Elon
Phoenix Preseason Football Practice Update #4
ELON, N.C. ? Reporting to the practice fields in upper body pads for the second consecutive day, the Phoenix hit the Hunt and Tucker Fields for the first morning session and fourth overall ? a two-hour-and-45-minute-long workout ? of the 2008 Elon preseason football practice schedule on a warm but breezy Wednesday.
“It was a beautiful day and a good, long practice session,” Phoenix mentor Pete Lembo said. “Tomorrow we can transition into full pads. It was a high-spirited practice, but there was a little too much extra activity after the whistle for my liking. If we had officials here today, we would have had some penalties for sure.”
Elon ran three team periods ? one dealing with a pass emphasis, one with 1st-and-10 scenarios and one with 3rd-and-medium (three-six yards) distance situations. The squad also conducted two pass skeleton segments and ran routes between the wide receivers and the defensive backs. Meanwhile, the special teams focused their attention on point-after-touchdown kicks, field goals, punting and kickoff coverage technique.
“I think the guys are getting anxious to start doing some live scrimmaging, but they are going to have to wait another two days until that happens,” Lembo said. “We will be in full pads tomorrow afternoon and begin live scrimmaging the next day.”
Terell Wilson continues to compete well at cornerback, playing with more and more confidence all of the time. Quarterback Scott Riddle connected with wide receiver Sean Jeffcoat on a long touchdown pass during one of the team periods. Riddle also hit tailback Dontay Taylor, who turned a screen pass into a touchdown during a team period.
The Phoenix defense continues to receive steady pass rushing from defensive ends Tim Happer, Jordan Gibson and Brandon Ward while wide receiver Johnie Blackwell hauled in some impressive catches and rookie safety Jonathan Conner stepped up and made some plays.
The Phoenix will return to the Hunt and Tucker Fields at 2:15 p.m. Thursday afternoon for the fifth session of the 2008 Elon preseason football practice schedule. All sessions are open to the public and fans are encouraged to attend.
The Citadel
Higgins Confident In Kicking Game
Charleston, S.C. ? On a day when the city of Charleston was under a severe heat advisory, The Citadel Football team continued their 2008 season preparations. The Bulldogs hit the Maybank Triplets practice field Wednesday morning for their third day of fall camp.
Even with the heat beaming on the practice turf, the Bulldogs looked strong and confident. Bulldogs Head Coach Kevin Higgins used the day to work on the team’s punt return game and emphasize special teams. Higgins is pretty confident with Andre Roberts’ ability to return the ball.
“Our players have done a nice job working technique, particularly on our punt return,” said Higgins. “We feel like we have an outstanding returner in Andre Roberts. We are trying to develop some of our younger guys, and today we worked hard on our hold up technique and also our punt blocking technique.
“Last year, we were fortunate enough to block six kicks and that is something that we would like to continue to emphasize throughout this coming year,” Higgins added.
The coaching staff was impressed with special teams, in particularly the kicking game as two of the Bulldogs’ young kickers battle for the starting position.
“Our two young kickers, Sam Keeler and Jordan Panter were both battling for the kicking position,” said Higgins. “They have done a nice job in camp thus far. Their legs look strong, they are healthy again and we are expecting those guys to step up and be good players for us.”
Junior defensive lineman Terrence Reese was reported to have sprained an ankle during practice and will be re- evaluated in seven to 10 days.
The Bulldogs will return to the Maybank Triplets practice field for another 3-hour workout in helmets and shoulder pads on Thursday at 8 a.m.
Samford
SAMFORD FOOTBALL HOLDS FIRST PRACTICE IN SHELLS WEDNESDAY
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.?The Samford football team practiced for about two and a half hours in shells Wednesday afternoon at Seibert Stadium. The practice was the third for the Bulldogs this fall, but the first in shells.
Both the offense and the defense had some bright spots, with the team having its first full-speed contact of fall practice. Head Coach Pat Sullivan said he liked the effort he saw from his players.
