Tiger Football kicks off spring practices

 

The spring offseason is 

in full stride for the East Texas Baptist University football 

team as the new coaching 

staff looks to intensely develop and prepare the Tigers for 

the 2013 season. The NCAA 

allows teams four weeks of 

practice in the spring, and this 

year the Tigers are utilizing 

the two weeks prior to spring 

break and the two weeks after spring break for practice. 

The first week of practice began this 

past Tuesday, Feb. 26 

with the Tigers on the 

field bright 

and early 

at 6 a.m. in 

the frigid, cold and windy 

weather.

The players and coaches 

know the importance of preparation during spring ball, 

and this four week grind is 

critical for the players to embrace anything new.

“This spring is vital for 

the new staff to get the players to buy in to the system 

we are bringing in,” said new 

running backs Coach Lee 

Grimes. “You must have the 

players already on campus 

buy in to what we are doing 

if we want to win games this 

upcoming season.”

The new system on offense will require great preparation, and the coaches are 

setting high expectations for 

the players.

“We want to instill our 

offense into these players,” 

Grimes said. “We want to 

teach them how to play at a 

high level, with high intensity 

and focus. We have to teach 

them to play fast -- very fast 

-- but without the mistakes 

that seemed to plague the 

team last season.” 

There is a high level of 

excitement from each of the players with the new 

atmosphere and coaching 

philosophies. “Our success 

depends on how much we can learn this spring,” said 

returning offensive lineman 

Charles Williams. “Coach 

Eargle’s system is effective. He believes in all of us, which is why we are putting 

in so much so fast. We can 

handle it though.”