FAU Football Holds FanFest Scrimmage; ready to prepare for regular season

The fans spirits was high and great at FanFest 2012. FAU fans showed up to support a new look and a new feel in the FAU owls.

FAU  football team gave its fans a glimpse of the 2012 season with first-year Head Coach Carl Pelini putting his squad through its only preseason scrimmage. The highly-spirited session was part of the athletic department's annual FanFest at the FAU Stadium, the new on-campus stadium.

The Owls will open the season on Friday, August 31 against Wagner College, starting at 8 p.m., at the stadium.

FanFest allowed fans to Select-A-Seat for season tickets and get player autographs, while enjoying performances by the cheerleaders, dance team and band.

In the scrimmage, it didn't take long for the offense to find the end zone when Damian Fortner dashed down the left sideline for a 32-yard touchdown. Fellow running back Jonathan Wallace kept several offensive series alive with key runs that achieved first downs.

The Owls rotated quarterbacks Graham Wilbert and Melvin German III in the opening stanza of the scrimmage. There were also a series of fundamental development drills before action focused on the live hitting in preparation for the season opener in less than two weeks.

FAU will begin game planning for the Wagner game on Monday, August 20. 

A note you should know from the Sun Belt Insider:

Hello and thank you for visiting the Sun Belt Insider. The Sun Belt Insider is an un-official blog that covers the Sun Belt Conference sports and all teams, those that are leaving and those that are entering.

Back in May when I decided to dedicate and commit my time to this, I did it with sincerity and from my heart. Why, because I noticed that there was no other active blogs out there that was dedicated to the Sun Belt Conference and its sports. So I took upon myself the challenge to bring highlights and coverage on an independent level so that the fans, followers and those that are interested in the Sun Belt Conference would know what’s happening, all the highlights, about the players and etc.

I want to thank the many visitors and supports of the Sun Belt Insider, for many years since the existence of this great conference, major media outlets don’t provide the sufficient coverage of the Sun Belt Conference as others. I’ve noticed that Sun Belt Conference and some teams often be left out of coverage, so that’s why I dedicated my time so that this conference will have someone to relate sports news to fans and those that are interested in the conference.

I want to say to all my fellow visitors, followers and supporters, that there are some that hate, some that misbelieve, and those that really don’t care. I wonder what their purpose is. Let me give you an example. I ask the Media Relations Director for media passes on this past week for South Alabama football games, and when I called he answered and I explained who I was and why I was calling. He laughed and I was denied any media passes, due to the fact that I am a independent blog.

A team that is freshly new and entering FBS should be willing to provide media access to their games, outside of major media markets, which half might not even report or show up to report. This is another sign on how locals are treated with this program and why locals don’t often support the program. Locals are left out in the sense if you are not in the select few.  

But it’s my hometown team, a team that I love and support and also provide the most coverage on this blog than any other media outlet. It was me that wrote a nice email to the local newspaper reporter that covers South Alabama football, to complain about the less coverage the program is getting. And now you see something about them every day in the local paper, and I will also always support this team regardless of the ups and the downs.

I have watched how in other conferences, where they support those independent bloggers that support their conferences and events.

And here at the Sun Belt Conference I want to thank all those that support the insider, and to those schools that have offered me media passes to your games and events for coverage. I do greatly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. You mean a lot to me to know that you care and thankful for this blog. There have been over 7,000 visitors to my blog and I appreciate you all.

There is one thing that I want be; and that’s discouraged; It’s because I love and support this conference and the teams that are in this conference. I pray that you all will continue to support and follow the Sun Belt Insider now and in the future.

Troy Football to hold their second scrimmage of the fall on Saturday

The Trojans will take part in their second scrimmage of the fall beginning at 11 a.m on today. The Trojans has been working this fall for what they expects to be a great season for their program after finishing with a disappointing season last year.