“The defense got a couple of turnovers, and the offense made some plays as well,” Sullivan said. “It was not polished, but it shouldn’t be. The thing that was really noticeable was the effort. We’ve learned how to practice. They’re going full speed, and they’re taking care of each other.”
Sullivan also mentioned some individual performances that caught his eye during Wednesday’s workout.
“I thought (safety) Corey White had another good day today,” Sullivan said. “He’s a freshman and he is getting better. (Linebacker) Bryce Smith came up with an interception. So, we saw some good things today.”
Sullivan added that he likes the conditioning that his team has as it practices in the August heat. The temperature on the turf during practice was well over the 100-degree mark.
“The one thing you notice about this team is, we are out here in this heat and they are in great condition,” Sullivan said. “They’ve worked for two and a half hours and they have really done well.”
Samford will return to practice on Thursday. The Bulldogs will practice at 3:10 p.m. in shells. The Bulldogs’ first full-pads workout is scheduled for Friday.
Samford opens the 2008 season on Thursday, Aug. 28. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff from Seibert Stadium.
Wofford
Wofford Football Continues Preseason Work
SPARTANBURG, SC ? The Wofford College football team took the field for the third time this season on Wednesday night. With the temperature pushing 100 degrees for the third straight day, the Terriers practiced for just over two hours in shoulder pads.
Following a morning of meetings, the team hit the field at 6:15 pm. After a brief team period, the players worked in position groups for twenty minutes. Kickoff return and kickoff coverage were the focus of the special teams period. Patrick Mugan, Landon Bennett, Carter Stinman and Grant Cody all took kickoff snaps. The practice ended with ten minutes each of offensive and defensive team work with scripted plays.
“We are making progress,” said head coach Mike Ayers. “We put in a lot of stuff in these first three days. We came out in shoulder pads and thumped around a little bit. We did some inside for both the offense and defense, then finished with ten-and-ten in full eleven-on-eleven. We worked more of the kicking game today, introducing kickoff cover and kickoff return. I think the kids are working hard. The weather has not been conducive for guys working hard, but I think the kids have sucked it up and they are getting after it. We are practicing smart, giving them plenty of fluid and if need be taking the helmets off and giving them some down time. The kids are pushing themselves and I see a lot of progress. There are a lot of young kids in our freshmen class that will definitely help us.”
Several players were limited or held out of practice, including Jordan Ingman, Alex Goltry, Blake Beeler, Aaron Scott, Michael Roulhac, Kyle Lanham and Gary Blount.
Practice will be held on the intramural field next to Gibbs Stadium until the end of Carolina Panthers training camp. All practices are open to the public; however keep in mind that the schedule can change without notice. Following single practices on Thursday and Friday, the team will have the first two-a-day on Saturday.
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.
Furman
FURMAN PUNTING GAME GETS ATTENTION WEDNESDAY
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman’s second football practice of the preseason saw the Paladins concentrate on the punting game while also continuing to work on its passing game through 7-on-7 scale work.
“We put in our punting game, and I thought Trent Hawk and Ben Granger performed well,” said Lamb following the two and a half hour afternoon practice in shorts and helmets.
Hawk, a junior, is coming off a 2007 campaign that saw him average 38.4 yards on a 30 punts. Granger, meanwhile, is a true freshman from Athens, Ga., who attended Navy Prep School this past year.
As for the rest of Wednesday’s practice, Lamb was less than thrilled with the performance of his squad, in particular the Paladin receivers and quarterbacks.
“It was a pretty sloppy day overall in some extreme heat, “added Lamb. “We dropped way too many balls and out quarterbacks couldn’t hit our receivers when they were open.”
Furman will practice Thursday at 2:45 p.m.
Chattanooga
UTC FOOTBALL HOLDS FIRST TWO-A-DAY PRACTICE WEDNESDAY
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Wednesday marked the first two-a-day football practice of the preseason for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team.
