North Carolina State University Athletics
Football Preseason Diary, Day 19
8/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 25, 2001
I got to the stadium about an hour before the scrimmage started today, and there was Coach Amato, stretched out in the blazing sun on one of those aluminum benches, sound asleep. I guess preseason practice is pretty tiring for everyone.
Today's scrimmage was fun, whichever side of the ball you're pulling for. If you like the guys in white, the first half was great. If you're a bigger fan of those offensive guys in red, you would have liked the second half. Coach Amato called it "total domination" by the defense in the first half, and "total domination" by the offense in the second half.
Philip Rivers looked fantastic (check out his numbers in the story on the scrimmage). He is so confident and poised ... so in-control. It's great when there's nobody in the stands to hear him in the huddle and see how he really runs that offense. Five touchdowns to five different receivers - he makes those guys really look good (even though he would probably say it was the other way around).
Terrence Holt (surprise, surprise) blocked ANOTHER field goal. Later in the scrimmage, the offense lined up for a field goal and Olin Hannum was holding. Philip yelled from the sidelines, "Hey Holt. I'll buy you dinner if you block this one!" It was a fake - Olin ran it in for a 41-yard touchdown - so I guess Philip is safe.
Julius "Juice" Patterson had three interceptions. (Levar Fisher kept calling him "Juicer" from the sidelines - a new derivation of his nickname). Levar and "Thunder" Dan Burnette didn't play much in the second half - time given to the young guys.
A couple of the young wideouts made some nifty moves, especially Dovonte Edwards and Sterling Hicks. The young defensive backs continue to improve as well.
The guys will go to church together tomorrow morning, but will not have any football activities. So... I probably won't have a diary entry tomorrow. I don't think I've written enough of these to pull out any "classics" for republication, so I guess I'll just write again on Monday.