I would like to pit our 1's vs. 2's and get our third string quarterback some work,” head coach Larry Blakeney said. “Dallas (Tidwell) has not had that much work, and I think that it is important, not imperative, that he gets some work in the course of a live scrimmage. We will try and get Dallas some work with the 2's, get Corey (Robinson) his normal work and mix Deon (Anthony) between the 1's and 2's.”

The Trojans broke a 13-day fall camp on Tuesday as classes began at Troy on Wednesday. Troy worked through a 100-play scrimmage this past Saturday and could see one more live scrimmage on the schedule next week before going through a situational scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 25.

“We are going to try and get all of the starters on the same team,” Blakeney said. “It may not necessarily look that way at the scrimmage, but we are starting to put the team together and build some confidence and chemistry between the groups.

Troy will open their season on September 1 against in state non-conference foe UAB. 

Arkansas State is ready for the season opener; scrimmage held tonight

Arkansas State is has a few more days left in their preseason camp, as they prepare for the upcoming season. Head coach Gus Malzahn is pleased and knows his players now.

The Red Wolves held a 5:15 p.m. workout and now have just two days remaining in their fall camp than began Aug. 1 when players reported.  ASU head coach Gus Malzahn addressed the team's progress thus far following today's practice.

"We have a lot of information about our players, and that is one of the biggest positives," said Malzahn.  "We know what we have and we know our deficiencies, so now we can start building a game plan for Oregon and really for the rest of the year."

Senior quarterback Ryan Aplin, the 2012 preseason Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year, also said the team recognizes the completion of its fall camp is another step toward its season opener at Oregon on Sept. 1.

"We know after each day we are getting closer to game day, but we still want to be able to get as much in as possible," said Aplin.  "We've had some days that have been better than others, but we've got to move forward and bring our 'A' game each day.  We've got a lot of work to do to prepare for Oregon, but game planning and watching film on your opponent is always fun."

Malzahn said that he was impressed by the defense in today's practice.  The Red Wolves ranked No. 24 in the nation last season in total defense, holding opponents to 331.5 yards per game.

"The defense really came ready to play with a lot of energy," Malzahn said.  "We challenged the guys to bounce back today and respond, and I felt like our guys did that for the most part."

ASU has two practices remaining as part of its fall camp, including a scrimmage tonight at 9 p.m.

"We're going to try and make it as close to a game-type situation as possible," Malzahn said of the scrimmage.  "We're scrimmaging late at night because we're going to play (Oregon) late at night, and we just want to be as specific as we can.  The young guys will scrimmage more than our older players, but we'll do a lot of situation stuff."

Arkansas State will open their 2012 season at Oregon on September 1 with a live broadcast on ESPN.

FAU hosting Scrimmage and Fan Day on Saturday

Florida Atlantic University fans can get their first look at this year's Owls football team and meet new Head Coach Carl Pelini during the athletic department's special FanFest preseason celebration on Saturday, August 18, at FAU Stadium, 777 Glades Road, on the Boca Raton Campus. This free event begins at 2:30 p.m. with a scrimmage starting at 3 p.m.

 

Select-A-Seat festivities have members of the ticket sales staff assisting people in purchasing season tickets for the season.

Fans will also have an opportunity to get player autographs, while enjoying performances by the cheerleaders, dance team and band. ESPN760 is planning to broadcast the scrimmage. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase throughout the event.

The Owls will begin the 2012 season with a home matchup against Wagner College on Friday, August 31, at 8 p.m. 

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders heading into their final practices of preseason camp

Middle Tennessee is wasting no time in improving their football program for the upcoming season. This team wants to return to the top of the Sun Belt like all others. Hard work is what those guys been putting in during this preseason camp.

Head Coach Rick Stockstill has been very pleased with his freshman class during preseason camp and he feels like three or four could contribute immediately. Running back Jordan Parker, LB T.T. Barber, WR Terry Pettis, and DT Darious Bennett have all caught his eye.

"Parker has picked up the offense fast, is a physical runner, good in protection, and does a nice job catching the ball. Barber has had the benefit of a lot of reps due to injuries and has made the most of his opportunity. He is very explosive, seems to always be around the football, and has made a lot of plays during camp.

