March 16, 2009
Norfolk, Va. - After completing their first fall training camp back in November, and their first offseason winter conditioning program, ODU head football coach Bobby Wilder and the Monarchs will begin their first spring football practice session this Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday will be the first of 14 practice days leading up to the April 11 Blue-White Spring Game at Powhatan Stadium.
Wilder hopes that the Monarchs will use the spring practices to concentrate on fundamentals, allow returning players and the 10 mid-year additions to learn the offensive and defensive schemes, and to battle and compete on every play.
"Our team goal this spring is to build on what we started August 13, 2008," said Wilder. "The first team in 69 years at Old Dominion improved dramatically from its first practice to the last scrimmage on November 22. This spring we will spend more practice time on fundamentals than any team I have ever coached on. This will be paramount in our progress as a program and will affect our plan for preseason practice."
With players now in better shape than when they arrived in August, the spring practices present an opportunity for the best 11 players on each side of the ball to step forward and establish themselves as potential starters heading into the fall.
The Monarchs will continue to work on their special teams units that were installed in the fall, while also introducing a kickoff and kickoff return unit as well.
Several players on the offensive side of the ball will also be making position changes this spring. Fred Credle who began practice as a quarterback will try his hand at wide receiver, and former receiver D.D. Williams will move into the Monarch backfield.
ODU will practice each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and beginning March 28 the Monarchs hold a public scrimmage each Saturday at Powhatan Stadium at 1 p.m. Week day practices are closed to the public.