Time was of the essence.

The clock was running down, and Phoenix Greenway football coach K.J. Anthony was performing all sorts of gyrations, much like a third-base coach in baseball, trying to get the plays in to his offensive unit during the team’s 7-on-7 game at Arizona State last weekend.

One of the signals had Anthony sticking his hands out from both sides of his head, looking much like moose antlers.

But this was no Bullwinkle. This was serious stuff, even in the world of summer ball.

The sooner you learn what the coaches want you to do, the better. You can’t wait for the start of preseason camp anymore. If you do, you already will be behind.

It was Greenway’s third game of the day, with a blazing hot sun beating down.

“We are young, and we showed up. That’s the first thing you can say,’’ said Anthony, who begins his fourth season at the helm this fall with a 17-14 record in his first three.

“The kids are making some mistakes, but they’re also making some progress. You can see it in some of the little things that they are doing.’’

At ASU, Greenway was competing against some schools that are twice its size (approximately 1,600 students). But Anthony vows to keep pushing forward when Division III play begins for real in a few months.

Anthony expects his offense to have versatility, sometimes using a single back with four wideouts and other times employing a two-back set that is more conducive to the run.

The defense will rely heavily on the play of its linebackers. They are senior Nate Adams, junior Robbie Deaver, senior Cameron Gaukler and junior Josh Marquez.