"Pettis is a big target who continues to improve but he still needs to adjust to the speed of the game and Bennett is a guy up front who may have a shot."

During their first scrimmage on last Saturday, many players show their strengths and weakness. But overall the team is coming together. The Blue Raiders ran 116 total plays and another five in goal line situations.

Starting quarterback Logan Kilgore directed three touchdown drives while completing 8 of 17 passes for 129 yards. Kilgore, who had a touchdown pass of 40 yards to Vincent Van Horne during the regular part of the scrimmage, also had a touchdown pass during goal line. Backup Jeff Murphy completed 11 of 17 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns.

Newcomer Drayton Calhoun led the rushing attack with 60 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown, while freshman Jordan Parker added 28 yards on seven attempts and junior William Pratcher carried it nine times for 26 yards. Senior Benny Cunningham, who played just one series, had three attempts for 20 yards and a touchdown, while Kyle Griswould recorded a 42-yard run.

Defensively, the Blue Raiders registered six sacks, five pass breakups, an interception for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery.

Middle Tennessee held its last open practice to the public on yesterday and preparing for it’s their second scrimmage. The Blue Raiders will open their regular season against McNeese State in less than two weeks. 

Western Kentucky fall camp making strives

Coming off a scrimmage during Wednesday afternoon‘s practice, the Western Kentucky University football team was right back to work Thursday morning, practicing in shorts and shells at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. WKU has moved past the midway point of the 2012 fall camp, as it takes the field for practices 13 and 14. The Hilltoppers are just 10 days away from breaking camp on Aug. 25.

Offense Shines In Scrimmage — During Wednesday‘s practice, the Hilltoppers were able to go through simulated game situations in a full scrimmage, and third-year head coach Willie Taggart spent Thursday morning praising the play of his offense.

“I thought our offense came out really focused, and it was mission accomplished for those guys,” said Taggart.

“Our passing game looked fantastic. All three of our quarterbacks did a great throwing the ball down field and being efficient, and our receivers did a great job catching the ball. Again, we had some guys making some big-time catches, and that’s exciting to see.”

Still Correcting Mistakes — With referees out officiating the scrimmage, it served as a reminder for Hilltopper players that the season is right around the corner, and that it is time to start tidying up their play.

Defending The Skies Is What The Secondary Is LookingTo Do — Getting thrown into the fire early in their career is proving to pay off for what are now veterans in the Hilltopper defensive backfield. Between the seasoned returners, and a talented crop of newcomers, that unit has set high expectations for itself in 2012.

Depth on the Backfield  — The one constant question that continues to circle around Hilltopper camp is the running game. With all-time leading rusher Bobby Rainey now spending his time in camp with the Baltimore Ravens, many outside of camp are wondering how that will effect the WKU offense. But those competing to get on the field at that position are ready to prove that they can carry on the recent success.

We‘re all coming out here every day trying to compete for a starting spot,” said junior Antonio Andrews. “It‘s always fun coming out and going against those guys because someone different steps up. I’m really proud of our young guys for coming out and picking up the offense right away.”

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are looking to continue their wins this fall, last season they finish with a 7-5 season the first since they have been in FBS and Sun Belt Conference.

We will be watching to see how this team fair this fall with some great starter’s gone and new replacements takes the field. 

South Alabama football making progress

The University of South Alabama football team went through a two-hour workout in shells Thursday morning at the practice fields on campus in preparation for its second scrimmage of the season.

“It was a good day. We tried to back off a little bit and practice at about 90 percent where we’re getting to the football, and I thought we did that,” head coach Joey Jones said. “They’re starting to get a little tired, so we have to be smart about what we’re doing. We have a great special teams period lined up for tomorrow, and then we’ll bring them back Saturday for the scrimmage. I’m really looking forward to see how well we do when we start putting it all together and look at how everyone concentrates during a game-type situation.”

