As the Permian football team closed practice Monday at Wilkins Field, players lined up to watch kicker Tate Terry make field goals.
Everyone stood behind the kicker except one player, senior outside linebacker Jaxon Dorethy, who was screaming words of encouragement in his right ear as he stepped back for every kick.
Dorethy is known for being a spark of energy for the Panthers whenever they need him.
“He’s grown up a lot in this program, he’s a high-motor guy,” head coach Jeff Ellison said. “If you’re at a practice and the games, he’s always hollering.
“He’s really trying to develop into a good leader this year so he’s going to continue on his journey with that.”
Part of Dorethy’s journey into leadership took a big step forward before Permian’s media day Aug. 14.
He was selected as a team captain for the 2021 season along with Cooper Sheehan, Johnny Martinez, Kayden Baze and Lucas Salazar.
Ellison described Dorethy as the team’s ‘woo-hoo’ guy because of his ability to get his teammates going.
Before Permian kicks off against El Paso Pebble Hills at 7 p.m. Friday at Ratliff Stadium, Dorethy will also bring solid playing experience on the defensive side of the ball.
He was third on the team last season with 63 total tackles and he also came up with eight tackles for loss and two sacks from his outside linebacker spot.
All through the offseason, Permian defensive coordinator Vance Washington raved about how his unit could set the tone with its experience.
Dorethy is one of the players who gives Washington that confidence.
“He’s never in a lull, he’s got one speed and that’s full speed,” Washington said. “He’s one of those guys you have to rein in, you don’t have to pump up.”
Washington has known Dorethy since he was a little kid, watching the outside linebacker try his hand at multiple positions before he nailed down a starting spot with the Panthers last year.
Over the past year, the defensive coordinator has seen him athlete mature and nail down aspects of his positional technique and responsibilities.
Being named a team captain came as a surprise to Dorethy, but he had a feeling it would happen after he worked hard over the offseason.
He believes the snaps he accumulated last year will be beneficial to him and the rest of the team in 2021.
“I’ve learned a lot to improve on,” Dorethy said. “Having some experience will definitely help, it’s going to boost us.
“We have a lot of returners and we all have good experience, I think that’s going to be our key this year.”
When he lines up at on the field, Dorethy is looking to affect the play at all times by making a ball carrier cut back to second guess his original decision.
He has seen his speed and strength increase over the years, along with his playing intensity to fly around to the ball with the rest of his teammates.
Washington believes Dorethy can do anything he sets his mind to because of his strong work ethic.
“He can do whatever,” Washington said. “The sky is the limit for him.”
Before he thinks too far ahead, Dorethy wants to start the year strong and leave a lasting impression on the Panthers.
He said he has talked to a few colleges and he hopes to get a scholarship to continue his playing career when he graduates.
“I’m hoping to go out, make a lot of plays and have fun with my teammates,” Dorethy said. “I want to go out and improve off last year, do more to make more tackles and [create] more turnovers.”
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