Eagles Wrap Up Fall Camp
Aug. 19, 2008
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The next time the Carson-Newman football team hits someone full-speed, they'll be wearing a different uniform...finally.
The Eagles wrapped up fall camp with a 90-minute scrimmage Tuesday night in Burke-Tarr Stadium. It was C-N's third scrimmage in five days, and the toll of the large amount of "game-speed" action was beginning to show in the eyes of Eagle head coach Ken Sparks.
"We've had a tough fall camp," said Sparks, whose team is picked to win their 20th South Atlantic Conference title. "Things have been physical, and this group continues to respond well. We held a lot of people out tonight. A few were in uniform ready to play, and we made them take off the pads."
The first and second team offense and defense pounded on each other for a quarter, before Sparks quickly moved down the depth chart.
Junior Alex Good (Greensboro, N.C.) continued his impressive fall. The Eagles' signal-caller took his second snap of the scrimmage, and sprinted around left end for 46 yards. On the next play, he would find junior Reggie Hubbard (Chattanooga, Tenn.) over the top for a 26-yard touchdown. The drive reminded Eagles fans of 2007, when C-N scored 24 of its 70 touchdowns in under a minute.
"Alex has been one of our best players in camp," Sparks said of his junior quarterback. "He has to be our most consistent player, and he's started to show he the potential."
Junior running back Buck Wakefield (Drummonds, Tenn.) finished camp stronger than he started. The first team All-SAC selection "ripped" in from 13-yards out. He also had the special teams play of the night, returning a kickoff 90 yards from a touchdown.
Defensive ends Darius Wrentz (Miami, Fla.) and Randolph Saint-Fleur (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) also caught the eye of their coach.
"(Wrentz and Saint-Fleur) are making plays," Sparks added. "We need playmakers on defense. Wrentz has come a long way to be a leader for us, and I like what Saint is starting to do."
Sophomore Revel Coffey (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) had a 16-yard punt return, and appears to be the first option at that spot. Senior Joel Statham (Chatsworth, Ga.) also had a touchdown pass, hooking up with Hubbard from 15 yards out.
Carson-Newman will move into game preparations in Wednesday's practice. The Eagles will workout Wednesday through Friday in the afternoon, and again on Saturday morning, before taking Sunday off.
The Eagles open next Thursday night (Aug. 28) at Concord (W.Va.) at 7 p.m. A week later (Sept. 4), the C-N will host 4th-ranked North Alabama at 8 p.m. in Burke-Tarr Stadium. For tickets, call (865) 471-3396.
