Football Completes First Spring Workout

Football Completes First Spring Workout

Wide receivers, offensive tackles earn praise from head coach

Utah State University's football team opened its spring practices with a two-hour workout under the watchful eye of Aggie head coach Mick Dennehy Monday (March 22). Utah State lists 81 players on its pre-spring roster, including 43 returning lettermen. Among the returnees are 12 starters, including wide receiver Raymond Hicks.

Hicks is the leading returning receiver, but caught only 13 passes for 183 yards and one touchdown last year.

"It felt pretty good," Hicks said about the first practice. "I just have to get back into the swing of things as far as conditioning and catching the ball. We are just trying to work on what we didn't complete last year."

"For the first day as a group we did pretty well," Hicks said of the wide receivers. "We have a lot of young guys and have a lot of teaching to do. As far as myself, I did pretty well today. I have a lot of things to do to get myself better. Hopefully this spring I will get better."

Dennehy was pleased with the wide receivers, which is a thin group after losing starters Kenny Coleman and Chris Stallworth, who each caught 37 balls a year ago.

"I was really pleased with how Tusahambi Evans looked, how Kevin Robinsonlooked and how Lawrence Lovelace looked." Dennehy said of three newcomers at the position. "I think we are better there. They have got to work hard every day because the more we put in, the more confusion they are going to have. I just liked the way they handled themselves after one day."

Dennehy also praised two freshmen linemen, who will be in a battle for the right tackle position, which was vacated when 2003 starter Elliott Tupea was moved to right guard this spring.

"I really liked how our two freshmen right tackles played," Dennehy said. "Matt Reese and Pace Jorgensen. I thought they batttled hard. They knew what they were doing. They didn't always accomplish it, but they played hard and I think they are very coachable."

Linebacker Nate Fredrick was just glad to get practice started.

"It felt really good," said weakside linebacker Nate Fredrick. "It was about as hard as a full padded practice. I am as tired as can be. Coach (David Kotulski) had us running around like crazy. It feels good to be out again. The team is miles ahead of where we were last year and we are going to step it up a little bit and progress from here."

USU practiced without pads on Monday and will do the same on Wednesday.

"It is a little easier to come out without pads on and play around," Dennehy said. "I think the tell-tale will be Friday and Saturday when we pad up and the defense is allowed to do more as far as contact is concerned.

"From the standpoint of organization and guys knowing, basically where they are supposed to go and what they are supposed to do, I thought the kids did a pretty good job today," Dennehy said.