Eagles hold first practice of spring
Feb. 16, 2009
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- The best way for the Carson-Newman football team to forget about the disappointment of the 2008 season is to get out on the gridiron and begin working to improve for next season.
The Eagles did just that on Monday afternoon as they began spring practice at Mossy Creek with a brief and light workout. C-N head coach Ken Sparks is ecstatic about getting the chance to see his team in action for the first time in three months.
"I am excited about spring practice," Sparks said. "We've got a lot of things to improve on and a lot of things to work on. I hope that everybody is as excited about it as I am."
C-N had an up and down season in 2008 after beginning the year ranked as high as No. 6 nationally. The Eagles went 7-4, won a share of the South Atlantic Conference title and received a bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs, where Valdosta State eliminated them 24-20 in the first round. C-N committed 14 turnovers in its four losses and lost the games by a combined 18 points.
The theme the Eagles are taking into spring practice is "To Be Real." Sparks said he hopes his team will come to practice every day ready to work hard and grow together.
"The letters r-e-a-l are for right effort, right attitude and right living," Sparks explained. "That's what we are going to emphasize this spring."
A long list of key players will miss spring practice because of injuries or offseason surgeries, and Sparks said it will be an excellent chance for some younger players to make a statement for playing time.
"That's what spring practice is about," Sparks said. "It's about developing depth and identifying some people that you know that you can count on. That's what we are looking forward to in spring practice."
The Eagles return nine All-SAC performers from 2008 led by quarterback Alex Good (Greensboro, N.C.). Good directed a C-N offense that finished the year ranked third in the nation in rushing with 308.3 yards per game. He finished his junior campaign with 1,349 yards passing and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 918 yards and 12 scores.
Joining Good as a returning starter in the backfield will be first team All-SAC running back Buck Wakefield (Drummonds, Tenn.), who rushed for 944 yards and 16 scores in 2008.
First team All-SAC receiver Reggie Hubbard (Chattanooga, Tenn.) will also be back on offense after hauling in 18 passes for 416 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
On the defensive side of the ball, C-N will have the services of 2007 first team All-SAC safety Denares Waites (Alma, Ga.), who missed all of 2008 with a wrist injury.
The Eagles will have three other All-SAC performers returning on defense, including first team selections Brian Brown (Hartwell, Ga.) and Mario Russell (Columbus, Ohio) and a second team selection in defensive tackle Brandon Harmon (Houston, Texas).
Brown and Russell tied for the team lead in tackles last season with 56. Brown also had a team-high 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. Russell finished in a tie for the team lead in interceptions with two, while Harmon tallied 36 tackles, including five for a loss.
"We have a lot of the guys coming back that were voted All-SAC last year," Sparks said. "It will be interesting to see how they follow up on that, and we've got several guys that have an opportunity to step up. I'm just anxious to see what they do with it."
C-N's first week of spring practice (Mon.-Fri. at 3:45 p.m. each day) will conclude on Saturday with a scrimmage slated to start at 9:30 a.m.
The list of Eagles expected to miss spring practice because of injury or offseason surgery include: QB Doug Belk (Valdosta, Ga.), TE Ayrus Gaines (Dallas, Texas), OL Ross Shaffer (Hendersonville, N.C.), OL Tilmon Hollingshead (Kennesaw, Ga.), OL Jeff Weaver (Marietta, Ga.), DT Isaac Jones (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Waites, Brown, QB Alex Rouse (Maryville, Tenn.), WR Caleb Cornett (Macon, Ga.), DB Revel Coffey (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) and OL Pace Melvin (Bristol, Va.).
