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University of Minnesota Athletics
Blog: Full Pads, Contact Highlight Practice No. 4
4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Pads popping and an Oklahoma drill highlighted Practice No. 4 of Minnesota’s 2009 spring practice.
Tuesday’s practice marked the first time the Gophers were allowed to work out with full pads and contact and they took full advantage of it. After their normal warm-up session, some individual work and some special teams work, the full contact portion of practice really got under way.
The offense and defense each broke off into three groups and those groups battled each other in the famous Oklahoma drill. In the drill, an area roughly 10-15 yards wide is blocked off with a pair of blocking dummies. An offensive player blocks one defensive player while a running back takes a handoff and must run between the dummies. Meanwhile, the defensive player’s goal is to shed his blocker and tackle the ball-carrier.
There was some good competition during the drill, which always brings out some enthusiasm amongst the coaches and players. One of the most enthusiastic about the drill is Gophers’ head coach Tim Brewster.
“It’s good stuff,” Brewster said after practice. “It is always a highlight for me. The Oklahoma drill is a great way to establish tempo at a practice. Our kids came out ready to go and there were some sparks flying.”
Click here for a photo gallery from Tuesday’s practice, complete with photos from the Oklahoma drill.
Brewster said he was pleased with how his team reacted to its first day in full pads.
“It was fun,” he said. “It was good. I thought they responded to having the pads on and the physicality of it. We want to be a hard-nosed, physical football team and we practiced like one today.”
Despite the fact that he’s unable to take part in any contact, quarterback Adam Weber also thought his teammates were happy to see some live action.
“I think the guys really enjoyed getting out there and hitting each other a little bit,” Weber said. “It’s nice to go out there and really attack each other and see what our offense and defense really look like.”
Weber also said the offense is being installed slowly, but surely. He said he believes most of the offense will be installed by the end of spring, so the team is able to hit the ground running in preseason camp. Weber also said he appreciates the fact that he’s even on the field, despite not being allowed any contact as he recovers from surgery on his non-throwing shoulder.
“We weren’t quite sure what I’d be able to do in spring ball,” Weber said. “Initially, we didn’t even think I’d do spring ball. Now, it has gotten to the point where my shoulder feels good and with the rehab, I’m able to do everything. They just put me in a pretty, little red jersey, so nobody hits me.”
Brewster is pleased that his starting quarterback is on the field, as well.
“At this point, he isn’t missing a beat,” the Gopher head coach said. “He’s taken all the reps. We’re doing a good job, defensively, of not getting around him too much in competitive situations. Adam’s full speed and he’s doing a nice job.”
The Gophers will hit the practice field again Thursday afternoon.
-Andy Seeley
