By Brad Welborn, Northwestern State Assistant Sports Information Director; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NATCHITOCHES – An expected boost in energy and intensity accompanyed the Northwestern State football team on Monday morning with its first fully padded practice of fall camp.
“It was physical. It was work. Guys were grinding and I think we got a lot out of it with some really good film to watch,” head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “We had to go at night that first week and that was like the preseason for the preseason. Now we’re in and we’re rolling and embracing the grind for a couple of weeks and today was a good start.”
With the restraints loosened a bit, both the offense and defense delivered their share of big plays during the multiple team periods throughout practice.
The defensive line, led by senior Tyler Lewis showed their mettle during the short-yardage period.
“The emphasis was to get off the ball and do what you do,” Lewis said. “Knock them back and make them work to make them better and us better. Iron sharpens iron. We all got after it today. The D-line was hyped up the O-line was hyped up and we went to work.
“We came out with an energy and mindset that it doesn’t matter if the offense goes 99 yards and we’re backed up on the goal line we have three plays to stop them we’re going to do it.”
The defenses’ success in the one-to-three yard to go situations did not come as a surprise to McCorkle.
“The defense is usually a little further along at this point in camp so that’s to be expected,” McCorkle said. “They were fast. They were physical. They got some guys in the backfield and made some plays. The offense answered though when they needed to. They can be a little more consistent there but all throughout camp there has been good give and take on both sides of the ball.”
That give and take showed itself again later in the morning as the offense capitalized on a handful of goal-to-go plays in one of the final full team periods of the day. The success on both sides of the ball creating more opportunity for film study during the evening portion of this week’s camp schedule.
“The practice is obviously brutally important,” McCorckle said. “You’ve got to get good work on the field on film. You have the rest of the day to lift, have walk throughs, meetings, watch that film. So, the rest of the day after practice is just as important as what you do on the field to learn and grow from one day to the next.”
The Demons resume practice at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning leading up to their first fall scrimmage on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.
“The biggest thing we harp on, especially defensively, is to get better everyday,” Lewis said. “Focus on one percent better and continual improvement. That’s something that Coach McCorkle preaches all the time. That’s what we have to focus on as we move to the rest of the day and the tomorrow.”