Practice Blog 17 - Defense Stymies Offense in Goal Line Drills
August 21, 2009 | Football
Aug. 21, 2009
Louisville, Ky.- - Each day we are getting a little closer to the 2009 season opener against Indiana State on September 5.
I know the players are starting to get that way, as camp continues to grind on. The players have gone 16 straight days without a day off. I guess the trip to Fort Knox was considered a day off, but it was still a day the players put in a hard days work.
"It's just part of camp" said defensive end Greg Scruggs. "It's a grind, no question. But we are getting through it and are working very hard. I like the way things are coming together."
Thursday's practice was #17 and the players have one more before their scrimmage on Saturday. The team will practice again on Friday afternoon.
After Saturday's scrimmage, the Cardinals will take Sunday and Monday off, before returning to the practice field on Tuesday to start game preparations for Indiana State.
Thursday's practice was looking like just another practice until head coach Steve Kragthorpe put the team live for goal-line situations. Without Joe Tronzo and Vic Anderson, who were returning to the practice field after minor injuries, the defense stuffed the offense on a couple of occasions. Those two players were held out of the goal-line situation.
Safety Juntin Mathews made the hit of camp when he busted off the edge and blasted Blayne Donnell for no gain.
However, the offense did score the first time they touched the football when Justin Burke lofted a pass into the end zone that was caught by tight end Rock Keys.
Donnell later did have a short touchdown run, but it was tough going in there for the most part.
I asked a couple of the offensive linemen at dinner what happened in there and they said they made a few mistakes on their blocking assisgnments that they will get fixed. But a couple said, its a little different without Tronzo leading the way.
It was good to see the fire and the intensity during those final two periods. They got after each other for the final two periods of practice,
One good sight at practice was offensive lineman Joe Evinger. The JUCO All-American was admitted to school after a long and stressful ordeal on him getting his final grades. It was great to see him out there in shorts and a helmet. He must go through the first four days in practice in shorts before he can put full pads on.
