Spring Practice #7
3/12/2009 4:04:00 AM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. ? The Georgia Southern Football team is down to their final practice before taking a week off for Spring Break. That last practice also indicates the halfway point of spring drills.
On Thursday morning (March 11), the team went through another two hour morning workout at the practice fields. As the Eagles reach the midway point of drills, head coach Chris Hatcher noted his team is progressing right on schedule and been very receptive to learning.
“Right now things are going well. We're right on schedule getting better each and every day,” said Hatcher. “So far this is a very fun group to coach. I don't know if that will equate to a bunch of wins, and I don't know how good we will be, but right now our guys are working hard and doing what they're asked to do, getting a little better each and every day.”
The third-year head coach mentioned that guys are stepping up and leading by example.
“We got a lot of guys out there doing a good job. A lot are leading by example... Lee Chapple definitely has got a lot of the guys on the team following. Harland Bower has been around a long time, been practicing extremely hard and giving great effort. That is rubbing off on the others as well,” said Hatcher.
During 11-on-11 drills at the end of practice: K.R. Snipes made an impressive break on a ball along the sideline and got both feet down for an interception... Chapple connected with both Nico Hickey and Adam Urbano on redzone touchdown passes... Kyle Collins hit Nick Kyles on a 20-plus yard reception... Charwel Brown nearly came up with an interception at the line but knocked the ball down.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Georgia Southern boasted of the youngest kicking game in the Southern Conference and probably all of Football Championship Subdivision ? three freshmen. Carter Jones handled all the long snapping duties... Charlie Edwards, who also served as holder on kicks, ranked among the SoCon punting leaders for most of the season. He finished with a 40 yard average on 41 punts. Edwards launched eight punts of 50 or more yards and placed 14 inside the 20-yard line... Adrian Mora took over the place kicking duties in week four. He would go on and earn Second Team All-Southern Conference honors, ranking among the league leaders in points, extra points and field goals made (conference-only games). Mora nailed all 31 extra point attempts and converted a field goal in every game played, 10-of-12 on the season including a long of 42 yards in the finale at Furman. Both he and Edwards were named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
According to Hatcher, “Charlie and Adrian are both solid and of course we've got Carter Jones who's our deep snapper. All three of them played as freshmen last season and we feel really good about them. The big thing is that we've got to find a guy that will push those three. That's going to be key this spring, to see if somebody can make a run at them and try to take over their starting positions.”
The Eagles will go in full pads on Friday and scrimmage for part of practice.
2009 Spring Practice Schedule
Friday, March 13
Tuesday, March 24
Thursday, March 26
Friday, March 27
Tuesday, March 31
Thursday, April 2
Friday, April 3
Saturday, April 4 ? Annual Blue-White Game, 1 p.m.
