Wofford
Wofford Football Scrimmage Report
SPARTANBURG, SC ? The Wofford College football took to the field on Wednesday for the final two-a-day of the summer. In the evening scrimmage, the offense and defense each ran 30 plays in preparation for the season opener.
In addition, in the Preseason Sports Network FCS Poll released on Tuesday, the Terriers were ranked #13 in the nation. Appalachian State is the preseason number one team, while Elon (15), Georgia Southern (17) and The Citadel (23) also appear in the poll from the Southern Conference.
On Tuesday, the team was in full pads for one practice at 3:30 pm. Wednesday morning at 8:30, the team worked almost exclusively on special teams for an hour in helmets and shoulder pads. The final period of practice focused on defense in goal line and two-minute situations.
The final scrimmage of the summer began at 6:00 pm at Gibbs Stadium. After stretching and a brief period of individual drills, the 60-play scrimmage began. The first offense started things off with a 56-yard run by Michael Scott, which was followed by a nine-yard touchdown run by Sean Lees. Derek Boyce added a 62-yard touchdown run as well. The first defense started strong as well, with a tackle for loss by Mitch Clark and an interception by James Mitchell.
Back on offense, Brenton Bersin made two 10-yard receptions from Robby Davis. Kyle Lanham had a first down reception at tight end. Special teams lined up to attempt a 37-yard field goal, which was made by Patrick Mugan, Landon Bennett and Grant Cody. With the defense back on the field, the offense was kept in check with pass break-ups by Preston Roseboro, Mychael Johnson and Kendall Bratcher. Johnson Richardson ended the series with a 25-yard reception.
In the third series by the offense, Derek Boyce made a 20-yard run on a pitch from Mitch Allen, but had a 35-yard touchdown run called back by a penalty. During the final defensive series, James Mitchell had his second interception of the day, while Gary Blount and Allen Smith had tackles for loss. The scrimmage lasted 75 minutes.
“I thought we accomplished what we wanted to tonight,” said head coach Mike Ayers. “We split it up and the sides were loaded, but it still comes down to execution. You have to block and you have to read the right options. I think defensively they did a nice job making some plays and getting some turnovers. Frankly I think they just wan to play. Camp goes for a while and I think they are at a point right now where they are tired of running into each other and they just want to get started.
“There are some young kids that are definitely stepping up and are going to play some ball for us. At quarterback we have three guys and any of them can do the job, which gives us a lot of flexibility. At receiver we are a little beat up and thin, but hopefully we will get a couple of them back. If we do, we will have a great receiving corp. We are solid at tight end. We have three guys who are ready to play and can help us. The offensive line is one of our strong points. We have some guys up there that have played a lot of snaps and they will be the glue to hold that group together. Defensively, we are a defense that possesses good speed. If we can just fine tune somethings, we are getting better. In the kicking game, we have resolved a few things and I think when all is said and done we will be a solid team.”
The list of players held out of the scrimmage included Devin Reed, Jordan Ingman, Andrew Young, Hunter Hobson, Jeremy Marshall, Blake Beeler, Lavadrick Farrar, Matthew Boggs, Jamie Chappell and Jason Leventis.
Practices are held on the practice fields behind Gibbs Stadium. All practices are open to the public; however keep in mind that the schedule can change without notice. On Thursday, the team will practice at 6:15 pm in conjunction with Terrier Fan Fest. Single practices will also be held on Friday at 3:30 pm and Saturday at 10 am to conclude preseason camp.
The Terriers will open the 2008 season on Saturday, August 30 against Presbyterian at Gibbs Stadium. Tickets are available by calling the Wofford Ticket Office at 864-597-4090.
Western Carolina
Western Carolina to Host Different-Look ?Meet the Cats’ on Thursday Evening
ITL to broadcast LIVE on-location beginning at 4:30 pm; Gates open at 5:00 pm
Cullowhee, N.C. ? Western Carolina will host its annual “Meet the Cats” event on Thursday, August 21 beginning at 6:00 pm on-campus at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field. This year’s event will have a different feel as fans get their first look at the Catamounts, who will be adorned in their new golden helmets.
Thursday night’s practice will feature 15 periods with five focus areas including Team, Team Run, Team Pass, Special Cat and the Two-Minute Drill. During each segment, the offense and defense will work against a scout squad meant to represent Western’s week one foe, Shorter College.
All told, the team will run around 64 plays before enduring a trio of scenarios in the two-minute drill with first team against first team, second versus second. (A schedule of the practice, as well as an updated roster, will be available at the gates).
With WCU moving all of its football practice sessions to the morning this season, it has opened up afternoon and evenings for class scheduling, including labs and night courses. As a result, though, several Catamounts are scheduled to be in class during “Meet the Cats,” which prompted the change from the traditional ?”final scrimmage” to more of a normal practice-feel.
