TALES FROM SPRING CAMP

After each practice during spring camp, JU junior offensive lineman Joe Vitale will give us his thoughts on the previous day's practice.

March 27 | March 28| March 29| March 30 | Scrimmage #1: March 31 | April 2 | April 4 | April 9 | April 11 | April 14

March 27

JU football finally ushered in the Kerwin Bell era with the first spring practice on Monday. Usually our practices don't receive a lot of attention, but a camera crew was out interviewing players before practice started. Friends of mine told me last night that they saw the interviews on the news.

The first practice of the 2007 spring campaign seemed to be a good one. We left the field feeling pretty good about ourselves. It was great to see the new coaches in action. Hearing Coach Bell calling plays was a bit different, but it helped bring about the reality of the new regime.

The intensity on both sides of the ball was elevated. Everyone was going all-out, regardless of the lack of pads. Defense looked sharp, quick, and covered well. The offense looked sharp as well, especially considering this was the first time running the new playbook in live situations.

On Tuesday, we are in shoulder pads and are looking to improve on Monday's work. If the intensity stays high, Tuesday's practice should go very well.

March 28

Tuesday marked the first time the football team strapped any pads on since the end of last season. With the shoulder pads on, the intensity is heightened and the speed of the game becomes faster.

A major concern with the first padded practice in more than three months is that guys will pull back due to soreness and pain. That wasn't the case. The guys were thriving to get to this day since the semester started, and it showed because there were some pretty nice hits out there.

The offense looked better today, especially in the passing game. The quarterbacks threw fewer interceptions and the lineman secured the blocks. The defense looked good as well. They were providing good pressure and had great coverage on the receivers.

It is only the second day of the spring and obviously many mistakes were made out there. Coach Bell stressed that he wants to see everyone playing at full speed all the time. If mistakes are going to be made, they need to be made at 100 miles an hour.

Both the coaches and players know that we have a long road to travel before our first game in August, and not a lot of time to make this journey. Every practice must show that we are improving. We can't afford to go backwards. Both the coaches and players seemed to share a positive mindset after Tuesday's practice. On Wednesday, we go at it in full pads. This will be huge measure in seeing who's going to bring it when it's all on the line.

March 29

Wednesday was another solid practice for the team. We went out in full pads for the first time and it was nice to see some big hits and tackles out there. You can definitely sense a different attitude among the players this spring.

There is an excitement that hasn't been around here over the last couple of years. As an offensive lineman, I can tell you that the group is as close as it has ever been. We definitely had some big holes to fill, with Pat Rich and Josue Sanchez graduating, but guys are stepping up already.

There is a relaxed atmosphere among the lineman. We are very confident because the plays are very similar to what we've done in the past. As long as we stay within our rules, we can open some extremely large holes and provide Chris Horton and the other quarterbacks with plenty of time to throw the ball.

It's nice to have Coach McLeod back with us. I think we were all a little worried after fall because we didn't know who was coming in and what there style would be. With Coach McLeod back, there is familiarity and very few changes. He seems more relaxed and energetic as well.

Any football guru will tell you that great line play is the key to a great offense. Our offensive line has the potential to be great. As more guys continue to step up, and once we get back to full strength with the addition of Rusty Stiglitz, we can definitely make things happen out there. So far, we have transitioned well into this new offense, and just like everyone else needs to do, we have to continue to get better each practice.

March 30

The offense practiced very well on Thursday and the defense stepped up on Friday and answered right back. Everything that the offense tried to do was stopped. The tenacity, enthusiasm and quality displayed by the defense is a very good sign. It hints at how good they can be in the fall. If they play like that, as well as with intelligence and stay with their assignments, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

As for the offense, Friday's practice proved that we have a lot of work to do. Obviously mistakes are going to be made, but as of right now, Coach Bell and the rest of the offensive coaches are stressing one key point - consistency.

Championship teams do not practice well one day and then fall apart the next. There is plenty of talent on this side of the ball, but as a unit, we have to work on playing a more consistent game. At the end of the day, consistency was the thought of the day.

In order to become PFL champions, we have to be consistent on offense, defense, and special teams. Friday's practice was positive for the defense and a wake-up call for the offense.

Scrimmage #1: March 31

Today was the day that all the coaches pulled back. They let the players run the script and observed, making comments here and there, but not breaking down every single play.

Today, Coach Bell and his staff wanted to see how much we have learned and progressed through the first week of spring ball. It was also the day in which the offense had the chance to answer after our poor performance from Friday's practice.

As a whole, the scrimmage was about what you would expect from the first one. There were a lot of mistakes, but there were just as many positive aspects as well.

The defense came out firing and took control quickly. Linebacker Al Fennell and defensive tackle Kiel Pierce both played very well. The offense moved the ball at times and had a few big plays as well. The offensive line had a decent outing as a whole. Wide receivers Nate Conner and Mike Jenner along with running back Cecil Coltrane had good performances.

The quarterbacks looked calm and confident. They handled game-time situations well and controlled the huddles too.

In general, the scrimmage can be summed up in a positive manner. Yes, mistakes were made, but we seem to be in a good position five practices into spring. With each day we have to get better, and it seems that collectively we are.

Scrimmage number two needs to be much better than this one was. However, it was nice to be out there running plays, moving the chains, tackling and playing in front of officials and fans.

The coaches gave us Sunday off to relax and recover from the first week. We'll be back out there Monday and that needs to be a great day. It's important that we start the week off right.

April 2

After team periods ended on Monday, I and the rest of the team thought Coach Bell's whistle signaled the end of practice, but we were wrong.

