Saints return to Millsaps

JACKSON, Miss. – The Saints will hold training camp at Millsaps College for the second consecutive year.

New Orleans officials had been in negotiations with Millsaps for upgrades on the private college campus in downtown Jackson. About 15,000 people attended training camp last summer when the Saints were coming off a 3-13 season.

The Saints won the NFC South last season and credited some of their improvement to their experiences cloistered in Jackson.

“We learned last year the value of having the team together as a group in the atmosphere that Millsaps provides,” Saints owner Tom Benson said in a statement released Thursday. “Everyone at the school and in the city worked hard to make our stay a success last year, which is something we all appreciated.”

Players report July 25 and begin practices two days later. New Orleans will conduct 25 practices on campus, but will not host a preseason game in Jackson as it did last year. The Saints kick off the preseason schedule with the Hall of Fame Game against the Steelers on Aug. 5 in Canton, Ohio.

“The presence of a professional football team on the Millsaps campus was a very positive experience for the college and community last year, and we look forward to opening our doors to them again this season,” Millsaps President Frances Lucas said.

*The New Orleans Saints on Thursday signed running back Antonio Pittman, one of their two fourth-round draft choices.

Pittman agreed to a three-year contract. No other terms were announced.

That makes six of the club’s seven 2007 draft picks under contract with more than a month to go until training camp.

“Getting these deals done allows the players to focus on football and the preparations they need to make heading into their first season,” said Saints general manager Mickey Loomis.

Pittman, 5-foot-11, 207-pounds, from Ohio State, was the first of the Saints’ two fourth-round selections.

He started 25 of the 35 games he played in. Pittman left Ohio State after his junior year ranked eighth in school history with 2,945 rushing yards.

Pittman scored 22 touchdowns and posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2005 and 2006, gaining over 100 yards in 14 contests.

He averaged 5.3 yards per rushing attempt for his career and caught 37 passes for 314 yards during his three seasons in Columbus.