The event does, however, still represent Western’s shift in focus from the preseason to the Aug. 28 opponent, Shorter.
“We will have somewhere around 27 players in class on Thursday night,” said first-year head coach Dennis Wagner. "It is very important for our team to interact with our students, faculty, staff and our community (at ?Meet the Cats,'’ and for our student body to see and meet our players ... this is a great opportunity for us to interact with our fan base.”
Beginning at 4:30 pm, LIVE from the porch of the Jordan Phillips Field House, WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 will air its season premiere of “In the Litterbox,” which is a weekly interactive talk show that focuses on Catamount athletics. Entering its fourth year, ITL features interviews with Western Carolina student-athletes and coaches, as well as discussion about sports in Cullowhee.
Fans can also tune into the show by logging onto www.WWCUFM.com.
Gates will open at 5:00 pm, with both the Concession Stands and Stadium Store opening to serve those in attendance. Also, the WCU Ticket Office will be staffing the ticket booths on-site and will have the ability to sell season tickets. Also, fans in attendance will receive a FREE WCU Football schedule magnet.
At the end of the evening, the Western Carolina cheerleaders and the Catamount football team will be on the field signing autographs.
Elon
Phoenix Preseason Football Practice Update #21
ELON, N.C. ? After a day off from practice, the Phoenix returned to the Hunt and Tucker Fields on a hot and sticky Wednesday afternoon for just over two hours for the 21st edition of the 2008 Elon preseason football practice schedule.
“I thought it was a pretty average practice to be honest with you,” Phoenix mentor Pete Lembo said. “We came out sluggish after taking the day off yesterday. We are definitely doing some good things right now, but there are still some signs of where we are at from a maturity standpoint.”
The session featured two team periods ? one dealing with third down and medium yardage situations and one focusing on scenarios in the area of the field just outside the red zone. The offense ran an inside run drill against the defense and the wide receivers ran one-on-one routes against the defensive backs. The special teams focused on PAT/field goals, punt protection, kickoff coverage and kickoff returns.
Cornerback Karlos Sullivan had a big pass breakup, linebacker Brandon Campbell hauled in an interception and quarterback Scott Riddle connected with wide receiver Terrell Hudgins on a deep touchdown throw. Led by center Jeff Allen and guard David Harrison, the first team offensive line also turned in a solid day.
“We are looking forward to tomorrow night’s scrimmage,” Lembo said. “It promises to be a great atmosphere with the media event and the season ticket pickup party. The scrimmage will mark our last major evaluation of all of our personnel before we start shifting our focus almost entirely to preparations for Richmond.”
Elon will host its third annual Phoenix Football Season Ticket Pickup Party and Media Night on Thursday evening at Rhodes Stadium. Those in attendance will be able to pick up their season tickets and enjoy great food provided by Zack’s Hotdogs of Burlington.
The festivities will begin with the annual Elon preseason football press conference at 6 p.m. in the Woods Center lobby. Lembo and several members of the team will answer questions regarding the upcoming 2008 campaign. The Phoenix will begin a practice session ? featuring a scrimmage ? at 7:30 p.m. under the lights of Rhodes Stadium.
All fans that purchased season tickets will have the opportunity to pick up their tickets. The press conference and the scrimmage are open to the public and all Phoenix football fans are encouraged to attend.
Furman
Six Freshmen Make Furman Football Travel Squad
Two Cornerbacks Among Group
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman head coach Bobby Lamb announced today that six true freshmen have earned positions on the Paladin travel squad this year based on their performance over the first two weeks of the preseason.
In making the travel squad, the six freshmen will likely see action this fall. Other first-year players could be added to the squad before the Paladins open the season on Aug. 30 against Mars Hill, according to Lamb.
The six true freshmen include cornerbacks Ryan Steed and Jordan Griffin, linebacker Chris Wiley, nose guard Bryan Poole, fullback Tersoo Uhaa, and center Daniel Spisak.
"We've been very impressed with the work of these freshmen in preseason camp and believe they can help us this year," said Lamb Wednesday morning.
Steed, a product of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and Pinewood Prep, is listed as the backup at field cornerback while Griffin, from Fairburn, Ga., and Sandy Creek High School, has secured the backup slot behind returning All-Southern Conference peformer William Middleton at boundary cornerback.
Wiley, a 2007 Shrine Bowl selection from Anderson, S.C., and Westside High School, has nailed down the No. 2 job at weak linebacker while Poole, from Marietta, Ga., and Kennesaw Mountain High School, has landed the backup role at nose guard.
Spisak, another 2007 Shrine Bowl selection, and product of Charlotte's Vance High School, will serve as the backup center. Uhaa, from Gainesville, Ga., and Riverside Military Academy, is expected to compete for playing time in the backfield.