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Southern veterans set to go
By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
[email protected]
Advocate sportswriter
Even heavy rain couldn't dampen Southern University football coach Pete Richardson's mood Sunday.
Related story
-- Jaguars 2002 schedule
The reason? His veterans checked into campus, ready to go to work in two-a-day practices today.
"I am excited, because I think we've got a chance to have a pretty decent football team," Richardson said. "We've got experience as well as some youth in position to be competitive. Now, it's just a matter of meshing the chemistry together."
Southern, 7-4 last season, worked 25 newcomers through their paces Friday and Saturday.
The veterans returned to school as enthused as their coach.
"I'm excited to get back into it," said Terrence Arnold, an All-Southwestern Athletic Conference preseason first-team cornerback who led the team in interceptions (seven) and pass deflections (18) while adding 24 tackles.
Richardson is counting on the veterans' experience, attitude and talent to help the Jaguars to their first SWAC title since 1999.
"They have a confidence about themselves this year," Richardson said.
"I know we went through a lot of adversity last year. That takes its toll. But I think that negative will turn into a positive this year."
Sunday's only setback came in the form of a deluge forced a conditioning run to be postponed until today.
Many veterans already completed that run last month at the conclusion of voluntary summer workouts. Just more than two dozen have yet to take the test. They'll have that as an extra burden in addition to the practices.
With the season opener at Tulane fast-approaching, Richardson said the Jaguars will be on a brisk pace.
"We're scheduled to have all the offense and defense installed in seven days," Richardson said. "After that, then we can add and subtract to focus on what we can do best."
TIGHT ENDS: Though Southern's tight end caught only one pass last season (for a touchdown), the Jaguars are expected to use the position much more this season. That emphasis began in the spring and was further enhanced with the arrival of newcomers Brian Washington, a freshman, and LaDerrick Brazil, a sophomore.
"I'm real pleased with the tight ends," offensive line coach Gary Smith said. "I think they can be special. They reminded me so much of Lawrence Hart (a seventh-round pick by the New York Jets in 1998). If I can get that aggressive and tenacious mentality, we've got something."
Southern has five tight ends on the roster, with sophomore Adam Nelson, a former wide receiver who has bulked up from 205 pounds to 230 on his 6-foot-2 frame, listed as the No. 1 tight end on a preseason depth chart.
"He has a little work to do in the blocking, but he's a guy who can be a threat," first-year offensive coordinator David Oliver said.
Junior Roderick Jones, who caught that touchdown pass last season, and sophomore Dedrick Shelmire, a versatile player who is returning from a season-ending knee surgery, are also at tight end.
Washington and Nelson provide even more options.
"These young kids are certainly going to help," Oliver said. "Brian has shown he's the kind of player we want him to be. We're trying to devise ways to use him, now that we've seen him run around. He reported in great shape. Brazil looks like he's got a chance to contribute as well."
DEFENSIVE LINE: Highlighted by junior end Kevin Young, the five newcomers on the defensive line all had a solid first two days.
"The one thing that was really encouraging to me is they came off the ball attacking," defensive co-coordinator/defensive line coach Cliff Lewis said.
"I was impressed with Dedrick Hairston. I think he's going to provide some good competition. Keshawn Conner will help. Rayland Johnson is going to be a good football player."
Though Conner participated in summer workouts, coaches are working with him to shed more pounds.
Conner, listed at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, is closer to 340. Still, coaches like Conner's footwork and attitude.
Johnson and Rene Gettridge will help at end. Conner and Hairston work inside.
SPECIAL WORK: Oliver was the special teams coordinator at Tulane in addition to his duties as tight ends coach. And with no quarterbacks in newcomers camp, Oliver had some extra time and used that to help sophomore Colby Miller with his kicks and coordinate alignments.
Though the offense and those quarterbacks will take most of his time starting today, "I'll be involved to some extent, just because of my background," Oliver said.
LAGNIAPPE: Keshan Fudge, a junior wide receiver transferring from the University of Louisville, and Saxton Zachary, a junior defensive lineman transferring from Bakersfield (Calif.) Junior College, are expected to arrive later this week. ... For the second straight season, Southern has had no newcomers at quarterback. Four quarterbacks are on the roster, a senior, two juniors and a sophomore. ... Two players drawing praise from coaches -- offensive tackle James Allen and Young -- got into the first spar of preseason drills during Saturday's second newcomers workout. The two were matched in line-on-line work.
