North Carolina State University Athletics
2005 Preseason Diary, Day Five
8/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 6, 2005
Tonight's practice was a good teaching time for the Wolfpack coaches. Instead of coming out in the middle of this hot day in Raleigh, the team didn't get on the field until around 6, with period 1 starting around 7 after special teams work. Without pads, the work is more mental, and practice began with work on formations.
There was also a lot of individual position work tonight - the wideouts went up against the DBs, the two lines went against each other. Coach Stroud loves to work the defensive line on the five-man sled. He sits on it and pushes on the brake, while the players wait for the whistle and hit the sled. The machine helps teach them to stay low and maintain good pad position. Sometimes, they hit, the roll left or right, then hit again, then roll again, then run back. It's certainly the loudest thing at practice during these days without pads.
Practice ended with 11-on-11 work. Because no one can hit the quarterback and there is no tackling, the offense tends to look pretty good in this drill. Sterling Hicks caught a couple of long balls and Lamart Barrett and Tramain Hall also had some good catches. Toney Baker once again made a long run after a couple of nifty moves, and Andre Brown had one carry when he burst through the middle of the line, spun off a blocker and ran for paydirt.
Don't think the defense is just laying down though - Oliver Hoyte and Stephen Tulloch both made some big plays. They're running the first three teams in and out frequently, so a lot of players are getting reps.
We've had officials out there for the last two days, which is a little unusual this early in the season. False starts are obviously a point of emphasis. Every time one is called, the perpetrator has to run to the opposite endzone and back.
Practice finished with just four half-gassers - Coach Amato told the team that if they will work hard the whole practice, they won't run as much afterwards. "Somebody get that on tape!" yelled one of the players after he called them up to end practice.
Tomorrow, the team will attend church together and have lunch at the Murphy. Most of the players will have study hall at some point, since summer school exams start on Monday. Monday afternoone, they'll be in shells (shorts and shoulder pads).
