Wofford Football Wednesday Practice Update
SPARTANBURG, SC ? The Wofford College football team continued to prepare for the upcoming season with two practices on Wednesday. The Terriers have completed three two-a-days in the first ten days of preseason.
“I think the bottom line is we have to have a great practice each time out,” said head coach Mike Ayers. “Two-a-days are definitely difficult, there is no doubt about that. I think for the most part we are accomplishing what we want to accomplish. When you look at a preseason camp, there are a million things that you have to touch on. The hardest thing for the guys is to maintain that focus. I think we have been able to do that for the most part. The kids are hungry and they are willing to pay the price that it takes. What we have to do as coaches is to try to keep them up and motivated to take it to another level. If we do that, we will be ready to play whether it is a Big East team, a Big Ten team, or a Southern Conference team.”
In the morning, the team practiced for ninety minutes in shoulder pads and shorts. Special teams focus was on kickoff return, including the hands team. In the final team segment of practice, the offense had nice catches by Sean Lees and Brenton Bersin, while the defense had a tackle for loss by Ricco Braxton and a tipped pass by Anthony Carden.
The afternoon practice was also only ninety minutes, but in full pads. The practice began with an “off on the ball” segment, in which Justice Joslin had two long catches from Mitch Allen and Rob Williams came up with a fumble recovery. A majority of practice was spent in individual drills and skelly, with only the final ten minutes in team. The practice ended with field goal and PAT, as all five kickers had three attempts each.
Players who were limited in practice due to injury included DE Mitch Clark, DB Michael Roulhac, LB Mark Flott, HB Brad Nocek, WR Devin Reed, OL Matt Vick, HB Alex Dunmire, FB Michael Scott, WR Montae Monroe, LB Phillip LeGrande and LB Sam Johnson. Freshman linebacker James Robinson has left the team.
On Thursday, the team will practice once at 3:30 pm. Friday will be the fourth of six scheduled two-a-days at 9:00 and 6:15 as the team returns to the primary practice fields with the end of Carolina Panthers Training Camp. On Saturday, the Terriers will scrimmage in Gibbs Stadium at 7:00 pm. All practices are open to the public; however keep in mind that the schedule can change without notice.
ASU Football Fall Camp Report: Wednesday, August 19
BOONE, N.C. ? Appalachian State University football went through one of its longest practice days of the year to date on Wednesday, when the Mountaineers worked out for nearly two-and-a-half hours in both the morning and afternoon.
Wednesday’s morning practice was conducted in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts but held under relatively hot morning conditions at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The afternoon session started outdoors under overcast skies but was moved into the Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility when heavy rains began midway through practice.
Despite moving indoors, the Mountaineers were able to keep their routine intact, thanks to the regulation-width, 80-yard-long FieldTurf playing surface located in the Sofield Facility and the full-contact afternoon practice closed with particularly spirited 11-on-11 periods.
The offense seemed to get the better of the defense early in the full-team work, but the defense dominated at the end to make it a fairly even day.
The offense’s success can be attributed in large part to the work of the offensive line. The men up front opened up some impressive holes that led to long touchdown runs by Cedric Baker, Devin Radford and Travaris Cadet. Baker’s scoring play may have been one of the biggest offensive highlights of camp to this point. Baker took an option pitch from Cadet on the left side, but was strung out to the sideline due to terrific pursuit by the ASU defense. However, the sophomore running back cut back to the right and thanks to a huge block by tight end Tim Frye, was able to find daylight and zig-zag his way to paydirt.
The offense drove deep into defensive territory once again, but the defense appeared to regain momentum when linebacker Justin Lloyd snuffed out a swing pass to wide receiver B.J. Frazier and drilled the junior for a loss on a third-and-short play from inside the red zone. However, that defensive momentum was short-lived, as Radford’s and Cadet’s 35-yard touchdown runs came on the next two plays.
Those touchdown runs served as a wake-up call to the defense, with linebacker Jacque Roman recording tackles for loss on each of the next two plays to wrap up the next-to-last period of practice.
In the final period, the Apps simulated third-and-goal situations from the defense’s seven yard line for the second day in a row. The defense held on to the momentum that it picked up at the end of the previous period, keeping its offensive counterparts out of the end zone on 6-of-7 plays. Linebacker D.J. Smith and defensive end Lanston Tanyi dominated the first three third-and-goal plays, as they combined for a tackle for loss on the first play and took turns batting down passes on the next two.
After the offense scored on a pass from Cadet to true freshman Tony Washington on the fifth third-and-goal play, the defense turned in two of its finest plays of the afternoon to put a cap on the long day. First, linebacker Brandon Olsen prevented Cadet from scoring on a scramble when he chased down the speedy signal-caller two yards shy of the right pylon, and on the day’s final play, true freshman linebacker Michael Frazier intercepted a pass at the goal line and returned it for what would have likely been a 100-yard touchdown.
Appalachian is scheduled to practice once on Thursday.
The Citadel Football Fall Camp Report: Day 11
Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football was on the field for day 11 of fall camp on Wednesday at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility at Willson Field. The Bulldogs hit the field at 2:15 p.m. and worked out for three hours. No injuries were reported.
