7th-Ranked Eagles Report to Camp
Aug. 6, 2008
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The 7th-ranked Carson-Newman Eagles reported to campus Wednesday to begin preparations for the 2008 season. C-N will have over 180 in their first practice.
The Eagles, who split the South Atlantic Conference title a season ago, return seventeen starters, nine on offense and eight on defense, from a team that finished 10-1 and ranked 14th nationally (AFCA). While the Eagles resume' in '07 was deserving of a berth in the 24-team NCAA Playoffs, Carson-Newman was bumped from the postseason by a formality called "Earned Access," leaving the Eagles to wonder "what if."
Head Coach Ken Sparks, who begins his 29th season at Mossy Creek, says his team has moved on from the snub, and is aiming much higher.
"Our focus is on 2008," says Sparks. "We can't do anything about last season, we can only get our heads and hearts in the right place to tackle something much bigger than football."
Carson-Newman has spent the last weeks trying to put the finishing touches its new football operations building, which sits in the south end zone of Burke-Tarr Stadium. The 35, 000 sq. ft. facility houses new Eagle locker rooms, training rooms, a 10,000 sq. ft. weight room, as well as football offices and meeting rooms.
"I really can't begin to tell you how blessed we are," says Sparks. "This is a tremendous facility for this College and program. We're truly blessed by the hundreds of people that have made this a reality."
While the Eagle Football has a new home, a number of familiar faces will don the Orange and Blue this fall.
Junior quarterback Alex Good (Greensboro, N.C.), one of five Eagles named first team All-SAC in the preseason, will lead an offense that returns nine starters from a unit that scored at least 49 points in every conference game a season ago.
Junior running back Buck Wakefield (Drummonds, Tenn.) and junior wide out Reggie Hubbard (Chattanooga, Tenn.) will be two of Good's key weapons. The two combined for over 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.
The challenge for Sparks will be on defense. C-N must replace linebacker Eric Rice, the 2007 SAC Defensive Player of the Year, and defensive tackle Anthony Toribio, who is now a Miami Dolphin. However, eight starters return including All-American candidate Darius Wrentz (Miami) at defensive end, and the entire secondary, led by first team All-SAC selection Denares Waites (Alma, Ga.) at safety, and the '07 SAC Defensive Freshman of the Year in Revel Coffey (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) at cornerback.
"We have some experienced people back," notes Sparks. "You still have to make it come together. Our job now is to get eleven working as one, and we don't have long to do it...but for now, you have to start with the basics, and that's what we're going to do."
C-N opens the season on the road Aug. 28 at Concord (W.Va.). The Eagles return home the following Thursday night for a nationally-televised showdown with North Alabama in one of the marquee matchups in Division II this season. The Lions were 10-2 a season ago and are ranked 2nd-nationally to open the year.
The Eagles were picked by the coaches as the preseason favorite to win their 20th South Atlantic Conference title under Sparks. To do so, C-N will have survive a tough road schedule that includes Newberry (Sept. 27), Catawba (Oct. 11) and Tusculum (Nov. 8).
Carson-Newman will hold its first scrimmage of the fall on Friday, Aug. 15 at 8:50 a.m. in Burke-Tarr Stadium. The Eagles will also scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 16th at 6 p.m.
-C-N-
