Leading Into the 2014 Football Season

[valpopal]

I stopped by practice for an extended look yesterday, and I liked what I saw. The players appeared still in early stages of skills training interspersed with intervals of running sets of plays while I was there, but an intensity and excitement seemed present. Fortunately, the fair weather has been good for practices and temperatures have remained in the 70s, so we have avoided any real midsummer heat thus far. I took a few photos while at the practice, including the following of Austin Etzler catching a sideline pass.

[VULB#62]

I liked what I saw. The players appeared still in early stages of skills training interspersed with intervals of running sets of plays while I was there, but an intensity and excitement seemed present. ]

Great photo (as always).  Pal, when you say "intensity and excitement" are you saying that in comparison to previous years or just observing that the kids are practicing with intensity and excitement? If it is the former, then we might have a clue about past teams.

[valpopal]

I liked what I saw. The players appeared still in early stages of skills training interspersed with intervals of running sets of plays while I was there, but an intensity and excitement seemed present. ]

Great photo (as always).  Pal, when you say "intensity and excitement" are you saying that in comparison to previous years or just observing that the kids are practicing with intensity and excitement? If it is the former, then we might have a clue about past teams.

No, I'm not making a comparison or comment about past teams. I was just observing the tone of what I was watching yesterday. I enjoyed witnessing the attitude of the players and coaches while I took photos.

[GOVALPO!]

Scrimmage today. Hopefully a lot of people go watch and let us know how thay look. We will be up there next  week to watch scrimmage bringing a ton of enthusiasm and at least one loud and rowdy fan. Just got my plane ticket to W Illinois game. Can't wait you never know we may shock the world. Hard work and Determination guys!  Goooooo Valpo!!!!!!

[NuPudge]

Do anyone know if this game with be accessible via streaming on the Internet ?

[Pgmado]

I don't think it is that kind of scrimmage.

[NuPudge]

Sorry I meant if the WIU will be streamed via the Internet?

[usc4valpo]

Dude, easy

Scrimmage today. Hopefully a lot of people go watch and let us know how thay look. We will be up there next  week to watch scrimmage bringing a ton of enthusiasm and at least one loud and rowdy fan. Just got my plane ticket to W Illinois game. Can't wait you never know we may shock the world. Hard work and Determination guys!  Goooooo Valpo!!!!!!

Dude, easy on the Brown and Gold Koolaid.  These guys have a lot of growing to do.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

What better way to start off the new season than with some
JOEL OSTEEN!
This is for all y'all Lutherans especially.  (I think the idea is better than the execution, though.)
Martyrs Read Joel Osteen Tweets!

[crusadermoe]

Planet ticket to the W. Illinois game?      Had to be kidding.   

[vu72]

What better way to start off the new season than with some
JOEL OSTEEN!
This is for all y'all Lutherans especially.  (I think the idea is better than the execution, though.)
Martyrs Read Joel Osteen Tweets!

Apostle, you are amazing!  You clearly should be doing something other than playing the organ at a Catholic church!  Perhaps you could launch the Lutheran effort to show disapproval for the "prosperity gospel"!! 

[usc4valpo]

You know, I think you guys really hate me...arggghh!!!!!!!!!!

Osteen and the trophy wife and the $11M mansion - I need to find a better way to roll in cash...

[bbtds]

Plane ticket to the W. Illinois game?      Had to be kidding.   

Especially Macomb, IL. It's got to be the farthest place from anywhere. It's an hour and a half from both Peoria and the Quad Cities (Moline) airports.

Remember when NFL teams used to do training camp in the remotest of places with good training facilities because they wanted the players not to be distracted? The Bears were in Platteville, WI and the Colts were in Terre Haute at Rose Hulman and now the Colts are at Anderson U. For a while the Rams were at Western Illinois in Macomb. But after a while even the coaches starting complaining that it was too far away from anywhere. The Rams finally built their own training facilities in Earth City, MO, a suburb of St Louis.

[usc4valpo]

That is interesting... there used to be several NFL teams having training camps at small state schools in Wisconsin.  Now the Bears are less than an hour away from Chitown.  I think the training camp situation in the NFL has changed some in the past 20 years.

So are the TSA properly trained at the Macomb airport?

[VULB#62]

The Bears used to always train at St. Joe's back in the day of Brian's Song (St Joe's used to get their older helmets and the SJC uniforms were suspiciously similar to the Bears back in the 60's).  But now, it's about branding and exposure.  The Pats have an average of 8-10K at every practice in Foxboro.  In Richmond this week the Pats and the Washington Football Club saw over 20,000 at their combined practices.  Green Bay has always trainied in GB -- same scenario. It is pure merchandizing.  Distraction?  No, just the opposite:  use training camp to learn how to deal with the distractions.

