Feb. 27, 2013

WEST POINT, N.Y.  – The Army football team was back at work on Wednesday morning, conducting its eighth practice of the spring season. The workout, conducted entirely inside the Foley Athletic Center, was a contact session that included an 11-on-11 period to end practice.

Wednesday’s Notables

• The cold and wet weather conditions on Wednesday morning forced the practice session exclusively indoors.
• Army went through its usual routine of individual and position drills. The focus during Wednesday’s work on defense was stopping the option. In one drill, the rovers, free safeties and sam safeties worked on their key reads versus the triple option. The defensive ends also worked against the option, honing their skills versus the zone read play.
• Colby Miller delivered the best hit of the first combative drill that features one-on-one tackling.
• Tony Giovanelli made the best offensive move of the drill, sidestepping his defender to go untouched.
• The final 20 minutes of Wednesday’s practice was an Army vs. Army drill that featured three groups – Black, Gold and Gray. Due to the weather, only two groups competed at the same time, while the third remained on the sideline.
• Offensively, the Black group consisted of Nick Bennett, Zach Reichert, Todd McDonald, Stephen Shumaker and Justin Gilbert across the front. Center Ryan Powis sat out his second straight practice. Matt Hugenberg also rotated in at both guard spots.
• The Black backfield was Angel Santiago (QB), Larry Dixon (FB) and a combination of Stephen Fraser, Terry Baggett and Trenton Turrentine at slotback.
• Patrick Laird, Anthony Stephens and Chevaughn Lawrence rotated at wide receiver.
• Larry Dixon and Stephen Fraser found the end zone on running plays for the Black group.
• The Black defensive front was made up of James Kelly, Joe Drummond, T.J. Atimalala, Robert Kough and Dalton Mendenhall.
• Converted quarterback Gino DeBartolo continued to work with the first unit at mike linebacker.
• The defensive backfield consisted of Chris Carnegie and Lamar Johnson-Harris at the corners, Thomas Holloway at rover, Geoffery Bacon at free safety and Shaquille Tolbert at sam safety.
• Jarrett Mackey and Ryan Alexander were also rotating in along the front with the Black squad.
• A.J. Schurr quarterbacked the Gold team. Schurr connected with Zach Williams on a perfectly thrown 35-yard touchdown pass. Schurr also had a long run along the right sideline.
• Cody Jackson was under center for the Gray squad. Kelvin White donned a blue jersey that limited his activity. He did not participate in the Army vs. Army sequence.

Wednesday’s Quotables
Junior FS Geoffery Bacon
(Ref.: his change from mike linebacker to free safety this spring)
“Spring is going well. The change to safety is going okay. I’m progressing each day. That’s the main thing the coaches keep talking to me about. The good thing is getting to work with the team. Even though I’m at a different position, the coaches want me to lead.”

(Ref.: the defense’s emphasis this spring)
“We’re trying to swarm to the ball. In our defense, the mike is supposed to make a lot of tackles, but one thing we can take last year is that sometimes the mike isn’t going to make all the tackles. If we swarm as a defense and get everybody to the ball, that’s a sure tackle.”

(Ref.: how his replacements at mike linebacker are doing)
“I think they’re doing a great job. Gino (DeBartolo) and (Hayden) Tippett they are smashing heads out there. I like it.”