Elvis Akpla and the Bobcats enjoyed a spirited workout Sunday
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
CATS IN CAMP: Day Three
8/7/2011 6:25:00 PM | Football
Emotion Punctuates First Day in Pads
Rob Ash knows what to expect when a football team dons pads for the first time in fall camp. And he loves it.
“Was there some energy today, or what?” Ash asked with a smile Sunday after MSU's third practice of the fall, the first in shoulder pads, and a session which featured spirited play and emotional flare-ups. “The first day in pads is always intense. I like when it breaks out, because it shows a lot of spirit and competitiveness.”
The expected extracurricular activity gave Ash a chance to teach an important lesion, he said. “I always tell the team that we have to practice how we're going to respond in games to those situations. The second guy always gets caught. If you retaliate to the second guy, the first guy gets a penalty, too. So we tell them that we have to practice how respond to that in practice, and over time the guys will know enough to back off.”
The contact practice also gave the Bobcat coaching staff its first opportunity to evaluate physical elements, particularly the run game. The team responded with big plays on both sides of the ball.
“I thought Tray Robinson ran hard today. He had a really good day. Steven Foster made a great catch in the team period. And Na'a made a really good interception that he would have taken back to the house, I think. Just like yesterday there were some big plays, and that's what we need out of our group. We'll need that to be successful.”
Ash is also pleased with the leadership emerging at different position groups, which he calls a natural development.
“We're seeing some guys emerge, and that's what camp does. A guy like Tray Robinson is doing a nice job, and Cody Kirk. It's nice to see guys start to step up and take responsibility for his group. Elvis Akpla has done a nice job with the receivers, the wily veteran. And it's not just offensive guys, defensively you see Zach Minter and some of the older guys start to pick it up.”
Montana State practices in helmets and shoulder pads again on Monday, and in full pads Tuesday, both at 9 am, before taking Wednesday off. The team's first two-a-day practice session is Thursday.
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