Aug. 16, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Though beset by minor injuries, the Western Kentucky University football team will have its first scrimmage Saturday at 5 p.m. (CDT) at the South practice fields.
The event is open to the public and will last approximately two hours, though expectations for poor weather may force a change in plans.
"We've got a lot of dings, but nothing major," said head coach Jack Harbaugh. "Patrick Reynolds and Kris Mau have missed time on the defensive line, and we've really been going without a tight end - Tommy Crockett, Matt Rogers and Curtis Hamilton also have been out of practice. But, after 10 days, nothing has really cost us."
The scrimmage will be a chance for the staff to evaluate where the offensive transition is for the Hilltoppers, who have primarily been working out of a two-wide receiver, two-running back set. Harbaugh expects to be able to see which personnel are working well within the system, a process that changes daily. "We will struggle on offense tomorrow, our defense is good," he said. "But we will put a lot of emphasis on the scrimmage. The players have been working their tails off, and this is like a final exam at the end of a semester. The transition has gone well, we have learned a lot since the beginning of the spring, but the learning process will continue on into the season."
One area that will be watched closely is the competition at running back. Indiana transfer Jeremi Johnson donned pads for the first time Friday morning and took part in a limited number of plays, but Jon Frazier and Reggie Dent received more carries as well. Due to the minor injuries WKU has suffered, Chris Miller - who topped the depth chart following spring practice - has returned to fullback.
Following Saturday's event, the Hilltoppers will return to their normal practice schedule with the beginning of classes Monday. The staff will focus more on the opposition with just one workout session each afternoon.
"We need to get into game mode," said Harbaugh. "Our practices will be different next week. We have to break it up and go against packages we will face this season - and not just Kansas State - or we will be unprepared for the early part of our schedule."
The team will also have a light practice Saturday morning, focusing on special teams play and the two-minute offense.
- WKU -
