Spring Football Notebook No. 11
April 09, 2010 | Football
April 9, 2010
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina resumed its spring practice schedule with a shells-only workout Friday afternoon inside the Cliff Moore Practice Complex. The shortened two-hour session also put the finishing touches on preparation efforts for the Pirates' second official intra-squad scrimmage scheduled for late Saturday morning at the practice facility.
Similar to last week, first-year head coach Ruffin McNeill expects all levels of ECU's positional roster to experience action and be evaluated during Saturday's contest, which is tentatively scripted for a minimum of 90 to 100 plays.
"We've only got four more days left, so it seems every one becomes more important," McNeill said. "We're looking forward to the scrimmage as it's another opportunity to evaluate in game-like conditions. If the intensity tomorrow is anything like it was today, it should be a pretty good battle out there. There were many positives today that we can build on, especially on special teams. We might have started to turn the corner there."
McNeill trimmed 30 minutes off Friday's schedule in an effort to ensure freshness for the scrimmage, which will serve as East Carolina's 12th practice day of the spring. The Pirates went through abbreviated individual segments but still spent considerable time in special teams and 30-snap skeleton and team periods. The seven-on-seven drills emphasized redzone and goal line situations.
McNeill announced Friday that junior linebacker Austin Haynes has been dismissed from the team for repeated violations of team rules and a recent arrest by the Greenville Police Department on a misdemeanor charge of communicating threats. Haynes had played 11 career games with the Pirates, recording all three tackles as a member of the special teams squad in 2008. He appeared in five contests during the 2009 campaign, but was not credited with any stops.
"Austin has been dismissed because of choices and conduct we will not accept or tolerate in our program at East Carolina," McNeill said. "I have had an opportunity to discuss this with Austin and he understands this action. While we are both disappointed with the outcome, my hope is that this will turn into a beneficial lesson for him in life."
NOTES: McNeill also announced that junior wide receiver Darryl Freeney will miss the remainder of spring drills and be excused from all football team-related activities for the rest of the spring semester to re-focus on academic responsibilities ... Redshirt freshman RB Michael Dobson turned in 15-yarders on back-to-back receptions - grabbing swing and shovel passes from QB Brad Wornick during the team period ... Junior WR Joe Womack was on the receiving end of a 62-yarder from QB Josh Jordan while junior CB Emanuel Davis netted an interception from a tipped pass to spark the defense during the same segment ... FB Ben Herlocker (concussion), WR Michael Bowman (concussion) and RB Norman Whitley (knee) are among the new entries on the injury report and will not play Saturday ... Whitley suffered his injury during Friday's practice ... Following Saturday's scrimmage, which will be conducted at the practice facility because of construction-related hazards on or near the playing surface, the Pirates will have just two more weekday afternoon sessions remaining before completing its workout schedule with the playing of the Purple-Gold Game April 17.
EAST CAROLINA'S 2010 SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Next Workout: Saturday, April 10 (11:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
Remaining Workouts: April 12, April 14 and April 17 (Purple-Gold Game, 2:00 p.m.)
Remaining General Public/Open Practice Date: April 14
