Effort, Enthusiasm and Attention to Detail Emphasized on First Day
8/3/2010 2:57:00 AM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. - The rain and lightning swept through Statesboro late this afternoon, forcing the Eagle football players under the Herring Pavilion at the practice fields just before the scheduled end of practice. Other than routine afternoon showers in the South, the first fall 2010 practice for first-year Head Coach Jeff Monken was routine - it was all about getting down to business. This afternoon's practice was the first for the entire team on the field after preparation in the weight room and voluntary workouts this summer.
"I hope the effort was good, I hope they learned, that's really what the first couple of days are important for when you are in helmets, to learn, and get those young guys up to speed," said Monken.
Ninety players reported for camp, the maximum allowed by the NCAA, a number which included 57 returnees, six transfers or newcomers and 27 freshmen. When Monken talks about getting the newcomers up to speed, he references not only the offensive and defensive systems, but the expectations of the speed of the game at this level as well.
"The tempo, the pace, the speed of the game, and how fast we need them to play," Monken commented, addressing the question of what he wants the offense to learn in the first couple of days. "The offensive lineman may have come from an offense where there was more of a zone scheme and not so flat back in coming off the ball, and that is an adjustment for some of the guys. Particularly the skill guys, a guy like Jerick McKinnon, who is a quarterback, didn't play in an offense where he was under center, so just taking the snap is an adjustment for him. It takes some time, but most of the guys can pick it up the first week or so, and really get into learning the offense and hopefully it won't be long before they are up to speed."
Monken spoke with junior quarterback Jaybo Shaw in the hallway after practice where Shaw reinforced how happy he was to be back playing football. Shaw last was on the field with a full team when Georgia Tech was preparing for the Orange Bowl at the beginning of this year.
I didn't watch him (Jaybo) enough to say what kind of day he had," Monken said. "He'll do a good job, he's a solid kid and he'll do a great job providing the leadership we need on that side too. I don't know if I watched any one guy in particular and got a bead on one guy. Some guys did some nice things and made some nice plays. I saw Deion Stanley make a nice pick over there in skelly, and Robert Brown looked good, just running around, we're in shorts, who knows what will happen when we put the pads on. We'll see. I'll going to wait to pass judgment."
The Eagles went through drills and skelly and started the scheduled 23-period practice with special teams.
For Monken, the first practice of fall camp was the second "first" of the day.
"The most special thing that happened today was that I took my daughter to school. That was the highlight of my day. The first day of school is fun, she's excited, and being a dad, that is a great thrill for me.
"I don't know if I really approached today or got worked up about what a big deal it was. I think that first day of spring ball being out there was certainly something that was a highlight, today was just a day to go to work. I'm part of the team, I'm a cog in the machine. I've got a role to play and it's important to that I be prepared and do my job and provide the leadership that the team needs and the staff needs to go forward."
Teams are allowed 29 practice units with the Eagles spending 15, including today's practice, during the two weeks prior to the start of University classes on August 16th. Part of the schedule includes a review of what was learned during the spring - a refresher for the veterans, but new to the freshmen and transfers.
"We have an installation schedule that goes all the way through camp and there are certain fronts and coverages and blitzes that we'd like to have in on defense and schemes on special teams that we would like to have in, and then on offense, the option plays, the play actions to go with them, the pass routes, and we have a schedule, we'd like to stay on that schedule," Monken said. "We don't know if we'll be able up to or not.
"Our hope is, that everything we have planned for, up until that practice number 15, will be in. I don't know if we'll get there or not. We don't have any goals of having 'this many plays in, this many pass plays, and this many blitzes,' it's what we feel is important, what we feel like we need to have in three weeks before the game, which is when school starts. What do we need to have in in these first two weeks is where we are really concentrating, it's only football, there's no school, there's nothing else involved. We have a plan and we're going to try to get that stuff in.
Partly cloudy and overcast skies before the rains came gave the Eagles some cover and kept the temperatures from climbing into the triple digits.
"Certainly today wasn't as hot as days past and we are going to have some really hot afternoons I am sure at 2:45," said Monken about the afternoon temperature. "I want them to practice in the heat. I feel like if we can practice and be prepared and be conditioned for the heat, there won't be an environment this fall that we'll be in that we can't handle - whether it is 6 o'clock when we kickoff against Savannah State or on the turf at 3 o'clock at Navy, or whatever it is. If we practice and condition in this heat then we'll be better prepared for it."
Sophomore wide receiver Mitchell Williford (Duluth, Ga.) observed practice from the sidelines on Monday and will likely miss all of this week's practices. Williford suffered a cut on his left foot and is wearing an air cast as a protective measure. Junior defensive end Dion DuBose (Norcross, Ga.) experienced symptoms of a stomach virus and did not practice.
Visiting practice Monday were several recognizable individuals: Georgia Southern University President Brooks Keel and First Lady Dr. Tammie Schalue, Eagle Men's Basketball Coach Charlton "C.Y." Young, and Bill Bates, former Dallas Cowboy and member of three Super Bowl championship teams.
FALL CAMP PRACTICE TIMES
Sessions at Georgia Southern practice fields unless indicated
August 3, 2010 - 2:45 p.m
August 4, 2010 - 2:45 p.m.
August 5, 2010 - 2:45 p.m.
August 6, 2010 - 2:45 p.m.
August 7, 2010 - practice 1 9 a.m., practice 2 4:33 p.m.
August 8, 2010 - 3:55 p.m.
August 9, 2010 - practice 1 9 a.m., practice 2 4:33 p.m.
August 10, 2010 - No practice
August 11, 2010 - practice 1 9 a.m., practice 2 4:33 p.m.
August 12, 2010 - 2:45 p.m.
August 13, 2010 - 2:45 p.m.
August 14, 2010 - 10:05 a.m- 12 p.m. practice at Paulson Stadium
4-5:30 p.m. "Meet the Eagles" event at Paulson Stadium
Times and location subject to change.
