WEST POINT, N.Y. - Four days into his second spring practice as Army head coach, Rich Ellerson has often referenced the comfort level his players are already experiencing with the club's offensive and defensive systems.

"We've been doing things coming out the gate here that we couldn't even think about a year ago," Ellerson states. "Most of the guys that are doing the same things they did last all last spring, all last fall, will tell you how much easier things come, how much more natural it is to do the things we're asking them to do.

"When the guys that were taking a lot of snaps in the fall step back into things, it feels like a comfortable pair of jeans they're putting back on. Everything comes a little bit easier, everything comes a little bit faster. We're starting to take another giant step forward as a football team."

No player is experiencing a higher comfort level than sophomore quarterback Trent Steelman so far this spring.

Tossed into a lead role immediately last fall, Steelman became the first freshman in Army history to start an entire season at the quarterback position. While all aspects of Ellerson's triple-option  offense moved rather quickly at times for the hard-nosed newcomer in his rookie campaign, Steelman has become much more relaxed since returning to the practice field with his teammates for the first time last week.

"As an offense we're looking more fluid out there," Steelman states. "We've been able to get to places at the right time. That's what this offense is all about. Overall, we're looking a lot better. Just being under the center feels normal now. Instead of being out there with a bunch of grown men, you feel like you're part of the field now."

Despite returning eight starters on offense, Army has featured several new faces in the huddle alongside Steelman as Ellerson and his staff provide opportunities to several fresh faces. Chief among the group has been bruising sophomore fullback Jared Hassin, who sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, and speedy sophomore Brian Cobbs, who spent most of last season at defensive back.

"It's bringing a lot more to the table; a lot more speed; a lot more power. It's what you need to run this offense," Steelman adds. "You need a fullback that will get you three yards when I make the wrong read. (Jared) just completes it. He's a hard runner. He's a bruiser and that's what you need as a fullback. He doesn't go down easy whenever we give him the ball. Blocking may not go the right way all the time, but he's gonna get you those three yards.

"We've actually added a lot more play-action into the game so that's going to keep the defense honest. Instead of bringing the safeties and stacking nine, 10 (defenders) in the box, (our opponents) are going to have to play off and read our offense to see what we're bringing."

With 16 starters slated to return, Ellerson expects to field a mostly veteran starting cast for the Black Knights' season opener at Eastern Michigan on Sept. 4. Still, the spring lends Army's coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate some of the younger players in the program, and the chance to look at some other returnees at new positions.

"We still have a handful of guys that didn't get coached a lot in the fall and are just now getting a lot of turns in our offense and our defense at a fast tempo. So there's a big drop-off between the first group and the second and third groups in terms of familiarity with the offense, defense and practice routine," he explains. "That will come quick, though. By this weekend it should start looking like a real practice, a real offense, a real defense with more than one group.

"We're back in the combatives. We haven't had 11 on 11 full speed and we probably won't until Saturday. But we're getting each other on the ground, we're playing blocks live, we're thudding up the team work. It's been very encouraging so far."

Army will continue its 15-practcie spring session with workouts scheduled for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week. All practices are held inside Foley Athletic Center and are open to the public.

Black Knights Blog: Sophomore QB Trent Steelman and sophomore WR Kyler Martin connected on a pretty pass play against the scout team defense during Monday's workout ... Martin began last fall at wide receiver but was moved to inside linebacker to help fill a shortage at the position at midyear ... he was returned to wideout during the offseason and has looked sharp at the position ... sophomore FB Jared Hassin continues to impress at fullback as does Brian Cobbs at halfback ... Army spent a portion of Monday's session working on installation at full speed without a football ... "When we're in those drills without the ball, we're doing error-correction, we're doing installation. We talk about making the ball disappear, so let's really make the ball disappear," Ellerson explained ...sophomore QB Taylor Hall received a heavy dose of snaps beneath center on Monday ... Hall is the son of former Army standout signal caller Leamon Hall, who graduated holding the majority of the Black Knights' passing records.

Sounds of Spring

Sophomore QB Trent Steelman

"I feel a lot better physically. The offseason was big for me just getting back in the weight room and getting back up to where I needed to be."

Senior C Zach Peterson

"Things are going pretty good. We're just knocking some dust off. It was our second day in full pads. We're already a lot farther along than where we were last year. It's real positive and there's a good vibe out here.

"We return four out of five starters along the "O-Line," but we have some other new faces in the huddle at receiver and fullback. It's been real positive. I feel real good about the way things have been going."

(ref.: Saturday's start of padded practices)

"It felt like we were just in (pads) because we had a quick turnaround from the end of the season to the start of spring practice. It felt to get back out and play ball."

Army head coach Rich Ellerson

(ref.: sophomore FB Jared Hassin)

"He's encouraging. He comes through there with a purpose. He's got a good knack for it. We haven't played full speed. We haven't tried to compete on that drill yet, but in the amount of work, but in the combative work he continues to be very, very good, and he was last year. It's encouraging."

(ref. sophomore QB Trent Steelman)

"He's a great example of what I was saying before about putting on a comfortable of jeans. This offense fits right; he sees it much, much better. It's much easier. Everything is just more natural, it's less forced. He's not the Lone Ranger, but he's certainly a great example of that."