“It was fun”

Thoughts on the First Day

There was a marked difference on the first day of 2015 spring practice compared to the first two of Coach Doeren’s tenure.   The 2+ hour workout was fast-paced, running like clockwork from drill to drill.

In 2013, Doeren had only been on the job a couple of months. The players and the coaches barely knew each other and both sides were feeling each other out: players wondering how their position coach might react to certain situations, coaches figuring out which of their guys were going to work hard and which were going to sit back and watch.

Last spring, there was definitely great familiarity. Coaches and players knew each other, but coming off a 3-9 campaign, the trust level wasn’t quite there from either side. There wasn’t 100 buy-in to the vision Doeren had for the team.

Today was a completely different story. Everyone knew what to expect from each other. The players trust that if they follow the plan, success will come. The coaches trust that the players WILL follow those steps.

The result? “It was fun,” Doeren told the media after practice. “It was great to be back on the field with the players – to see their progress. We had good purpose, the coaches had good energy and it was a good practice to be a part of.

“When you go from the way we were to the way we ended up, you understand the value of practice. They’re holding each other accountable and they’re helping each other through the practice. There’s a lot of positive reinforcement from player to player out here on the field today and it’s fun to watch. “

NOTES

– When Doeren huddled the team up following practice, he called out WR Gavin Locklear and LB Ty Linton: “Good to have you out here, men.” Those two missed last season while rehabbing from injuries and both made plays on the first day of spring drills.  Locklear suffered a horrific broken leg in summer workouts while Linton injured his knee last spring.

– Doeren singled out several players who have bulked up in the offseason: “Deonte Holden gained 30 lbs and is up to 230. Kentavius [Street] has done a nice job, put on some good weight. B.J. Hill same thing. On offense, Tyler Jones has done a nice job with his body, same with [Terronne]Prescod. [Quinton] Schooley and [Joe] Thuney look really, really good. Benson Browne had a really nice offseason and you could see his body has changed.”

– Defensive end Kentavius Street worked at tackle today as well. He is learning both positions. “Playing spread-type teams, we can get him inside where he can have some pass rush opportunities.”

– Doeren said his “worry spots” are offensive tackle, defensive tackle and wide receiver, but obviously looks forward to the competition at those positions. He said that Will Richardson, who sat out today, will be back in a couple of days and will compete with Tyler Jones at OT.

– Prior to practice, Doeren found his early enrollees to “congratulate them on their first day of college football.”