By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
[email protected]
Advocate sportswriter
Even heavy rain couldn't dampen Southern University football coach Pete Richardson's mood Sunday.
Related story
-- Jaguars 2002 schedule
The reason? His veterans checked into campus, ready to go to work in two-a-day practices today.
"I am excited, because I think we've got a chance to have a pretty decent football team," Richardson said. "We've got experience as well as some youth in position to be competitive. Now, it's just a matter of meshing the chemistry together."
Southern, 7-4 last season, worked 25 newcomers through their paces Friday and Saturday.
The veterans returned to school as enthused as their coach.
"I'm excited to get back into it," said Terrence Arnold, an All-Southwestern Athletic Conference preseason first-team cornerback who led the team in interceptions (seven) and pass deflections (18) while adding 24 tackles.
Richardson is counting on the veterans' experience, attitude and talent to help the Jaguars to their first SWAC title since 1999.
"They have a confidence about themselves this year," Richardson said.
"I know we went through a lot of adversity last year. That takes its toll. But I think that negative will turn into a positive this year."
Sunday's only setback came in the form of a deluge forced a conditioning run to be postponed until today.
Many veterans already completed that run last month at the conclusion of voluntary summer workouts. Just more than two dozen have yet to take the test. They'll have that as an extra burden in addition to the practices.
With the season opener at Tulane fast-approaching, Richardson said the Jaguars will be on a brisk pace.
"We're scheduled to have all the offense and defense installed in seven days," Richardson said. "After that, then we can add and subtract to focus on what we can do best."
TIGHT ENDS: Though Southern's tight end caught only one pass last season (for a touchdown), the Jaguars are expected to use the position much more this season. That emphasis began in the spring and was further enhanced with the arrival of newcomers Brian Washington, a freshman, and LaDerrick Brazil, a sophomore.
"I'm real pleased with the tight ends," offensive line coach Gary Smith said. "I think they can be special. They reminded me so much of Lawrence Hart (a seventh-round pick by the New York Jets in 1998). If I can get that aggressive and tenacious mentality, we've got something."
Southern has five tight ends on the roster, with sophomore Adam Nelson, a former wide receiver who has bulked up from 205 pounds to 230 on his 6-foot-2 frame, listed as the No. 1 tight end on a preseason depth chart.
"He has a little work to do in the blocking, but he's a guy who can be a threat," first-year offensive coordinator David Oliver said.
Junior Roderick Jones, who caught that touchdown pass last season, and sophomore Dedrick Shelmire, a versatile player who is returning from a season-ending knee surgery, are also at tight end.
Washington and Nelson provide even more options.
"These young kids are certainly going to help," Oliver said. "Brian has shown he's the kind of player we want him to be. We're trying to devise ways to use him, now that we've seen him run around. He reported in great shape. Brazil looks like he's got a chance to contribute as well."
DEFENSIVE LINE: Highlighted by junior end Kevin Young, the five newcomers on the defensive line all had a solid first two days.
"The one thing that was really encouraging to me is they came off the ball attacking," defensive co-coordinator/defensive line coach Cliff Lewis said.
"I was impressed with Dedrick Hairston. I think he's going to provide some good competition. Keshawn Conner will help. Rayland Johnson is going to be a good football player."
Though Conner participated in summer workouts, coaches are working with him to shed more pounds.
Conner, listed at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, is closer to 340. Still, coaches like Conner's footwork and attitude.
Johnson and Rene Gettridge will help at end. Conner and Hairston work inside.
SPECIAL WORK: Oliver was the special teams coordinator at Tulane in addition to his duties as tight ends coach. And with no quarterbacks in newcomers camp, Oliver had some extra time and used that to help sophomore Colby Miller with his kicks and coordinate alignments.
Though the offense and those quarterbacks will take most of his time starting today, "I'll be involved to some extent, just because of my background," Oliver said.
LAGNIAPPE: Keshan Fudge, a junior wide receiver transferring from the University of Louisville, and Saxton Zachary, a junior defensive lineman transferring from Bakersfield (Calif.) Junior College, are expected to arrive later this week. ... For the second straight season, Southern has had no newcomers at quarterback. Four quarterbacks are on the roster, a senior, two juniors and a sophomore. ... Two players drawing praise from coaches -- offensive tackle James Allen and Young -- got into the first spar of preseason drills during Saturday's second newcomers workout. The two were matched in line-on-line work.