Cones were set up and minutes later, the offense and defense were competing in a drill known as "Oklahomas." The object of the drill is simple. The offense and defense come off the ball and hit each other with as much force and power as possible. The quarterback hands the ball off to a running back, and if he crosses the cones, the offense wins. If he gets stopped, the defense wins.

At my station, the offense and defensive lineman, as well as the linebackers, were competing. "Oklahomas" force guys to get pumped up and excited. This drill eliminates any fancy techniques, stunts, or pursuit. All you have to do is fire off the ball and push your opponent back. The entire team was getting into it and as a player you really enjoy being in that type of atmosphere.

Even during competition, when guys are trash talking to each other, you are building team unity and camaraderie. Sure it's competitive, but it gets the intensity up and in these situations you thrive off everyone's emotions and passion.

Coach Bell told us that he plans to schedule "Oklahomas" in as many practices as possible. Coach wants us to develop an attitude in which we embrace hitting our opponents. Basically, next fall, JU will be a team that will smash you in the mouth and keep on piling on top of you until the final whistle blows. Everything we do now the rest of the spring will help mold us into what we want to be in the fall and "Oklahomas" will go a long way in that process.

April 4

Coach Bell got the idea that we were looking ahead to Easter weekend and that the team was just trying to get through these last two practices before our break.

Yesterday was definitely a set back for us. Many mistakes were made on both sides of the ball, mistakes that were not being made earlier in the week.

Coach McLeod said many of the mistakes were assignment based as we were not mentally focused on practice. To accomplish our goals we have set in the fall, each practice must prove that we are getting better.

Coach Bell stated that championship teams do not practice just to get through it. Thursday's practice is going to be huge for us. We can't afford to head into Easter weekend with two back-to-back practices that are full of mistakes.

The guys understand what is at stake at Thursday's practice. We all will come out and work to get better to prove that Wednesday was just one bad day.

April 9

Monday was our first practice after a long Easter weekend. The weather was on our side, though, because it was cooler and there was a lot of cloud cover.

The weekend was great because it allowed the players to heal up, rest our legs, and get prepared for the final two weeks of spring practice. Once we were on the field, the intensity and energy returned, and the practice seemed pretty positive.

In the past, after long weekends, the team would return to practice and it would be a set back. However, Monday seemed to set the tone for the rest of the week.

The defense was flying around and pursued well. The offense moved the ball during our live periods as well. Now, this was not a flawless practice. Mistakes were made on both sides of the ball. However, compared to practices in the past, this one seemed to be better.

After Monday's practice, there are five left - one is a scheduled scrimmage, and the other is the Green/White game on the 21st.

We did make steps to get better, but not enough. Coach Bell expects us to improve each practice, and on the 21st, the Green/White game will send us into summer training on a positive note. April 11

After practice on Wednesday, a few things have become clear.

First, the defense has grasped their new system and is making tremendous steps towards becoming a championship-style unit. They play smart, with speed, and together. During team drills, anytime an offensive player is brought to the ground, it is usually done by a group of at least 4 or 5 players. The guys you expect to play well, such as Kiel Pierce, Al Fennell, and Joey Rumph, are playing very well.

The defense is also receiving major contributions from players such as Jarvis Williams, Jason Wood, and Robson Noel. It is very exciting to think of what kind of damage they will do in the fall.

On the other side of the ball, the offense seems to be dragging behind. There are times when we show glimpses of consistency and excitement, but they are outnumbered by the mistakes we make, both technically and mentally.

Coach Bell has made it clear that he expects better play from the offensive lineman. We have to tighten our protection and provide the quarterbacks with more time to throw. If we do, they will make big plays because they all have big arms and their throws are very accurate.

On a positive note, when the offense is playing consistently, it looks very good. Fullbacks Eric Kornhauser and Jeremy Brown are performing well while Cecil Coltrane and Ron Harris provide explosion and speed out of the back field.

The wide receivers are exciting as well. Senior Nate Conner believes that the unit has adjusted well to the new offense. Mike Jenner added that it has been tough learning the new routes, and the assignments that come along with them, but each practice he feels the unit continues to become smarter and a little better.

Even though the offense is struggling at this time, it has shown what it can do when everyone plays as a whole. There are many things that we have to shore up, but eventually the offense will catch fire, and when we do, it will be an exciting show to watch.

April 14 - Scrimmage #2

Saturday's scrimmage was the next big test for the football team this spring. The entire offensive and defensive schemes are in place, and now it comes down to repetition, technique, and intelligence. There was a lot of hype centering around this scrimmage. The entire team was looking forward to this day since the week started.

Coach Bell challenged the offense after Friday's practice. He expected big things from the group. At the start of the scrimmage, the offense met his challenge. The first series was between both first teams, and the offense scored on a connection between quarterback Erik Stepleton and wide receiver Mike Jenner.

The next series was highlighted by an amazing touchdown by wide receiver Sam Bell.

After that, the defense caught fire. They began to apply pressure and caused a lot of mayhem in the backfield. Each drive seemed to be stopped by the defense either by a turnover on downs or through interceptions.

The offense did show signs of life during the remainder of the scrimmage, but the day belonged to the defense. They looked fantastic. They were relentless in their attack and played with infectious energy and passion.

Overall, the scrimmage seemed to be a good measure of the progress made thus far. The defense looked great, and as bad as the offense looked at times, we proved what we could do when we fire on all cylinders.

The offense looks to bounce back in the Green/White game, which marks the end of spring. Next Saturday will get here fast. Practices on Wednseday and Thursday will help us prepare physically and mentally, and then on Saturday, it's time to put it all together.