Pirates Finish Work For Opening Scrimmage
August 12, 2011 | Football
Aug. 12, 2011
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina finalized preparations for its first intra-squad scrimmage of preseason camp with a two-hour practice in shells Friday morning at the Cliff Moore Practice Complex and Hight Field. Head coach Ruffin McNeill shortened the workout to ensure freshness for Saturday's initial scrimmage.
"We're still pushing through some things," McNeill said. "The team is still growing. There is still some growth mentally we have to go through to get the players where we want them. And physically, too, with Coach [Jeff] Connors."
Friday's practice was structured much like Thursday's with 25 minutes of team-on-team after the offense and defense spent approximately 15 minutes in skeleton drills. The Pirates took an additional 20 minutes working with special teams. All three groups focused on play execution and schematic understanding heading into Saturday's scrimmage.
The contest, held at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, will serve primarily as a personnel evaluation designed to produce the program's first internal depth chart of the season.
"There are some guys who are emerging and crossing that line I keep talking about," McNeill added. "It's the line of performance and mental and physical preparation needed to win championships here. The progress is there each day. I see some groups and individuals stepping up.
"Camp is hard," McNeill continued. "We just have to keep pushing through that wall. One of the things we talked to them about today was the wall. Everybody goes through it. That wall we're asking them to fight through, climb over and even knock down is a process."
Notes
Saturday's intra-squad scrimmage will be closed to the public ... McNeill announced the addition of offensive lineman Kenneth Freeman to the 105-man roster ... Freeman replaces redshirt freshman offensive lineman Drew Gentry, who suffered a left knee injury Thursday and will be sidelined indefinitely ... Redshirt freshman defensive back Desi Brown (right shoulder) and senior offensive lineman Doug Polochak (left shoulder) missed their third day of practice due to injury.
Saturday's Scrimmage Time: 8:45 - 10:45 a.m.
Season Opener: Sept. 3 vs. South Carolina in Charlotte (7:00 p.m.)
