Wide receiver? Check.
Running back? Check.
Linebackers? Check.
With a week left before the Bastrop Spring Game, head coach Gerald Perry and his staff are seeing what the 10-15 fans in the stands per day at Erhard Field see — the Bears are loaded in key positions.
Perry said after a practice on Wednesday the two positions he’s still looking to see improvement in was the tackles and defensive line.
The offensive line had just one returnee — Oscar Gonzales, who will move from guard to center.
The other four newcomers are feeling “growing pains,” but Perry said that’s why they do spring football.
“We look pretty solid in the center and at the guard position, but we are going to need to see improvement in the tackle position,” Perry said.
One of the better competitions in spring practice has been at the wide receiver position, a place where Bastrop is probably the most loaded.
The Bears have a lot of height in its receiving corp and has five receivers over 6-foot — Buddy Nunn, Josh Taylor, Bubby McDonald, Daniel Hill and Jacoby White.
Wednesday, McDonald, a junior, was making plays and impressed the coaching staff during scrimmages.
“He’s a raw athlete,” Perry said. “He was making some good plays today and keeps improving. The wide receiver position is one of our better competitions this spring.”
Another position Bastrop has seen strong competition at defensive back, a spot Bastrop must replace two all-state players.
Justin Froncek, Mustafa Akbar, Trae Bunton, Glen Miller and Anthony Perez are battling for the starting spots and are one of the more aggressive units in the defense.
“They’ll light you up,” Perry said. “They are aggressive, have a lot of speed and will hit hard. You have to be ready.”
At the running back position, a young freshman by the name of Paul Whitmill is making some heads turn.
Bastrop has a lot of speed at the running back position, which makes for the perfect fit in the Bears’ West Virginia style offense.
Whitmill is battling Bunton, Marcus Reed, Akbar and Mark Jackson for the starting job.
“We have some good depth at running back this year,” Perry said. “Paul has been looking pretty good and Mark is coming back from an injury.”
At the linebacker position, Allah Hicks and Trey Eskew return to lead that group.
Perry said his defensive line is young, but is getting a lot of repetitions in spring practice and expects them to be ready by two-a-days in August.
Another area that is being addressed is at the kicker position, where the Bears lose Lee McMillan, who had a season long field goal of 49 yards in 2009.
That position may be passed down to his little brother Hart McMillan.
As for the quarterback, let’s just say that Josiah Monroe is one pretty good player.

SPRING GAME
When: Saturday, May 22
Where: Memorial Stadium
Time: 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
Note: There will be 7-on-7 games between the Bastrop and Cedar Creek Middle School teams before the freshman and junior varsity scrimmage.
Season tickets: Season tickets will be on sale at the event. Fans who purchased season tickets in 2009 will have first priority on their same seats. Cost for tickets are $35.

2010 SCHEDULE
A20    @ Lake Travis^    TBA
A27    @ McNeil!    7:30 p.m.
S3    Seguin    7:30 p.m.
S10    Akins    7:30 p.m.
S17    @ San Marcos    7:30 p.m.
S24    Open
O1    Bryan Rudder*    7:30 p.m.
O8    @ Manor*    7:30 p.m.
O15    Hendrickson*    7:30 p.m.
O22    @ Connally*    7:30 p.m.
O27    Elgin*    7 p.m.
N5    @ Hutto*    7:30 p.m.

^ Scrimmage
! at RRISD Stadium
* District 16-4A game