a lot of film," Holt said, adding that the staff will scale back practice length and give players Friday off during the break.

Why this matters: the off week is an opportunity for recovery and targeted preparation; Holt said coaches are balancing rest with schematic work ahead of a key conference game against Robbinsville.

Holt described the coaching staff’s approach: trimming practice time, emphasizing recovery and addressing situational errors. "We'll scale back practice time a little bit this week... get them out of here pretty quick because they need to get a little extra rest," he said. He also told coaches to take time with family and not overwork during the break.

On the upcoming opponent, Holt said Robbinsville has a new head coach, Lucas Ford, and will retain a physical, run-oriented identity. "They're gonna line up and run the football," he said, adding that Robbinsville remained stout on defense and had two strong inside linebackers he identified as Waldrop and Collins. "I think it's gonna be a war," Holt said of the matchup, noting recent games between the programs have often been decided by one score.

Holt said the staff will study common opponents (Franklin, Heritage) to prepare and may introduce plays to use a few weeks down the road to ease later workloads. He framed the week as both a reset and a chance to get a competitive jump on Robbinsville, Murphy and other conference teams.

Discussion only: The interview outlined coaching strategy and opponent scouting; it did not include roster or administrative decisions.

Ending: Holt called the upcoming conference slate "pretty tough" and said the team will use the off week to "reset, refocus mentally, physically, and just take care of our guys."