Aug. 18, 2005

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - With most of the second week of preseason camp already past, head coach Frank Tavani says the Leopards are installing some new packages and getting review work in as his team prepares for its scrimmage on Monday, Aug. 22.

"On Monday, we'll be getting a lot of work done in our most intense scrimmage during camp," Tavani said. "We'll also continue to do our segmented scrimmages in practice, but this will be our opportunity as a coaching staff to watch guys block, tackle and make plays in a game-like setting. We have to get enough plays on video tape to be able to break it down and make decisions not only on our first and second units, but our scout team since we're going to start zeroing in on Marist for the opener."

Lafayette will go through a series of scripted plays and line up for approximately 100 snaps in the day's only practice. Emphasis will be placed on third-down situations, red zone offense and defense, and moving the football out of the shadow of the goalposts. The scrimmage will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Lafayette's Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex.

Tavani also shared his thoughts on the progress his team has made during camp, focusing on a defense which returns 11 players with starting experience.

"The defense is ahead of the offense, as it should be right now. Some of that is a product of having everybody back on that side of the ball, but the other side of it is getting the timing of the offense down and executing the way we have to," Tavani mentioned.

"The front four on the defensive line are playing really well," Tavani continued. "Behind those guys, Kyle Sprenkle has looked really good, and Stephen McFarlane is battling it out to earn some time at the end spot.

"In the secondary, our safeties, Bryan Kazimierowski and Torian Johnson, have been sitting out a couple practices, which has given a number of other players (Trey Martell, Taj Murphy, Marcel Quarterman and Jeff Sejour) an opportunity to step in and excel."

"We've had a physical camp and as always, there are some minor injuries, but if this were game week we'd have them most of them ready to go," Tavani explained.

The season opener is just 16 days away, as Lafayette begins a season which will include seven home games with a trip to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. for a 7 p.m. start against Marist on Sept. 3.