March 31, 2006
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette football team concluded its first week of spring practice Friday with the fifth of 15 sessions allowed by the NCAA. The Leopards practiced Saturday and Sunday in helmets only, then donned full pads for drills Monday, Thursday and Friday.
"We moved slowly and kept things pretty basic the first week," head coach Frank Tavani explained. "We're installing our packages two practices at a time, then using the third for review so that's how things will progress week-to-week."
"We're working in three new coaches and new personnel groupings so we want to build confidence and put our guys in a position to compete for roles," Tavani continued. "I'm aiming to get some scrimmage work in late Thursday and Friday next week and we'll reassess things from there. As I've always said, it comes down to finding a group of players willing to block, tackle and make plays."
Tavani has been particularly pleased with the progress of the defense, which has lost six starters off a unit that ranked ninth in the nation in 2005, allowing 17.0 points per game.
"Marvin Snipes (defensive end), Justin Stovall (linebacker) and Torian Johnson (safety) give us three seniors who are right at the top of the Patriot League at their positions," Tavani said. "Brian Reddy and Andy Romans (both sophomores) are also coming right along as linebackers and are both good-looking athletes."
The seventh-year head coach, who has led Lafayette to two straight Patriot League championships and consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, singled out the tailback position as one to watch on the offensive side of the ball.
"Jonathan Hurt and Anthony D'Urso are giving us exactly what we expected as upperclassmen, but I've been especially impressed with Tim Watson and Maurice White, along with Brandon Mitchell," Tavani said. "Chris Williams would have been in that mix as well, but we liked what he'd be able to do for us at fullback."
"Across the board, we're very comfortable with our depth in the two-deep. That competition has really made us better."
Lafayette will open the 2006 season on Sept. 2 at Sacred Heart, with the home opener scheduled for Sept. 16 against Penn at the newly-renovated Fisher Field.
