Panda Meander teams 5K run, talent show
April 2, 2007Hazel Pitre
April 4, 2007
Over the past three weeks, the Nicholls State football team has been planting the seeds for its 2007 season that begins in August. Installing plays on both offense and defense has been the main focus of the Colonels spring practice.
According to Coach Jay Thomas, the team’s objectives were achieved.
“It was a good ending of a good spring training,” he said. “Guys came out and were flying around. We had a good time, and the most important thing was we didn’t get anybody hurt today.”
Thomas was referring to the team’s Red and Gray scrimmage that took place in John L. Guidry Stadium, last Saturday. In the scrimmage, the Red team, led by quarterbacks Vincent Montgomery and Chris Bunch, won the game 10-0.
The scrimmage consisted of four 12-minute quarters, with a running clock.
Montgomery, last year’s opening day starter, led the Red team on the scrimmage’s most impressive drive. Overall, Montgomery was 7-for-9 on the day, for 60 yards and one touchdown pass. On the Red team’s opening drive, he went 6-for-6. Montgomery capped off the 10-play, 66-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Gordon.
The scoring was capped off on Ross Schexnayder’s 47-yard field goal.
On the day, kickers were 1-for-4 on field goal attempts, in large part because of a heavey wind.
Offensively, the Colonels’ quarterbacks combined to throw 36 passes, uncharacteristic of Nicholls’ triple-option offense. The emphasis on the passing game was something the Colonels went into the scrimmage hoping to focus on, said Montgomery.
“We came out here and ran the spread offense,” he said, “and tried to get on our feet with it. It was nice, because we get to run it in practice everyday, so it’s a good thing we come out here and ran it.”
Montgomery added that he expects the passing game to be a bigger part of this season’s game plan. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I think that’s going to be a big part of our game, if we could open it up and start getting everybody involved.”
Thomas said he was pleased with his team’s quarterback play, but realizes there is still room for growth.
“Vincent did a nice job,” said Thomas. “Chris (Bunch) did a nice job. The offensive line did a nice job protecting today. The second group, we still have some young guys … some inconsistency there, and the quarterbacks are still learning.”
For Thomas, the spring was about getting out of practices without injuries and finding out what characteristic would make this year’s team unique.
Goal No. 1: Accomplished.
The Colonels ended spring practices with no serious injuries. “We were all holding our breath,” said Thomas. “It always makes a coach nervous to come out this time of the year, after 14 practices. But the kids were excited about it. They wanted to come out and work against each other, so the competition was good.”
Concerning the goal of finding that unique characteristic of his team, Thomas said this squad’s closeness makes them special. “This is a very special team, in the fact that they’re really, really close,” said Thomas. “They came together. We’ve had some close teams here before, but these guys really like one another. They spend time with one another, and you can see it when you go to practice everyday.”
He added that having the players encourage one another was a key to the spring training. “This spring was a tough spring,” he said. “We went 11 days straight with pads on. A lot of people don’t do it that way. But there was not one day of practice that we had to go out there and really motivate them to go to work. They want to go to work, and they enjoyed it everyday.”
While Thomas was happy with the progression throughout spring drills, it is only the start. The Colonels summer program will be starting soon, which includes mostly weightlifting. They will not take the practice field again until the fall, when preparations for their season opener begin. “We’re proud of what they’ve been able to do this spring,” said Thomas. “They’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Photo by Doug Keese * NSU * Nicholls wide receiver Pat Gordon goes up for a pass in a game, last season. Gordon scored the lone touchdown in the Colonels spring scrimmage, last Saturday at John L. Guidry Stadium. Gordon caught a 13-yard pass from quarterback Vince Montgomery. (Bottom Right) Montgomery put together an efficient performance, passing 7-for-9 for 60 yards and a touchdown.
