Spring Practice Update - Angelo State

Rams get physical in Spring

Courtesy ASU Sports Information
Release 4-3-2008

One week into spring practices, Angelo State head football coach Dale Carr is excited about his Rams this fall.

The addition of two new coaches on the defensive side of the ball delayed the Rams' spring drill one month later than the normal schedule for Carr in his previous two springs, but he feels the break in tradition was not a bad thing.

"We come into the spring wanting to have more physical off-season practices than we have had in the past," Carr said. "The irony is that we are practicing later than we have the past couple seasons. This fall, we want to be one of the more physical teams that people see. We plan to come out of the spring used to a lot of contact and more consistent with our execution.

"Carr is most excited about the many familiar faces in spring workouts. The Rams loss just five players from the 2007 squad due to graduation and experience is showing in the drills this past week.

"We've thrown a lot on the team offensively in the first week and have just about everything in that we finished the season with," Carr said. "That's something you can do when you have a more mature team and when you bring most of the squad back. Defensively, our upperclassmen have picked up a lot and have not lost a step.

"We showed great strides in the weight room leading up to spring practices," Carr continued. "This is the strongest that we have had entering spring drills since I've been here. The upperclassmen did great and the set a good example for the underclassmen. The later practices allowed us to get more done in the weight room.

"Helping to mentor the defense this fall will be defensive coordinator Matt Fryar and defensive line coach Brandon Lacy. Fryar returns to his alma mater after spending the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator at powerhouse Odessa Permian High School while Lacy comes to ASU from Rice University.

"Matt and Brandon take the field with enthusiasm," Carr commented. "They are two young coaches and bring newness to our program that has infused our defense with confidence.

"The Rams will have their first of three scheduled scrimmages on Friday afternoon, Apr. 4. The scrimmage will begin approximately 3:15 p.m. on the Rams' practice field next to the ASU Multipurpose Sport Complex.

"Our first scrimmage will be very scripted and without officials," Carr said. "It won't be a game-like situation, but it will be a good test for our guys."