“I think it went really well. It was a typical first day, where you did a lot of teaching and individual work,” said head coach David Elson. “What we did different than in years past, though, was to run two huddles with the offense during team drills to increase the amount of reps — that worked out great. That’s the way that guys learn, by playing football.
“I felt really good about the tempo and about the amount of work we got done. We got more accomplished on a first day of spring practice than I can ever remember.”
Elson plans for the Hilltoppers to see an increase in action in spring drills largely due to the fact that just nine seniors departed from last year’s 9-3 squad. Western returns 18 of 24 starters from that team, including eight who earned all-Gateway Football Conference honors.
“One of the reasons that we are approaching practice the way we are is we want to play a ton of football this spring, because this is the team we are going to have in the fall,” Elson said. “We are hoping that several freshmen can come in and make an impact, but we want to get as many reps for the guys that are here replacing the great individuals that we did lose, like Buster Ashley and Ryan Thomas on the offensive line, Charles Thompson, Getty Cavitt and Deont Smith on defense as well as Brian Claybourn.”
With the losses Elson mentioned, linebacker and offensive line are the positions where the competition for playing time is already being watched. Jonathan Carter and Jon Hedges played inside linebacker with the first-team defense in Thursday’s 7-on-7 and team drills, although underclassmen Andre Lewis and Ricky Watkins will also have a chance to earn the job. Deion Holts, Sam Sexton and Dan Cline will all have an opportunity to fill the outside linebacker slot opposite Brandon Smith — the only starter returning in the group — while freshmen Chris McConnell, Grey Ryan and Zach Thuney all saw action on the offensive line in the spring.
The competition for playing time at wide receiver will also be monitored despite the fact that the Toppers return almost all of last year’s unit. In addition to Maurice Perkins, who caught 43 passes for 849 yards in 2003, Cory Clemons is healthy entering spring drills while Chris Jackson has joined the team after transferring from Ohio prior to the start of the semester.
The Hilltoppers will be on the field for their second straight workout Friday at 3:30 p.m. (CST), returning to Smith Stadium for a 2 p.m. practice Saturday. The second workout, WKU’s third in three days, will be the Toppers’ first in pads this spring.