The Mocs worked out in full pads in the morning session and in shorts, shoulder pads and helmets in the evening. Both practices at Scrappy Moore Field went for 19 periods.
Head Coach Rodney Allison wasn’t overly pleased with the double practices Wednesday, but did keep his focus on the improvements that can be made in the coming days.
“We had a good day yesterday for the fifth day of practice and the first day in pads,” Allison said. “I thought today was a little sluggish. Every team in the country is going through their sixth, seventh, eighth day of practice. This is a tough stretch after six or seven practices. But we will find out what we are made of. We will find out a little something about the character of this team.”
The team returns to the practice field Thursday with an early-morning workout at 7:25 a.m. The next scheduled two-a-day practice is Friday, and the Mocs will hold their first full-scale scrimmage Saturday at 9:15 a.m. at Finley Stadium. All practices and scrimmages are open to the public.
Athletics Director Rick Hart will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday at the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game at 7:15 p.m. at AT&T Field. UTC Athletics officials have organized a football season ticket pickup event where season ticket purchasers are invited to pick up their Mocs’ season tickets at the AT&T Field gates either Thursday or Friday and receive two complimentary tickets to the Lookouts-Tennessee Smokies game that night.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and Athletics staffers will man the table near the stadium’s main entrance until 7:45 p.m. both nights.
The Mocs open the season Aug. 30 at No. 4 Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. Season tickets are still available by visiting UTC’s official athletics website, GoMocs.com or by calling the box office at 423-266-6627.
Appalachian State
ASU Fall Football Report ? Wed., Aug. 6
BOONE, N.C. ? The hitting began for real at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, as Appalachian State University football strapped on full pads for the first time on the fifth day of its fall camp.
Always one of the most anticipated days of the year, Wednesday’s first day in full pads had more than its fair share of the hitting that has become synonymous with Mountaineer football over the years.
The liveliest hitting came in two periods of 11-on-11 drills that pitted the first-team offense versus the first-team defense and the second-team offense against the second-team defense.
Highlights from the full-team sessions included:
OFFENSE
? Back-to-back long runs in the first 11-on-11 period from Armanti Edwards and running back Robert Welton. Welton’s gallop was especially impressive, as the offensive front opened a huge hole for him and his acceleration through the line of scrimmage put him in the secondary in the blink of an eye.
? Long runs by freshman quarterback DeAndre Presley and Virginia Tech transfer Devin Radford later in the initial full-team period.
? Completions by Edwards in the second of the two 11-on-11 periods. The first was a frozen rope on an out pattern to senior James Hill, who held on to the ball along the sideline despite terrific coverage by cornerback Cortez Gilbert. The second came with Edwards running to his right, throwing back across his body to the left to find T.J. Courman for a 10-yard gain.
? A short pass from Edwards to Clay McKnight that the senior receiver turned into a 32-yard gain thanks to some nifty moves around potential tacklers and good downfield blocking.
? A 20-yard run by Radford in the waning moments of the two-hour practice.
DEFENSE
? Tackles for loss by defensive tackles Malcolm Bennett and Daniel Finnerty that set the tone in the first full-team plays.
? Senior Leonard Love coming up from his nickel position to make a stop in the backfield early in the initial set of 11-on-11 drills.
? A sack by defensive end Tony Robertson and a tackle for loss by fellow end Jason Jones late in the first full-team session.
? Robertson’s second sack early in the final period of the afternoon.
? A pass deflection by linebacker D.J. Smith that was picked off by Love, who took it back over 30 yards for a score.
? A fumble recovery by tackle Bobby Bozzo on a bobbled pitch late in the second 11-on-11 session.
? Finally, the hit of the day, which when reserve defensive back Travis Dowda snuffed out a screen pass and leveled the intended receiver as the ball arrived.
