NTL FOOTBALL: AS 2025 SEASON APPROACHES, SAYRE'S LINDBLAD SAYS REDSKINS ARE 'COACHABLE YOUNG TEAM' (12 PHOTOS) (2025-08-11)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
SAYRE — Solid numbers and a "coachable young team" has Sayre football coach Ricky Lindblad feeling good about the future of the program as it prepares for the 2025 season.

The Redskins kicked off preparation for the season last week with heat acclimation week.

"We're at 25 kids, and every one of them showed up, worked hard, and got better,' he said. "I think we got better as the week went on.

"The big story for us is we lost seven senior starters from last year, but our young guys are enthusiastic," noted Lindblad. "They are getting after it, and are very coachable.

"We would like to get a couple more kids out, but the guys who are here, are pushing each other to get better — and that's the type of player you want," he added.

Lindblad was pleased with his team's offseason.

"Our offseason was good.

"We had guys working out every single day this summer," he said. "Toward the end of the offseason, we introduced some speed and strength, and conditioning on top of the workout regimen.

And, we had our seven-on-seven tournament. The big thing was getting reps against other guys to see where we're at," added Lindblad. "We were also able to do a line competition, and get a look at what we had."

Lindblad said this preseason is being spent on discipline and the "little things."

"Our focus is getting better every day, and to be a disciplined football team," he said. "The last few years we've struggled being disciplined.

"We're working on the little things ... making the easy play, catching the ball, getting upfield, running hard, blocking ... we're working the basics, especially with the younger guys, but like I said they are very coachable," added Lindblad.

Sayre will host Wellsboro Saturday at 10 a.m. in its lone preseason scrimmage.

"We went to Wellsboro last year and played in a monsoon," said Lindblad. "The weather looks a lot better for Saturday.

"We're going to try and get as many guys as we can some quality reps.

"With our numbers last year, we played most of our JV games, so some our young guys were able to get some time on the field, but Saturday will give us a really good idea of what we need to work on," added Lindblad.

Sayre opens the regular season at home Aug. 22 when it hosts defending Class AA state champion Troy.

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IN PHOTO 1: Sayre coach Ricky Lindblad. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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