Excitement abounds at UWA
By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
August 12, 2004
LIVINGSTON, Ala. The Univeristy of West Alabama football program is off on the right foot after getting their fall practices underway.
"Right now it's going well," said UWA head coach Sam McCorkle of the practices. "The guys are working hard. We've got a ways to go but we are trying to get better every practice."
UWA will open the season on Aug. 28 in Birmingham, Ala. against the 1-AA Bulldogs of Samford University.
"It's going to take a great effort," said McCorkle. "They are one of the top teams in the Ohio Valley Conference. We both have the same amount of time to prepare and we need to put all our effort into the time we have."
According to McCorkle, the players have adapted to the system very well.
"We have some new players and some new schemes they are getting used to," McCorkle. "We've got a new defensive coordinator in Rick Butler and the defensive players have responded well to him.
"I think there is a good mind set," said McCorkle. "They are excited about getting the season started."
UWA also had a pair of transfers come into the program during the summer which should help the team.
"We were fortunate to have two transfers come," said McCorkle. "P.J. Ezell and Alvin Garrett have come in and will be eligible. They have been looking great."
The Tigers began practice at midnight on Aug. 7, which was the first time the teams were allowed to practice.
"We wanted to used every bit of our time," said McCorkle. "It was something different and I think it worked the way we hoped it would."
The Tigers have been working conditioning drills in the afternoon and strapped on the pads for the first time on Wednesday. The team will begin three-a-days today.
According to McCorkle, the conditioning has gone well but there has been no heat.
"The problem has been we have had no heat," said McCorkle. "It's hard to adjust to playing in heat when you haven't had any real heat yet. It's been overcast and rainy the past couple of days. I guess we can ease into the heat but we hope we can get some heat because it helps in the conditioning process."
