MikeBigg
Well-Known Member
Sunday, August 3, 2003 1:20 A.M.
A calm beginning
New faces key for GSU success
Nick Deriso / Sports Editor
Posted on August 3, 2003
GRAMBLING - The glory of a fourth SWAC championship run for Grambling State begins quietly, on the sun-baked practice field across from the empty Robinson Stadium.
Just before 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, there is no crowd to cheer as Bruce Eugene, the Southwestern Athletic Conference's preseason offensive player of the year, tosses a few short passes. There is only the ceaseless hum of the huge air conditioning units at the nearby athletic facility.
He's steady, workman-like. Turns out, they all are - at least, at first. When the rest of sixth-year coach Doug Williams' team comes trotting out of the locker rooms, there is little joking around.
Despite three years of trophy raisings, despite being picked to return to the championship game at the SWAC's annual media conference this week, there is a sense of tension early on in this training session.
"It's our job to make sure the players don't get complacent," said Williams, who has compiled a 43-14 record since taking over from the legendary Eddie Robinson.
It's easily an hour before the first joke is told.
Typically, that comes from a senior. Wide receiver Corey Brownfield sees Williams, who has just returned from the SWAC event in Alabama, and says: "You owe us a day!"
But, for the most part, no one is relaxed. Least of all the coaches, who bark orders until the very end. (Make that the very bitter end: Players, after two hours of practice, were made to run the length of the field twice, then 50 yards twice, then 20 yards twice before being sent to the showers.)
Williams says he'll use that kind of hard work - and a roster bubbling with new talent - to try to ascend to the championship for a fourth straight time. Grambling begins its season against San Jose State, playing in the first NCAA game of the year, on Aug. 23. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
"When we first got here, we didn't have a problem with playing the younger players," Williams said. "And if you look around, some of the young guys are better athletes than some of the older guys. We've got to keep our minds open to that mentality again - because it's been successful. We can say: Well, we've gotten to this place and the veterans got us here. No, the young guys got us here, because we've always played them."
It's safe, however, to use ink when filling in some key roster positions: Senior wide receiver Tramon Douglas joined Eugene on the first-team All-SWAC offense. Cornerback is set with seniors Seneca Lee, a transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, and Octavius Bond.
But fans will see a huge influx of new linebacker talent: Both sophomore Dimitri Carr in the middle and sophomore David Hicks on the weak side drew vigorous praise from Williams on Saturday.
One of the other positions where the team is youngest is at running back. Henry Tolbert enters the season as the starter, but Williams said he remains a situational player.
"It all depends on what you would be asking Tolbert to do," Williams says of the 5-9, 180-pound sophomore. "He's not a guy who is going to pound it. If we are in a situation where we feel like we can run the ball, I think (fellow sophomore) Gideon Leonard is a guy who we would probably turn to."
Leonard is a good bit bigger, at 6-1, 250.
Further back on the depth chart is a junior college transfer, Roger Smith. Williams says he may be the best Grambling State player who no one has heard of yet.
"We've got some cracker jacks," he said, also mentioning junior receiver Chris Day. "Those guys could really have a breakout year for us."
The team will practice in full pads for the first time on Tuesday.
"You can't tell much with just shoulder pads. Seven-on-sevens weren't that bad, but everyone is still feeling their way. Even the veterans," Williams said. "But that's part of any season early on. By the middle of next week, we'll be further along. The good part about it is we have a lot of veterans who will help in this situation."
Tiger bites: Freshman receiver Tim Abney out of Neville High drew some sideline praise when, during seven-on-sevens, he made an acrobatic catch from Eugene - fingertipping a 40-yard pass. ... Junior receiver Moses Harris - the star of the spring game, with three TDs - practiced Saturday with his mouth wired shut, after suffering a broken jaw. The wires are scheduled to be removed on Wednesday. ... Freshman quarterback and kicker Brandon Logan had his own cheering section at practice: His father drove up from San Antonio, shooting pictures as Logan worked with Williams.
