Hounds scrimmage on Saturday

PORTALES — It’s still a few weeks away from the games that count, but Eastern New Mexico University is getting excited to play in front of a crowd for the first time since 2019, even if it’s only against each other for now.

The Greyhounds, who haven’t played since the 2019 Heritage Bowl, are set for a 6 p.m. scrimmage on Saturday at Greyhound Stadium.

“I think they’re all pretty jacked,” Greyhound coach Tye Hiatt said. “They’re happy to play, be able to get out.”

There will be no admission charge for the scrimmage, and the stadium gates will open at 5 p.m. Hiatt said the crowd can anticipate a pretty standard format for the scrimmage, with the first-team offenses and defenses facing off, followed by the same for the second and third units. Specific situational work will include third-down, red zone and two-minute scenarios.

As far as differences in this Greyhound team versus the recent years of a dominant run game, Hiatt said some changes will be evident.

“We’ll be in the shotgun,” said Hiatt, who was the offensive co-coordinator at Shepherd University. “We’re still going to run the football, but we’ll throw a little more than we did in the past.”

The Greyhounds did not play football last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lone Star Conference opted against a spring football season, but many member schools played abbreviated schedules against non-conference opponents. Hiatt knows the Greyhounds will be a little bit behind the curve, and not just because of the pandemic.

“With us being a new staff, not having a spring season, there’s a big learning curve,” Hiatt said. “But you’ve got to start somewhere.”