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Freeze Pleased With Energy At Tuesday’s Practice
OXFORD, Miss. – For the
second time this spring, weather forced the Rebel football team indoors
for practice but the change in scenery did nothing to affect the team’s
intensity and energy during practice Tuesday.
The
football program also held its Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day during
Tuesday’s practice with more than 75 professors and administrators on
hand to watch practice and eat dinner with the team and coaching staff
after practice.
“I loved the energy,” head coach Hugh
Freeze said after the team’s practice in the Indoor Practice
Facility. “I thought everybody was flying around and playing with
great passion and that’s what we’ve got to have to get where we want to
get in year one. I’m really pleased with this padded practice
before we have to go one more non-padded before Saturday. I thought
there was great competition. Offense won the first competition,
defense won the team pass by a landslide then the offense came back and
won a close one at the end on the first down one so it was a great day.”
After
having a chance to review the game film from Saturday’s scrimmage,
Freeze said he has already seen some improvements in Tuesday’s practice
but added there are still improvements that need to be made.
“Offensively
we do not have an awareness of staying on schedule,” he said.
“From quarterbacks to receivers to running backs, second and threes
become third and sixes because we don’t understand its second and three
and we have to stay on schedule. I thought there was some better play
on the offensive line in the run game in the scrimmage. When we
went to our tempo stuff, the defense got tired and got a little sloppy
other than that they really dominated the series. Some of it is
they may still not be playing free and fast and are having to think too
much and that will come but I wish it would come a little faster.”
Freeze also commented on his quarterbacks Barry Brunetti and Bo Wallace.
“Brunetti
threw for a few more yards but I thought Wallace did a few more things
to keep us on schedule,” Freeze said. “It’s not so much that you
are getting huge gains but getting one yarders instead of a minus
five. We just can’t take a negative play in this offense and
survive.”
When it comes to the run game, the offensive
line has caught Freeze’s eye as he commented the group for their
improvement throughout spring drills.
“I really had very
little preconceived notions because they lost Bradley Sowell and Bobby
Massie I think (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line coach) Matt
Luke has done a wonderful job in preparing them. I think our
first group right now has no doubt improved in the run game. We
are still a long way away in pass protection and we have to have some
of that second team improve in the off season.”
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