A calm beginning
New faces key for GSU success
Nick Deriso / Sports Editor
Posted on August 3, 2003
GRAMBLING - The glory of a fourth SWAC championship run for Grambling State begins quietly, on the sun-baked practice field across from the empty Robinson Stadium.
Just before 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, there is no crowd to cheer as Bruce Eugene, the Southwestern Athletic Conference's preseason offensive player of the year, tosses a few short passes. There is only the ceaseless hum of the huge air conditioning units at the nearby athletic facility.
He's steady, workman-like. Turns out, they all are - at least, at first. When the rest of sixth-year coach Doug Williams' team comes trotting out of the locker rooms, there is little joking around.
Despite three years of trophy raisings, despite being picked to return to the championship game at the SWAC's annual media conference this week, there is a sense of tension early on in this training session.
"It's our job to make sure the players don't get complacent," said Williams, who has compiled a 43-14 record since taking over from the legendary Eddie Robinson.
It's easily an hour before the first joke is told.
Typically, that comes from a senior. Wide receiver Corey Brownfield sees Williams, who has just returned from the SWAC event in Alabama, and says: "You owe us a day!"
But, for the most part, no one is relaxed. Least of all the coaches, who bark orders until the very end. (Make that the very bitter end: Players, after two hours of practice, were made to run the length of the field twice, then 50 yards twice, then 20 yards twice before being sent to the showers.)
Williams says he'll use that kind of hard work - and a roster bubbling with new talent - to try to ascend to the championship for a fourth straight time. Grambling begins its season against San Jose State, playing in the first NCAA game of the year, on Aug. 23. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
"When we first got here, we didn't have a problem with playing the younger players," Williams said. "And if you look around, some of the young guys are better athletes than some of the older guys. We've got to keep our minds open to that mentality again - because it's been successful. We can say: Well, we've gotten to this place and the veterans got us here. No, the young guys got us here, because we've always played them."
It's safe, however, to use ink when filling in some key roster positions: Senior wide receiver Tramon Douglas joined Eugene on the first-team All-SWAC offense. Cornerback is set with seniors Seneca Lee, a transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, and Octavius Bond.
But fans will see a huge influx of new linebacker talent: Both sophomore Dimitri Carr in the middle and sophomore David Hicks on the weak side drew vigorous praise from Williams on Saturday.
One of the other positions where the team is youngest is at running back. Henry Tolbert enters the season as the starter, but Williams said he remains a situational player.
"It all depends on what you would be asking Tolbert to do," Williams says of the 5-9, 180-pound sophomore. "He's not a guy who is going to pound it. If we are in a situation where we feel like we can run the ball, I think (fellow sophomore) Gideon Leonard is a guy who we would probably turn to."
Leonard is a good bit bigger, at 6-1, 250.
Further back on the depth chart is a junior college transfer, Roger Smith. Williams says he may be the best Grambling State player who no one has heard of yet.
"We've got some cracker jacks," he said, also mentioning junior receiver Chris Day. "Those guys could really have a breakout year for us."
The team will practice in full pads for the first time on Tuesday.
"You can't tell much with just shoulder pads. Seven-on-sevens weren't that bad, but everyone is still feeling their way. Even the veterans," Williams said. "But that's part of any season early on. By the middle of next week, we'll be further along. The good part about it is we have a lot of veterans who will help in this situation."
Tiger bites: Freshman receiver Tim Abney out of Neville High drew some sideline praise when, during seven-on-sevens, he made an acrobatic catch from Eugene - fingertipping a 40-yard pass. ... Junior receiver Moses Harris - the star of the spring game, with three TDs - practiced Saturday with his mouth wired shut, after suffering a broken jaw. The wires are scheduled to be removed on Wednesday. ... Freshman quarterback and kicker Brandon Logan had his own cheering section at practice: His father drove up from San Antonio, shooting pictures as Logan worked with Williams.