All Reserved Seats Sold Out: In an update from Tuesday’s open to single-game ticket sales, reserved seats (not including those set aside for ASU students) for all six 2008 regular-season games at The Rock are SOLD OUT.
General admission grass seats remain for all six home games and can be purchased online at GoASU.com, by phone at (828) 262-2079 or in person at the ASU athletics ticket office in the Holmes Center.
Georgia Southern
GSU Fall Practice #6
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Another hot and humid day greeted Georgia Southern Football as the Eagles went through their first multiple-workout session of fall camp. The team practiced for two hours Wednesday morning (Aug. 6) and another two in the afternoon in full pads before a scheduled one-hour session that night in shells.
Following Thursday afternoon’s practice (1:30-4 p.m.) and another multiple-workout on Friday, head coach Chris Hatcher plans on giving the team Saturday and Sunday off.
During the 11-on-11 segment to wrap up the morning practice the offense had some bright spots, including: Adam Urbano (Calhoun/Calhoun) breaking off an impressive run and Lee Chapple (Norcross/Greater Atlanta Christian) connecting with Marcus Russ (St. Petersburg, FL/Gibbs) on a touchdown pass. The defense caught the attention of the coaches.
Derek Heyden (Atlanta/Marist) caught a deflected pass for an interception. Matt Rucker (Lilburn/Parkview) recovered a fumble. Dion Dubose (Dacula/Norcross) recorded a pair of sacks and Dakota Walker (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) also registered a QB sack.
The offense bounced back during the afternoon session. Kyle Collins (Atlanta/Lovett) connected with Jarrell Crawford (Hinesville/Bradwell Institute/GMC) on a TD pass covering nearly 50 yards... Antonio Henton (Fort Valley/Peach County) hit Terence Hall (Milton, FL/Pace) on a touchdown pass nearly as long... On consecutive plays Collins hit Chris Teal (Cairo/Cairo) for a touchdown.
“I thought we had a good day today all in all. This morning the defense really looked good, then this afternoon the offense had their moments where they looked good. I am real pleased with the young players defensively... Derek Heyden, A.J. McCray (St. Marys/Camden County) and J.B Shippy (Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney) have really stood out here in the early going along with Oliver Davis (Acworth/North Cobb),” said Hatcher. “Then offensively a lot of the freshmen have been playing well... Samair Baker (Valrico, FL/Brandon) and Nick Bass (Warner Robins/Northside) have really come on of late. We are trying to work those guys in a little bit more and see what they can do. Our goal is by Saturday to have everyone in the right positions so heading into that last week of camp we can really just hone in on the skills we are going to need to be successful this season.”
RECORD HEAT WEDNESDAY: Temperatures in Statesboro were reported to be the hottest so far in 2008, topping 100 degrees. Head coach Chris Hatcher noted the hard work put in this summer by the players has helped early in fall camp.
“The big thing is I don’t think it’s very difficult to get people physically tough. You come out here and mash on one another, but that doesn’t do a whole lot of good for you. If you are mentally tough the physical toughness comes with that,” said Hatcher. “Our guys have been holding up to the heat luckily, we’ve been very fortunate. They’ve worked out hard this summer. Coach (David) Jenkerson and our strength staff has done a great job getting these guys ready to come in here and perform during camp. It was a really good summer workout for us.”
HATCHER TO MAKE APPEARANCE AT HARVEYS: This Saturday (Aug. 9) Harveys Supermarket on Fair Road is teaming up with Coca-Cola and Eagle Sports Marketing to kick off the football season the right way. From 2-4 p.m. fans can come out and meet head football coach Chris Hatcher... The Georgia Southern Cheerleaders and everyone’s favorite mascot GUS will also be in attendance. Eagle Sports Marketing will be on hand giving out free Georgia Southern promotional items. There will also be free samples handed out of Vitamin Water and Coke Zero, courtesy of Coca-Cola. The event is free and open to the public. For any additional information call Eagle Sports Marketing at (912) 478-1500.