Fall Practice Day Two
8/7/2007 4:04:00 AM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Scorching heat greeted the Georgia Southern football team on Tuesday, day two of fall camp. The program will benefit from a new pavilion currently under construction at the football practice fields, which will help battle the elements.
Georgia Southern received a gift from Bill and Nancy Herring for construction of a pavilion and renovation of the current building on site. The total size will be 3,600 square feet, of which 2,300 is covered open space. That covered space will provide relief from the heat while the expanded building can also be used in case of inclement weather. Director of Athletics Sam Baker said the construction is part of a three step process.
“We truly appreciate Bill and Nancy's generosity to make this possible. This is the second step in the renovation of the practice facility,” said Baker. “First was the fencing and placement of collegiate goal posts last year. The final step will be to secure a gift to artificial turf and light one of the practice fields as well as regrade and improve the drainage on the other field. The lights will assist with the loss of sun later in the fall as well as the chance to beat the early season heat.”
First-year head coach Chris Hatcher saw good things following day two, especially with the afternoon group. Tuesday's sessions were the second of three days in which the team is split up into a morning and afternoon practice group. Again, mostly newcomers comprised the morning group while the afternoon consists mainly of returning players. Wednesday will be the first day in which the Eagles are allowed to wear shoulder pads.
“The first group is still just a lot of learning... a lot of teaching with those guys (the newcomers) and we hope out of that group to find two or three guys that can help us,” said Hatcher. “The afternoon group I had no complaints, great intensity, great tempo and great execution. I think we are maybe a little ahead of where I had anticipated at this point.”
Hatcher and his coaching staff are in the midst of installing plays and thinks at the end of this week they'll have a better idea on everyone's progress.
“We have a three day install, where today was a different set of plays. Tomorrow will be a different set and day four is where they'll really start spinning,” said Hatcher. “Everything will be together and it'll be a faster pace, so we'll know a little more in the latter part of the week than we do right now.”
FINAL ROSTER SPOT FILLED: Head coach Chris Hatcher announced that the final spot on the 90-man fall camp roster has been filled. Junior linebacker Dakota Walker (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest), a transfer from the University of South Carolina with two years of eligibility remaining, practiced for the first time Tuesday. He played in 11-of-13 games last year for the Gamecocks and during his freshman year was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Walker will wear #52.
MEET THE EAGLES SET FOR AUGUST 18: The Georgia Southern Football program will be sponsoring a Little Eagles camp and a Meet the Eagles Day on Saturday, August 18. The Little Eagles camp will take place from 9-11 a.m. at Paulson Stadium. Registration will be from 9-9:30 a.m. As part of the camp festivities the Little Eagles will run on the field with the banner, music, PA, and the video scoreboard. Meet the Eagles Day will begin at 11 a.m. in the Bishop Field House... In the Bishop Field House, schedule cards and the 2007 Football posters will be available. In addition, GUS and the entire Georgia Southern Football team and coaching staff will sign autographs. Cheerleaders will also be on hand signing autographs, meeting and greeting the fans and selling bobblehead dolls. The Athletics Marketing Staff will hand out Chick-Fil-A coupons, sandwiches to the kids and the Chick-Fil-A cow will be in attendance. Season tickets, jerseys and football media guides will be on sale. Southern Boosters information packets will also be available.
