Football finally gets two-a-day in Thursday
8/15/2013 8:50:00 PM | Football
VIDEO: Post-practice interview with Coach Jeff Monken -- 8-15-2013
STATESBORO, Ga. – The rainstorms that prevented the Georgia Southern Football team from its second practice on Wednesday carried in some relief, at least in terms of breaking the 90-plus degree days in Statesboro. With fall-like temperatures, there was nary a gnat or dragonfly to be found, just an errant crawfish that crawled onto the defensive field from "Beautiful Eagle Creek" prior to the start of the morning session.
The Eagles started a little earlier Thursday morning, hitting the field at 8:30 a.m. for 16 periods of work in full gear. With radar showing rain for the late afternoon, Coach Jeff Monken moved up the second practice by an hour for 15 periods in shells. Gray skies gave way to rain midway through the practice, but there was no stoppage or delay.
"I thought it went better than yesterday morning," said Georgia Southern Head Coach Jeff Monken. "We intended to come out yesterday afternoon and the lightning kept us off the field, so we rescheduled for this afternoon, and we got our final two-a-day in today. (It was) a lot cooler, and I think that helped the guys have some energy and be able to come out here and practice, so it was better."
The coaching staff has just two sessions left with the Eagles before the completion of fall camp and their plan includes finishing up the installation, allowing the team to completely focus on Savannah State when practice starts again Tuesday. Monken said the depth chart is changing daily with some recent moves in the secondary and converting defensive linemen Tre Griffin and Dylan Turner to tight ends after injuries depleted those ranks.
One final practice is scheduled for Friday morning before Saturday's scrimmage at Paulson Stadium. Eagle student-athletes from all the fall sports will participate in "Meet the Eagles" Saturday morning at the Soccer/Track Stadium with schedule posters available to be signed. After the event, the Georgia Southern Football team will take the 2013 team photo and then hit Glenn Bryant Field for the scrimmage.
OPERATION MOVE-IN: The Georgia Southern Football team is scheduled to assist with Georgia Southern University's Operation Move-in Friday afternoon after its morning practice. The Eagles and coaching staff will be stationed at several residence halls, and with volunteers from across campus, will help students and their parents get college necessities from their cars to their new homes on campus.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS. Fans can follow Coach Jeff Monken on his official twitter account, @CoachJeffMonken.