Throughout  this preseason camp South Alabama has really come a long ways in improving their team to prepare for what will be there toughest schedule since the programs begin and entering into FBS (Division 1) play. The offensive line has really improved and adapted to the new offense. It will be very interested to see how these Jaguars showcase their talent in about two weeks when it’s game time.  

Thursday’s practice included group work on inside running plays, team blitz and a two-minute drill to close the workout. C.J. Bennett connected with Kendall Houston, Corey Besteda and Terrance Timmons during team blitz, while Ross Metheny completed passes to Besteda, Cameron Broadnax and Houston.

A touchdown pass from Bennett to T.J. Glover, and a pass completion from Metheny to Lavender that went for a big gain highlighted the 11-on-11 exercise.

The two-minute drill was highlighted by a big rush by Demetre Baker, and two pass receptions by Lavender from Bennett. The first unit’s drive ended on a missed 50-yard field goal attempt. The defense closed the drill with consecutive interceptions by E.J. May and Terrell Brigham.

The Jaguars will return to the practice field on campus this morning at 7:45am, and prepare for their second preseason scrimmage on Saturday morning at 8am. The scrimmage will be held at Ladd Pebbles Stadium and is closed to the public. 

With last Two-A-Day Sessions, Players ready to prove what they are worth at UL-Lafayette

With the end of preseason camp on the horizon, the Ragin’ Cajun football team took to the practice field for a pair of practices on Thursday, marking the final two practice session of the preseason.

The squad has only a Friday morning scrimmage and a single practice on Saturday left before breaking camp.  The Cajuns will take Sunday off and then focus on the start of fall semester classes on Monday, taking part in only a late afternoon weight room session.

When the team reports on Tuesday afternoon for practice, they will settle into the routine that will carry them through the season.  In a normal week in which the Cajuns play on Saturday, the UL players take Monday off from practice before holding full sessions the next three days.  Friday will either be a travel day or a light walk through.

Head coach Mark Hudspeth was happy with the performance on Friday, so much so that he changed the afternoon session from partial uniforms to just helmets, giving the players a physical break.

“We had a great attitude today,” Hudspeth said.  “We were as sharp as we have been this fall.

“I thought the offense ran the 2:00 drill about as good as they can.  The quarterbacks were sharp and the receivers continue to make a lot of plays.  I was also happy with the play of the secondary, which continues to get better the more we practice.

“The best part about today is that we had a great attitude and that is a great sign now that preseason camp is just about over and we will begin to juggle academics and football as we get into the regular season,” Hudspeth added.

Note:  One change in the UL roster became official on Thursday as freshmen Remaine Douglas and Darrien Batiste officially changed numbers. . .  Batiste started camp wearing 99 while Douglas was in 53, but the duo wanted preferred each other’s number and went so far as to switch numbers earlier in camp.

FAU football enters their last week of preseason camp

The Florida Atlantic University football team entered into its last week of preseason camp, Monday, with another two-a-day in preparation for Saturday's Fanfest, scheduled for 3 p.m. in the FAU on-campus stadium. Many fans for expected to turnout for this event in support of the Owls, their new coach and their brand new stadium.

The 9:30 a.m. session, after special teams and individual drills, began with Graham Wilbert taking snaps for full offense vs. defense. After a couple of keepers, the redshirt senior handed off to Damian Fortner for big yards through a hole on the right side, created by wideout Byron Hankerson. Melvin German III was next under center, giving off to Martese Jackson for a gain, then Stephen Curtis did the same with Fortner. The defensive play of the drill was a hit by linebacker David Hinds as Jonathan Wallace crossed the line of scrimmage.

The evening session opened with the offensive line creating back-to-back gaps for Martese Jackson. Wilbert found William Dukes 60 yards down field for the score. The evening also featured match-ups like linebackers vs. running backs. Hinds were the first to show what is expected. During the final period, it was defensive end Cory Henry who received the praise.

Florida Atlantic is looking for a surprising season after many predicted them to finish next to last. The Owls has had several losing seasons in the past and hoping to turn that around under new head coach Carl Pelini.