James Peterson is counting down the hours toward Monday.
That is when the Turlock High School football head coach and his coaching staff welcome their players back into the weight room. Since July 1, the Bulldogs and the rest of the high school football programs in the Sac-Joaquin Section, have been observing its Contact Dead Period, which officially ended on Wednesday.
The dead period, which the section passed as a bylaw in 2024, prevents coaches communicating with players for football, along with all fall, winter and spring sports programs preparing for the upcoming school year. This includes workouts, team meetings, social gatherings and fundraisers.
Peterson opted to give his players a few more days off.
“We thought it was a good time for our guys to get time with their families,” Peterson said. “Finish with vacations, that sort of thing. We’re going to start fresh on Monday.”
The weight room and conditioning will be on the Bulldogs’ menu.
Before the dead period went into place, Turlock, which went 5-6 during the 2025 season that included a 4-1 mark in the Central California Athletic League, competed in two passing tournaments in June, along with weight training, conditioning and drills this year.
The most recent activity was held toward the end of June, competing at the Shredville 7 On 7 Passing Tournament at UC Davis. The Bulldogs went 1-4 in pool play games. There were more than 40 teams, including a large number from the SJS, competing as well as some programs from the Bay Area and Southern California. The top 24 teams advanced into single-elimination games, based on their records in pool play. The Bulldogs did not qualify for the single-elimination games.
“We still competed at a high level,” said Peterson, whose Bulldogs lost to eventual tournament champion Chavez of Stockton in pool play by one point. “We went toe-to-toe with those guys. I am so glad we competed.”
Peterson had three quarterbacks compete at the Shredville tournament. They were seniors Donnell Harmon III and Owen King, plus sophomore Cole McClendon, who took quite a few snaps against Chavez.
Harmon took over under center for the Bulldogs for the final three games of the 2025 campaign following a right shoulder injury to starter Scout Silva. Silva, a junior this season, as well as senior running back Alex Ventura, were confirmed to have transferred to Patterson High by the Modesto Bee in June.
“Harmon had more reps last year,” Peterson said. “We’re still kind of looking at him as our starter.”
The Bulldogs also had a chance to look at their depth on offense and defense.
“We just wanted to see our guys compete against other teams… that was the goal,” Peterson said. “The type of energy that you can’t get out of guys in drills. It was great for UC Davis to go out and do that.”
The 7-on-7 games give prep football teams a chance to develop their offense with quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends and wide receivers. On defense, the defensive ends, linebackers on the outside and inside and the secondary work on their skills in slowing or shutting down opponents from moving the ball on the ground and air.
High school football teams in the SJS can officially start practices for the upcoming season on Monday, Aug. 3.
Turlock will kick off its season on Aug. 28 at Joe Debely Stadium against Sierra Foothill League powerhouse Rocklin in a non-league game. The Thunder posted a 35-7 win over the Bulldogs in the 2025 opener for both teams.
The Bulldogs will play three Fresno-area programs, also powerhouses, in non-league games after playing Rocklin. Turlock will play at Clovis East on Sept. 3, host Central Fresno on Sept. 11, travel to Clovis West on Sept. 18 and close out the preseason at home against the Tracy Bulldogs in the “Battle of the Bone” on Sept. 25.
