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Date Posted: 15:17:45 08/07/06 Mon
Author: LarryL9797
Subject: Re: Football
In reply to: J.J. 's message, "Football" on 12:10:18 08/03/06 Thu

What to watch for: 3 things to keep an eye on during CCSU's training camp
By: Matt Straub, Assistant Sports Editor
08/07/2006

CCSU's football team starts training camp tonight, and there are several things the Blue Devils must accomplish in the roughly four weeks they have to work with until the season opener against Marist on Sept. 2.

TOE THE LINE

The Blue Devils have one line that just needs to settle back into a groove and another that must find a new one. On offense, coach Jeff McInerney likes what he has inherited in his group of linemen. The front seven will be asked to serve a slightly different purpose this season, however.
A year ago they were asked to make room all over the field for quarterback Aubrey Norris to maneuver in so that he could create offense. McInerney wants to get the ball downfield more this season, but he wants to do it through the air. So now the task will be to create and maintain a pocket for Norris to throw from.
"It's not to say what we had last year was bad." McInerney said of the line. "We just have to get them gelling again and always trying to improve."
The other line will require an even bigger adjustment. McInerney has shifted CCSU's defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3, meaning the front four will have a different set of responsibilities.
"If we can develop a four-man pass rush, watch out," McInerney said. "That's the key. What we still have to do is create turnovers."
A good pass rush that forces the opposing quarterback to rush throws could do just that.

FREE INSTALlATION

McInerney seems to be revamping the offensive philosophy at least a little bit, and he is absolutely revamping the defense.
How quickly his charges can adapt to the new schemes will determine how ready the Blue Devils are when the Red Foxes come to New Britain in less than 28 days.
"If we can get an 'A' every day, we'll improve," McInerney said. "We're just going to use each day to try and get better every day. If we do that, we'll be o.k."
CCSU has a bunch of speedy receivers, including baseball player Richie Tri, who reported to camp on Sunday, but how Norris handles becoming more of a pocket passer will be the key to the Blue Devils' offense this season.
On defense, the Blue Devils seem to have enough pieces in the front seven to make any system work.
How those pieces fit together and when they do so will determine if CCSU can field the kind of game-changing defense it has in the last two seasons, which both ended with a share of the NEC championship.

CROWDED BACKFIELD

Cory Harge has won numerous NEC accolades. Jo Jo Freeman was a big part of last year's championship season. Justise Hairston has had success at the Division I-A level.
There are several weapons in the backfield, but unless McInerney puts the wishbone into his new offense scheme, at least one of the weapons will be on the bench on any given play.
How CCSU manages to get all three acclimated to the new system and keeps each one sharp while splitting practice time will be one of the biggest keys to training camp.
"We have a lot of good ones and they'll all get reps," McInerney said. "May the best man win, but they'll all play. We'll get them all touches. By having enough good backs you can balance. If you have one good back, you can wear him out in camp... You want balance for the next 26 days. You don't want to overtrain and you don't want to undertrain. You want to hit it right in the middle."
How the Blue Devils' trio of runners handles the spliting of action during the season is another matter for another day. For now, the only problem is getting everyone enough work in August.


©The Herald 2006

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[> CCSU opens with a purpose -- J.J., 11:01:06 08/08/06 Tue

By: Matt Straub, Assistant Sports Editor
08/08/2006

NEW BRITAIN - When the Central Connecticut football team took the field last night for the first time for training camp, it did so with a purpose. For some, the purpose is to prove they belong on the field. For the coach, camp is the first chance to prove he's more than a career assistant, and that he can match his predecessor's success.

For everyone, it's a chance to do something special and new. While shares of the Nort-heast Conference have come at the end of each of the last two season, the Blue Devils want more this time.

"From the first day of practice to the last game, we have two simple team goals," CCSU coach Jeff McInerney said. "One is to win the NEC outright. I don't say that to be boastful, but I have to say it because (previous coach Tom Masella, now the head man at Fordham), was co-champion twice. He did a great job."

That fact will, deservedly or not, hang over McInerney all season. Anything less than sole possession of the Northeast Conference championship trophy after the Blue Devils host Stony Brook on November 11th will be seen by some as a failure.

From a strictly tangible standpoint, anything less than a share of a third straight conference crown would mean McInerney's first year wasn't as successful as Masella's two seasons in New Britain.

The pressure, however, has clearly not bothered McInerney. While he plans on making good use of what is a fairly short time to get ready for Marist on September 2nd, McInerney does not plan on losing touch with the happy-go-lucky leader who has brought energy and at times a party atmosphere to the job.

"If I can't have fun, I need to quit coaching," he said. "I'm not going to be uptight. The time for worry is before you prepare, and we're preparing."

With that preparation, the Blue Devils hope, would come an NEC championship. With that first goal met, CCSU would gain a berth in the inaugural Gridiron Classic. The event will pit the winner of the Northeast Conference against the regular season champion of the Pioneer League.
Neither team has been able to crack the rather closed structure of the NCAA's 1-AA playoff format, so, until they can get the playoffs expanded or more respect from outsiders, the leagues have agreed to meet in a postseason game of their own.

This year's game will be hosted by the NEC champion. While it won't quite be the Orange Bowl, the Gridiron Classic gives the Blue Devils something extra to play for, and is the team's second goal.

"I think anybody would agree that instead of just winning the league ending the season on November 11th then calling it quits, we get to play in something for the 18th," McInerney said. "They're looking to expand (the playoffs), but that's for the powers that be. We can't worry about that. We just have to play the 11 dates we have and if we get the 12th, great."

Another thing the Blue Devils are preparing for is a big season from sophomore quarterback Aubrey Norris. After dazzling Blue Devils fans and opponents with his athletic ability last season, McInerney hopes to have him utilize his big arm this year instead of his legs.

"We think he's going to be an outstanding quarterback," McInerney said. "He's not just an athlete. He's only scratched the surface of what he can do. They say a player needs 700 game plays to completely be ready. He doesn't have nearly that many. He's only going to get better."
In fact, Norris hasn't had half that many snaps yet. His development will be pivotal to the team's success and could be one of the more interesting things to watch throughout training camp.

If nothing else, it will provide yet another purpose to the next three-plus weeks.

***
CCSU ranked again

CCSU was sixth in the preseason Sports Network Mid-Major I-AA Poll released on Monday. The honor is nothing new to Central, which has been a consistent member of the top-10 over the last two seasons. The Blue Devils finished seventh in last year's final poll.

Matt Straub can be reached via email at mstraub@newbritainherald.com.


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