University of Connecticut Athletics
August 9 Football Practice Update
8/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
STORRS, Conn. (August 9, 2007) -- The University of Connecticut football team held the fourth practice of its 2007 preseason training camp on Thursday afternoon in Storrs. The practice was held outdoors under warm sunny skies and began at 2:00 p.m. to both test the team's resolve during the hottest portion of the day and also help simulate the season opener at Duke on September 1 which is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff.
The team practiced in just shoulder pads and helmets again on Thursday. The session opened with kickoff return practice. After individual position group drills, the Huskies worked on first-and-ten plays followed by an installation period of blitz packages and blitz pickups on offense. After more team time, the Huskies worked on several elements of the punting game, including the always-delicate act of rushing to block a kick without also roughing the punter. UConn then worked for an extended period of time on long-yardage situations in both a half-line pass skeleton and as a full team before working on the two minute offense for the first time this fall. The defense, as is usual early in camp, held its ground in that drill as the offense didn't score until its final drive when a long run by Donald Brown helped set up a 34-yard Tony Ciaravino field goal which split the uprights. A lot of work was done but afterwards the team's coach didn't feel that it was the squad's finest hour.
“I didn't think that today was a real good day overall,” UConn head coach Randy Edsall said. “We put a lot of new stuff in today but I didn't think it was as sharp and as crisp as we would have liked. We'll have to look at the film but overall, I was not pleased. This is the first time we've been outside at the height of the heat of the day and we've got to get used to it and keep working and getting used to that and fight through it.
"I've been impressed with Terry Baltimore and the work he's done. Andre Dixon has had a great camp so far. There's a few bright spots but I'll have to look at the film to determine who our hard hat winners are.
"Tomorrow we will go into full pads for the first time and do some short yardage and goal line scrimmaging. I look forward to that. Today's practice not being great is just part of training camp and part of the progression. You don't get too concerned on the fourth day in. We've put a lot more stuff in already than we usually have at this point in practice because so many of them were around working on it on their own this summer. With all the stuff we did install today and being in the heat, we just didn't handle it as well as I would have liked us to."
In addition, the first ever Hard Hat of the Day awards were presented this morning as tailback Lou Allen (Salem, Conn.) and linebacker Danny Lansanah (Harrisburg, Pa.) were recognized for their exemplary performances on offense and defense, respectively, during Wednesday's practice.
The Huskies return to the practice field on Friday afternoon. It is the fifth day of UConn camp and thus the first which can be in full pads per NCAA guidelines.
NOTES: Weather permitting, UConn will hold its first open practice on Saturday afternoon. The second half of the team’s first two-a-day session will be held at Memorial Stadium in Storrs from 4:15 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. and all fans are invited to attend. Fans will be able to get autographs from their favorite Huskies afterwards as well.
