Bowling Green, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University football team gets back to work on Monday (March 21) with the first of 15 spring practices, culminating with the annual spring game at 5 p.m. (CDT) on April 16.
"I've been waiting for spring practice to start since that Monday after we lost to Troy," said second-year Hilltopper head coach Willie Taggart. "That day our football team came in the weight room and worked out, and it wasn't something orchestrated by our coaching staff. Seeing that attitude change and seeing our guys walking around with a positive mindset got me fired up and ready to go."
The practice schedule will consist of workouts on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for the first three weeks, and practices on Tuesday and Thursday the final week leading up to the spring game.
A total of 43 letterwinners and 20 starters from the 2010 team will be back in camp this spring. With that much experience returning, the WKU coaching staff has a higher expectation level entering the four weeks of practice.
"We have a year under our belt, and now everyone knows how we are going to do things around here," added Taggart. "Last year, everything was new - new offense, new defense, new special teams. This year, just watching our guys go through winter conditioning, it's totally different. There's a new level of confidence and improvement. Now it's time to get out on the field and see just how far we've come."
With high expectations on the field, Taggart is not shy about what he hopes to see when the Hilltoppers suit up on April 16 for the spring game.
"We want to push to get 15,000 fans in Houchens-Smith Stadium for the spring game," said Taggart. "It's all about changing our expectations around here. We have a great opportunity as a community, a university, and a football program to do something big here. And that would be a great way to make a statement about Hilltopper football than to have 15,000 screaming fans come out for the spring game."
Check back to wkusports.com throughout spring practice for reports and updates leading up to the spring game.
2011 Spring Practice Dates:
March 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30.
April 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14
2011 Spring Game: April 16, 5 p.m. (CDT) - Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium
- WKU -
