East Carolina Wraps Up Second Week Of Spring Work
March 09, 2006 | Football
March 9, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Calling it a "respectable" start, East Carolina Head Football Coach Skip Holtz wrapped up the second week of spring workouts by guiding the Pirates through a 140-minute practice Thursday afternoon at the Cliff Moore Practice Complex.
The session was ECU's sixth of the spring and fourth conducted in pads.
The Pirates completed their first phase of the spring with detailed individual and team drill work, and will begin in-depth offensive and defensive schematic emphasis after returning from the Spring Break holidays. Holtz also cited the continuation of strong senior leadership as one of the positive experiences coming out of the first two weeks of work.
"Although we weren't as sharp the last two days as we were during the first four practices, I remain pleased with the leadership and on-the-field coaching our seniors have provided," Holtz said. "Every senior class has its own identity and I'm confident that they will continue to take ownership of this team."
Another area on the Pirates' offensive unit which is wide open this spring is the tight end position where departed seniors Shawn Levesque and Sean Harmon accounted for all 10 catches recorded out of that particular slot a year ago. The void of returning experienced personnel has opened the door for competition between four candidates in junior walk-on Stanley Bryant (6-foot-5, 254 pounds), sophomore converted quarterback Davon Drew (6-4, 242), junior Jay Sonnhalter (6-5, 246) and red-shirt freshman walk-on Martin Tanski (6-3, 231).
Sonnhalter, who transferred into the ECU program from Wingate prior to the 2004 season, experienced significant action on the offensive side of the ball last spring before contributing as a key special teams performer during the 2005 campaign. Drew was officially moved to tight end over the winter and has earned praise from Holtz for his work in the weight room preparing himself for the position change after spending the first two years at quarterback.
"Davon has responded very well to everything we've asked him to do," Holtz said. "He has really come on strong and made a significant amount of progress since we opened camp. Jay has been solid to say the least, providing us with stability and consistency in that position."
Thursday's practice preceded an 11-day layoff for the Pirates, who will return to open their third week of workouts Monday, March 20 and start preparations for ECU's first full intra-squad scrimmage scheduled for Friday, March 24 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