For the first time this camp the team had the morning off. Freshmen met with their advisors and the upperclassmen had the opportunity to get in the training room, get their rehab and get off their feet. According to Bulldog Head Coach Kevin Higgins, as a result the team came out and really worked hard in the afternoon practice.
"We did another short yardage and goal line scrimmage and the offense line really did a nice job stepping up in short yardage situations. The defense did a much better job down on the goal which is encouraging to see. We had a good pass skeleton period. For three periods we worked on our red zone passing game and I thought the defense stepped up and did some nice things there as well," Higgins said. "Each day we've had the opportunity to get our freshmen in a live scrimmage situation and Keith Carter, our defensive lineman, has really stood out with that bunch."
The Bulldogs will return to their morning workout on Thursday from 8 to 11 a.m. and then again on Friday for their final two-a-day of camp at 8 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. The team will scrimmage on Saturday for the annual "Meet the Bulldogs" at 1 p.m. The event will be held at the Maybank Triplets Practice Facility and will consist of refreshments and a player and coach autograph session. The event is free and open to the public.
Elon Football Practice Report: Looking for Consistency
8/19/2009
ELON, N.C. ? In the first of two practices on Wednesday, the Elon Phoenix football team took to the Hunt and Tucker practice fields at 8:00 a.m. in uppers for just over two hours and 15 minutes. The second session of the day will be held at 7:30 p.m in full pads.
On Wednesday morning the team participated in two pass skeletons, including one that focused solely on third downs. There were three team periods ? one red zone period, one two-minute drill session and one base down and distances workout. There was also a cross over period in which the tight ends and running backs took on linebackers in pass protection while the wide receivers and defensive backs did a stalk block drill.
Special teams continued to drill on PATs, field goals, punt returns and kickoff coverage.
Head coach Pete Lembo was somewhat disappointed in his squad’s performance on Wednesday morning, stating, “This was a practice that was good enough for us to be a 6-5 football team, but not good enough for us to compete for a conference championship.”
Lembo added, “Coming off of a day off the field, I thought some guys looked sluggish and were not focused enough. We need to be more consistent. At the same time, we did some good things on both sides of the ball.”
During the team periods, three players picked off passes ? safety Luke Martin, safety Andrew Straus and linebacker Jordan Jones.
Thursday Scrimmage to Highlight Furman Football Fan Fest
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- To help his football team prepare for Thursday evening’s scrimmage in Paladin Stadium, Furman head football coach Bobby Lamb sent his squad to watch film Wednesday evening, canceling the Paladins’ evening practice.
“We had planned to practice tonight, but we got the team together this afternoon and told them they had the night off and sent them to the movies,” said Lamb. “We want them to be as fresh as possible for Thursday’s scrimmage, and we need to heal some bump and bruises ahead of it.”
Thursday’s scrimmage will highlight the “Verizon Wireless Furman Football Fan Fest” presented by The Mast General Store. Admission and parking to the event are free.
Players will be available for pictures and autographs in the newly renovated, air conditioned Lay Physical Activities Center beginning at 5:20 p.m. for Junior Paladin Club members and 5:30 for all others. The autograph session will conclude at 6:45.
A meal by Wild Wings will be available for $5 beginning at 5:45 in the Paladin Stadium concourse.
Inflatables for children will be set up on the scoreboard end of the stadium and available for play starting at 5:30 and will run through the duration of the scrimmage, which will get underway at approximately 7:15.
Fans will be able to secure copies of the 2009 Paladin Football schedule poster and schedule cards. Official football yearbooks will be on sale for $20 each.
“This is always a fun day for for our players as they get to meet and interact with our loyal fans, and the scrimmage is one of the most important of the preseason as we begin to make some personnel decisions about our football team.”
Wednesday morning’s practice covered special team work, more 7-on-7 drills, and a team down and distance situations. It also marked the practice debut of sophomore wide receiver Tyler Maples, a transfer from the University of Tennessee who had been sidelined with a strained hamstring sustained in conditioning tests on the first day of preseason camp.
“Tyler caught the ball well and made some plays,” added Lamb. “You can tell the guys who have the freshest legs at this point in the preseason.”
Samford Football Continues Fall Practice
The Bulldogs practiced in full pads Wednesday morning
Practice Photo Gallery
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford football team practiced for about an hour and a half in full pads Wednesday morning at Seibert Stadium. The practice was the 16th workout of the fall for the Bulldogs.
Samford head coach Pat Sullivan said the players are fighting through the heat and being tired after finishing two-a-days on Tuesday.
"They were a little sluggish today, a little tired," Sullivan said. "It's the dog days and we just have to fight through that and get ready for our scrimmage on Saturday."
Sullivan said, with the injuries the team has suffered so far, some other players have had the opportunity to step up and show what they can do.
"George Allers, a freshman offensive lineman has come on," Sullivan said. "He's going to play for us and maybe even start. We're pleased with the way he has come on."
Sullivan said the team will practice once Thursday afternoon after helping with Samford's Freshman Move-In Day in the morning.
"Freshman move in is tomorrow morning and we've always helped with that," Sullivan said. "We'll have one long meeting in the morning and then we will come out and practice in the afternoon."
The Bulldogs will practice at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Seibert Stadium. The team's final preseason scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday at 9 a.m., also at Seibert Stadium.
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