[wh]

You know, I think you guys really hate me...arggghh!!!!!!!!!!

Osteen and the trophy wife and the $11M mansion - I need to find a better way to roll in cash...

"According to reports, Osteen hasn't drawn a salary from the church since 2005. His income comes from best-selling books and related products, such as calendars, daybooks and inspirational pamphlets."

The average attendance at a Sunday church service at Osteen's church is 45,000. If I were a member there knowing that not 1 dime of my tithes were going to support his salary, the last thing I would be critical of would be the kind of house he lives in. As to his wife, they met 23 years ago before he even became a minister. That's hardly fits the definition of a "trophy" wife."

[LaPorteAveApostle]

C'mon, wh, surely you can admit an 11m house seems a LITTLE osteentatious.

72, I didn't make that myself, in case you were thinking that.  some guys named "lutheran satire".

BACK TO FOOBAW

[usc4valpo]

I think Justin Bieber or Britney Spears can get more than 45000 at a venue.

[valpopal]

One of the best parts about watching the preseason practices has been the opportunity to see key players who were lost to season-ending injuries early in last year's schedule now fully healed, playing at full speed again. One of those players is receiver Kent Warren, who blew out his knee in the third game last year. Some might remember the photo I shared at the time of him sitting on a stretcher being consoled on the sideline by a few other teammates in the receiving corps. Kent's recovery was long, requiring dedicated and disciplined rehabilitation. It is great to see him catching passes on the field once again and seemingly with full mobility, as displayed in this photo of him making a one-handed grab that I took at practice on Thursday.

 

[VULB#62]

Nice shot!  I was reading through the  player bios last night and came across a number of players, like Kent Warren, who had little to nothing in their bios.  Your post reinforced that perhaps among those players returning that we may have a few difference makers and greater depth than we may have thought, Scott Staal come to mind. Add to that the return of known players like Jake Hutson and Fred Gladney and there is some reason for a little optimism on that front.

[VULB#62]

Nice 2014 early outlook on the VU Athletic site.  Nothing eye-opening, but the mention of a few freshmen as potential starters/backups, is encouraging.  We'll see how things evolve in the next 18 days.  A lot can happen.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2014-15/13803/what-you-need-to-know-valpo-football/#.U-kQxlYXKgF

One issue is placekicking.  Without Brown Field due to the construction, there are no college width goal posts at East Gate. VHS goal posts are wider.  Therefore the kickers can't really practice and the coaches can't properly evaluate.  PATs and FGs have always been a risky affair the past couple of years (although Jacob Newman seemed to be coming on in the second half of last season).  Would be helpful to get that part of the game nailed down.

[vu72]

An interesting read.  What hit me was the number of seniors who hold key positions both on offense and defense.  I also saw that many of those key guys are from places like Florida and California, not that good football players can't be found in Indiana and illinois.

As 62 has said, the key is at quarterback.  We have a lot of depth at receiver but if we can't get them the ball it won't mean anything.  I have been known to drink the cool aid from time to time and perhaps my enthusiasm comes from such a long time without Valpo athletics. Still, count me among those who see good things coming from this football team, including a decent showing at WIU.  By decent showing I'll say we keep it within 28 points, say, 35-7, then beat St. Joes.

[usc4valpo]

I think expectations and analysis against a scholarship school with a new team and coach in a first game is not a reasonable assessment.

However, St. Joe, William Jewell and the other ham and egger will be fair assessments, particularly to see if we have  improvement in coaching and some true optimism

[valpopal]

Nice shot!  I was reading through the  player bios last night and came across a number of players, like Kent Warren, who had little to nothing in their bios.  Your post reinforced that perhaps among those players returning that we may have a few difference makers and greater depth than we may have thought, Scott Staal come to mind. Add to that the return of known players like Jake Hutson and Fred Gladney and there is some reason for a little optimism on that front.

I am pleased you mention the other players coming back from injury who could be important contributors. As I watched practice the other day, I was particularly impressed by Jake Hutson, who is running well again, but who also is active as captain of offense and a vocal leader of the team. Hutson seems one of the crucial sparks needed to ignite the engine of the offense. Let's hope he stays healthy this season.

[VULB#62]

Things are heating up in a good natured way.  Andy Coen, HFBC at Lehigh met the ALS ice bucket challenge hurled at him by the Lafayette College head coach.  He then turned around and issued his challenge to Dave Cecchini.  Coach Cecchini has 24 hours to respond.  Check out the embedded YouTube of the drenching, but also check out the Lehigh FB preseason piece that follows.

https://twitter.com/CoachAndyCoen

Wonder if games with Patriot League teams might be in Valpo's future?