Ball State University Athletics
Football Spring Practice Report #1
March 28, 2012 | Football
First day of Spring Practice under perfect conditions. How do you believe the first of 15 practices went today?
I was pleased with the balance of enthusiasm and focus out there today. Everyone got back into the flow of a full practice in a seamless fashion. Some older guys picked up right where they left off last fall and some younger guys showed promise. We moved Dan Manick to center from strong tackle and he made a smooth transition on the first day. Practice always goes a lot smoother when you have accurate shot gun snaps. There were no procedural penalties today, which also reflects well on our recall. I liked how our cornerbacks competed during the "one on one's" and in the two pass skeleton periods. Quarterback Keith Wenning showed good accuracy on several throws to the flat and over the middle. Our special teams got some quality work in on punt, kick off coverage and PAT/field goal.
There is a new addition to the coaching staff in Ball State alum Nick Tabacca. How much of an adjustment is there for a new coach learning a new system?
First of all, it is great to have eight of nine assistant coaches back from last season. Continuity on the coaching staff is a critical piece of building a competitive program and a factor often under appreciated by the average fan. It is easier to pick up where you left off as a player when your are receiving the same message from the same voice. In Nick's case, he has made an incredibly smooth transition. Being an alum and former graduate assistant has helped because he knows the environment. Perhaps more importantly, Nick spent considerable time studying under former offensive coach John Strollo. Nick believes in the same teaching philosophies and techniques as John. He even knows John's unique vernacular. John really liked Nick and shared a lot of nuances with him. Our players are benefitting from having a coach that fully understands the world they live in as well as how they were coached last year. Nick has been with us for about two months and I am impressed at how quickly he learns and adapts. It speaks highly of a Ball State education!
What are some of the things you look to accomplish in the first week of Spring Practice?
We are trying to thoroughly evaluate every player in the program and thoroughly teach every player in the program. I was really pleased with the detailed teaching going on out there today. Our coaches treat the walk on who is fourth string no differently than the senior that is a returning starter. Everyone has an important role to play. We will move at a relatively slow pace in terms of installation so guys don't have to think too much. We don't want to slow down a younger player that is athletic because he is thinking too much. The players are anxious to start hitting, but you have to crawl before you can walk. Fundamentals are the key building blocks and that will continue to be the emphasis this week and throughout the spring. We will dress in helmets again tomorrow and transition to uppers for Friday's session.
There were a number of alums at practice today. How nice is that to see to know they are interested in the program even after they have completed their careers?
I was really pleased to see so many different constituents out there at practice today. We had faculty, staff, football alumni, high school coaches and about 25 recruits in attendance. Even former head coach Bill Lynch stopped by today. That is exactly the kind of open environment we are trying to create around the program. It was great to see some seniors from last year's team out there supporting our efforts today. It speaks volumes about their experience last season and their feelings about the direction of the program. I told our team afterwards to savor every opportunity because time flies by. Guys like Briggs Orsbon, Toriel Gibson and Sean Baker would give up just about anything to have another chance to play college football for Ball State this coming fall.
