The Citadel
Bulldogs Complete Second Two-A-Day Drills; Grant Continues to Impress
Charleston, SC - As The Citadel completed its second two-a-day drills on Wednesday, first-year head coach Kevin Higgins continues to be impressed with senior linebacker Shawn Grant.
"Shawn is a great leader and has unlimited potential as a football player," Higgins said. "He always seems to be around the ball, and there's no doubt in my mind that he's the `real deal.'"
Grant was a first-team all-Southern Conference pick last season after posting 56 total tackles, 8? tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries in only nine games (he missed two games due to hand and finger injuries). He is a preseason all-league selection this year.
A member of the Athletics Director's Honor Roll and a Dean's List student, Grant, a 5-9, 218-pounder from Sumter, showed muscle as the Bulldogs continued to work on their Red Zone packages on both offense and defense.
Practice was again held on Summerall Field in the heart of campus.
Higgins stated that the Bulldogs also worked on the kicking game, primarily with the return unit. He added that junior Gary Domanski had a good practice and appeared to be the team's primary returner. Last year, Domanski averaged 18.9 yards on his 11 kickoff returns, with his longest being a 38-yarder. Domanski is being challenged by sophomore Tory Cooper of Effingham.
Junior Blake Vandiver of Gainesville, GA, continues to hold down the kickoff responsibilities that he had last season although local product Wesley Wilson of Mt. Pleasant's Wando High is also kicking well, according to Higgins.
In the afternoon session that was also held on Summerall Field, the coaching staff introduced the various 2-minute offensive packages that feature an assortment of passes and runs.
There will be only one practice on Thursday and it is set for 2 p.m., again on Summerall Field.
The Bulldogs return to the two-a-day routine on Friday, this time on Willson Field. A scrimmage is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday in Johnson Hagood Stadium.
Chattanooga
Mocs’ Improvement to Start with Defensive Line
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The key to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s football season will likely be the defense.
The Mocs gave up over 48 points per game last year and an average of nearly 490 yards per game.
In order for the fortunes to reverse from the 2-9 record of 2004, UTC brought in new defensive coordinator Billy Taylor to try to cut the scoring average and the yards allowed totals in half, or at least by a few fractions.
Also joining the defensive staff is new assistant Jimmy Brumbaugh, in charge of the defensive line. The point of attack for the defense begins at the line.
“I have nine good players at this stage,” the former Auburn player said. “Honestly, they all have surprised me. They have taken what I’ve taught them and tried to get better every day.”
But the numbers on the line have been weakened of late. Three main pieces of the position are currently out of action. Veteran Troy Blackwell, a senior, has an ankle injury which has kept him from practicing for the past several days. Newcomers Richard Cook and Cori Stukes, both Division I-A transfers, have been unable to participate for various reasons.
“Those three would really help our depth right now,” Brumbaugh said. “Those are three potential starters who are out of the mix. But everybody is playing as a unit and working hard. It is too difficult to name one over the other right now.”
Joining the afore mentioned trio in a battle for depth chart positioning are senior Renaldo Jackson, junior college transfer Reggie Keys, sophomores Brian Lomax and Charles Profit and freshman Steve Johnson.
Jackson has been with the program since 2001 and has all-conference potential. Keys played for Junior College National Champion Pearl River last season. Lomax made an impact as a true freshman in 2002 but was ineligible last season, and Profit played as a true freshman last year and had a tremendous spring. Johnson is a freshman walk-on from Macon, Ga., who has caught Brumbaugh’s eye.
“I am trying to teach them to understand the techniques and to learn to figure out what the offense is trying to do to them,” the coach said. “That’s the thinking aspect that comes with it. They have to learn what they can and can’t do. They have to be fundamentally sound. If they can figure out which way the blocker is trying to take them, they will know where the play is going. It’s the mental part of the game that gets taken for granted.”
UTC had two practice sessions Wednesday. The squad went 19 periods in the morning workout and 22 in the afternoon. Both practices were in full pads at Scrappy Moore Field. The Mocs are scheduled to practice at 4:30 Thursday but may move the workout to 6 p.m. All practices are open to the public.
Furman
Furman Prepares for Thursday Scrimmage; Freshen Face Key Evaluation
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman Paladins practiced twice on Wednesday in preparation for the squad’s Thursday evening scrimmage in Paladin Stadium, which will highlight “Verizon Wireless/Pump Up The Purple” Fan Day.
Wednesday morning the Paladins practiced in full gear before going to shells for the afternoon session, which was interrupted by lightning just 15 minutes into action. The team moved inside to Timmons Arena to complete the hour and a half practice.
“We’re pretty leg weary right now, so it was a relief for the players to move inside where it was cool,” said head coach Bobby Lamb late Wednesday afternoon. “We were planning on cutting down the afternoon practice anyway, so it worked out fine.”
Thursday’s scrimmage, slated to begin at approximately 7:10 in Paladin Stadium, “will give us a chance to decide which freshmen we will redshirt and who will travel and play,” added Lamb. “We’ll look hard at that and primarily at several backup spots. We’ll put people in situations so we can make decisions in the receiving corps, defensive line, linebacker, and defensive back ? where freshmen could come into play.
“Guys like Jerome Felton, William Freeman, and Roy Ravenell won’t get a lot of work because we can’t afford to get anybody hurt.”
Earlier in the week Lamb announced that true freshman Thomas Slaughter will be handling the team’s snapping chores this fall.
Pump Up The Purple Fan Day will get underway at 5:30 p.m. with an autograph/photo session featuring players, coaches, and team mascot "Sir Paladin" in Timmons Arena, and the first 300 fans will receive "Pump Up The Purple" t-shirts. Fans may also secure Furman "The Tradition Continues" posters and magnetic schedules, and a limited number of media guides will also be available for $18 each. Representatives from Verizon and Carolina Traders, the official apparel distributor of the Furman Paladins, will also be present.
Beginning at 6:15 fans may purchase dinner, catered by Wild Wings Cafe, for $7 in the Paladin Stadium concourse.
At 6:30 p.m. prizes will be given away to holders of numbered football scrimmage rosters available at the stadium table, located in the handicapped area.
Head football coach Bobby Lamb will welcome fans and introduce the 2005 Paladin co-captains. In addition, senior squad members from Furman's men's and women's soccer and volleyball teams will be introduced on the field prior to the scrimmage.
Furman opens its 2005 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Jacksonville State. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET in a contest that will be televised by College Sports Television (CSTV).
Wofford
In the trenches with the Terrier defensive line
The Wofford football team was back on Russell C. King Field Wednesday evening for its third straight three-hour session this week. The Terriers are in the middle of their second week of preseason practice in preparation of the first scrimmage of the camp Saturday.
Part of the responsibility this season is fortifying the defensive line. The group is coached by 12th-year veteran Jack Teachey.
Following the graduation of All-America Lee Basinger and academic star Ben Whitney, preseason All-Southern Conference choice Katon Bethay headlines this year's unit.
Bethay, who is the only Wofford student-athlete to earn all-league recognition in more than one sport, is the defensive leader. At nose tackle, he is anchoring a line which also features senior Erik Hutchinson and junior Bryan Blair in the defensive end spots.
Seniors Gaby Dibo and Alex Schaefer and junior James Gonsoulin are also pushing for playing time this fall.
The Terriers will hold practices at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. The team then will participate in an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday at 7 p.m.