Blacknbengal
Well-Known Member
Problems for ASU on day 1
By Josh Moon
Montgomery Advertiser
Alabama State quarterback Jermaine Crenshaw throws a pass during the first day of practice Tuesday afternoon at Hornet Stadium. Crenshaw is one of several players competing for the QB spot.
The Alabama State football team took the practice field for the first time Tuesday night and, as is usually the case at ASU, things didn?t go very smooth.
Things started to go awry early in the afternoon when head coach L.C. Cole learned the school had switched insurance carriers and the Hornets? practice wasn?t covered under the new insurance.
The situation was finally rectified at the last minute, allowing Cole to hold practice.
?I was a step away from putting a sign on the door and canceling practice,? Cole said. ?It?s a little bit ridiculous. I mean, the first I hear about it is late this afternoon. But we got it fixed and got to practice.?
With the insurance problem solved, the Hornets took the field at 5:30, planning on practicing until 8 p.m. However, there was a slight problem with that plan.
There was a problem with the electricity and none of the lights at Hornet Stadium were working. As a result, the Hornets knocked off a little early.
?I don?t know what happened with the electricity,? Cole said. ?I guess I?ll have to talk to someone about that tomorrow. It?s always something around here.?
The only other problem Cole had was recognizing most of the players on the field.
?I told the coaches that we?ve got to get some tape and put these guys? names on their helmets,? he said. ?We need some name tags or something.?
The players also weren?t without problems. Several of the first-year players were suffering from cramps and heat-related problems but Cole said that was to be expected.
?That?s all of the guys that didn?t come in early and work out this summer,? he said. ?There?s always some guys that need to get a little extra work.?
?I knew it was going to be intense,? said Steve Vickers, who transferred to ASU from Delta College in Stockton, Calif. ?The heat really wasn?t as bad as I thought it would be but it was still very hot.?
Overall, though, Cole and the coaches were pleased with the shape of the players.
?These guys are a little farther along than what we expected them to be,? Cole said. ?The guys that have been coming in and working out this summer were really impressive.?
Linebacker Earl Cochran, right, talks to his Alabama State defensive teammates during Tuesday afternoon's practice.
Those summer workouts were what led to ASU?s late start.
?Those guys came in and worked out so hard that we thought it would be good to start a little a later,? Cole said. ?This is the best shape we?ve ever been in this early.?
Cole credited most of the off-season hard work to the older players on the team.
?The older guys have really gotten after these young guys,? Cole said. ?They?ve even got them started on cleaning up the locker room. They know that?s one of my pet peeves and I noticed the young linebackers cleaning that up yesterday.?
Cole and the Hornets start two-a-day practices today, with a morning practice at 8 a.m. and an afternoon session at 5:30.
By Josh Moon
Montgomery Advertiser
Alabama State quarterback Jermaine Crenshaw throws a pass during the first day of practice Tuesday afternoon at Hornet Stadium. Crenshaw is one of several players competing for the QB spot.
The Alabama State football team took the practice field for the first time Tuesday night and, as is usually the case at ASU, things didn?t go very smooth.
Things started to go awry early in the afternoon when head coach L.C. Cole learned the school had switched insurance carriers and the Hornets? practice wasn?t covered under the new insurance.
The situation was finally rectified at the last minute, allowing Cole to hold practice.
?I was a step away from putting a sign on the door and canceling practice,? Cole said. ?It?s a little bit ridiculous. I mean, the first I hear about it is late this afternoon. But we got it fixed and got to practice.?
With the insurance problem solved, the Hornets took the field at 5:30, planning on practicing until 8 p.m. However, there was a slight problem with that plan.
There was a problem with the electricity and none of the lights at Hornet Stadium were working. As a result, the Hornets knocked off a little early.
?I don?t know what happened with the electricity,? Cole said. ?I guess I?ll have to talk to someone about that tomorrow. It?s always something around here.?
The only other problem Cole had was recognizing most of the players on the field.
?I told the coaches that we?ve got to get some tape and put these guys? names on their helmets,? he said. ?We need some name tags or something.?
The players also weren?t without problems. Several of the first-year players were suffering from cramps and heat-related problems but Cole said that was to be expected.
?That?s all of the guys that didn?t come in early and work out this summer,? he said. ?There?s always some guys that need to get a little extra work.?
?I knew it was going to be intense,? said Steve Vickers, who transferred to ASU from Delta College in Stockton, Calif. ?The heat really wasn?t as bad as I thought it would be but it was still very hot.?
Overall, though, Cole and the coaches were pleased with the shape of the players.
?These guys are a little farther along than what we expected them to be,? Cole said. ?The guys that have been coming in and working out this summer were really impressive.?
Linebacker Earl Cochran, right, talks to his Alabama State defensive teammates during Tuesday afternoon's practice.
Those summer workouts were what led to ASU?s late start.
?Those guys came in and worked out so hard that we thought it would be good to start a little a later,? Cole said. ?This is the best shape we?ve ever been in this early.?
Cole credited most of the off-season hard work to the older players on the team.
?The older guys have really gotten after these young guys,? Cole said. ?They?ve even got them started on cleaning up the locker room. They know that?s one of my pet peeves and I noticed the young linebackers cleaning that up yesterday.?
Cole and the Hornets start two-a-day practices today, with a morning practice at 8 a.m. and an afternoon session at 5:30.
