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Eagles football has succesful spring
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Everyone enjoys a 90 percent success rate.

That's what Eastside football coach Rick Hurst experienced during the Eagles' spring practice.

The Eagles finished up 10 days of practice Friday during an hour, 15 minute scrimmage.

"We accomplished what we were looking to do and probably got 90 percent of it done," Hurst said. "I can't complain. In a 10-day period it's hard to get everything done that you'd like to."

The main thing Hurst and Eastside set out to do this spring was to install some new things offensively.

The coaching staff put in some additions to the Eagles' spread offense, which was learned quickly by the players.

"We were doing some things and installing some things offensively that I felt like we got in which I was really pleased with," Hurst said.

The Eagles finished 5-5 in 2012, scoring 20 points per game. Eastside was held to 10 points or less four times, in a 10-3 loss to Newton, a 10-7 win over Jackson, a 13-10 loss to Sandy Creek and a 21-3 loss to Stockbridge.

"We felt like the end of last year we weren't as affective at scoring the football as we wanted to be," Hurst said. "That was the emphasis of this spring and will be this summer, as far as our tempo and trying to get as many touches of the ball offensively as we can."

Along with offensive plays, the Eagles discovered other new things in spring practice in the form of players.

Hurst went into the 2012 spring season hoping that Eastside could get a few things done offensively, keep everyone healthy and find some new players within the school.

All of those objectives were completed as of Friday.

One of those players new to Eastside football is Anthony Anderson, who was a basketball player during his freshman and sophomore years and now will step into the football team as a running back and linebacker.

"He really had a great spring," Hurst said.

Other players who stepped up for the Eagles who weren't in the same roles in 2011 were Cameron Boyd and Alex Smith.

Smith missed all of last season with an injury and returns to his running back position this spring. Boyd will move from quarterback to wide receiver, and showed off some of his skills during Friday's spring game.

"I thought he had a really good spring," Hurst said.

Other players who showed improvements were Napoleon Johnson, who didn't play a lot of varsity last year, and Darren Jackson who moves over from the offensive line to the defensive line.

"I felt like we found some guys," Hurst said.

The Eagles lost four of their last five games last season and open 2012 against Newton on Aug. 31 before hosting Jackson Sept. 7 and Alcovy the following week before playing their first away game at Chestatee Sept. 21.

"When you come out of spring this late and don't get any major injuries and feel like you accomplish most of the goals you set in spring you feel like you had a good 10 days," Hurst said. "That's the most important."