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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Continue Two-A-Day Workouts
8/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
It was a beautiful Wednesday morning on the University of Minnesota campus as the Golden Gopher football team completed the morning session of its two-a-day practice schedule. The noticeably up-tempo workout was a productive one, as both positional and team drills yielded positive results.
“Our kids are really starting to understand that practice tempo has got to be game speed,” said head coach Tim Brewster after the two-hour session. “For us to be any good at all, for us to be the type of football team we need to be, we need to practice fast every day.”
Quarterbacks Tony Mortensen and Adam Weber continued to split first-team duties, with both the junior and redshirt freshman earning roughly the same amount of first-team snaps. Weber delivered at least two impressive passes during team drills, finding tight end Jack Simmons on a 15-yard crossing route and wideout Michael Karsten on a deep toss down the middle of the field. His speed and athleticism were also on display during a number of designed runs.
“Adam is doing a very nice job,” Brewster said. “We’ve already said that he’s doing a much better job as a student of the game studying the game. He’s got excellent physical attributes and he’s doing a very nice job.”
Mortensen also showed flashes with both his legs and arm, executing a play-action scramble off-tackle and finding running back Amir Pinnix for a number of well-timed screen passes.
“I don’t like a quarterback to get too high or two low I like them to be on a even keel, and that’s kind of how Tony plays the game,” Brewster said.
Wednesday’s morning practice once again featured a number of shotgun formations and passing sets, and Coach Brewster was quick to point out the improvement that both QBs have shown in the passing game.
“I think both of those guys are becoming more accurate passers,” Brewster said about Weber and Mortensen. “Accuracy is hard to improve, but through hard work and repetition you can become a little more accurate, and I think those guys are.
“They’re still competing each day, and each day I kinda think a different guy steps up. That’s a normal process,” Brewster said.
Special teams work also figured in during the morning practice, with both the kickoff and punt teams logging time on the main practice field.
“We’ve got to do a better job kicking the ball and we’ve got to do a better job punting the ball,” Brewster said. “I was pleased this morning on our short-field punts, because we downed three punts inside the 10-yard line. That is my mantra I demand it. If we punt the ball into the end zone on a short field, I’m not going to be a happy camper. That’s something we’re going work very hard at.”
Other highlights from Wednesday’s early morning action included defensive tackle Eric Small busting through the line to force a fumble, linebacker Steve Moore charging through untouched to notch a would-be sack and Pinnix flashing his considerable speed on a number of outside runs.
Minnesota will hold Wednesday’s second practice during the late afternoon. Thursday will feature just a single practice as two-a-days resume Friday morning.
