Spring Report #4: No Joke; Redbirds in Full Pads

April 1, 2006

NORMAL, Ill. - After three light practices, there was no fooling around for the Illinois State football team on Saturday at Hancock Stadium as the Redbirds wore full pads for the first time during spring camp. The `Birds had an early morning workout and practiced for 24, five minute periods.

The Redbirds spent the first three periods working on protection for special teams, focusing on punts, extra points and field goal blocking. After the special teams session, the `Birds broke in their pads for the first time this camp. The team spent three periods on the Oklahoma drill, where the intent is for the defender to successfully fight off a block and tackle the running back in the gap.

"It wasn't as sharp and as clean as you would like it to be, but I was pleased with today's practice," head coach Denver Johnson said. "They were aggressive and got after one another. It started during the Oklahoma drill and carried over into team. The effort was good and the competitive level was up there, but it just wasn't as crisp and clean as I would have liked."

In the final three periods of the workout, the Redbirds held a team scrimmage with the focus on the running game. All three of the Redbird tailbacks carried the ball well, including sophomore Cortes Rice, who ran for 57 yards on five carries. Senior Pierre Rembert and junior Rafael Rice each logged 24 yards on four attempts.

"I thought all three (of our running backs) did some good things," Johnson said. "We had a run and play-action pass emphasis today and I thought we hit a couple pretty good runs. We didn't block a few quite right to really give our backs a chance, but when we gave them the right kind of opportunity, I thought all three had a good day."

Sophomore Kevin Brockway completed 5-of-6 pass attempts during the team drill, including a 75-yard touchdown play on a screen pass to Cortes Rice on the final play of practice. It wasn't the only touchdown of the day, as senior James Temple picked off a Wally Cirafesi pass and returned the interception 35 yards for a score. Redshirt freshmen Kyle Siskowic and Michael Osifalujo each added a quarterback sack.

Earlier in the 7-on-7 drill, Brockway led the way with a 7-for-9 passing effort, while both Cirafesi and Anthony Kummer were each 6-of-9.

"With Anthony back it puts another arm in the rotation and takes a little pressure off those other two arms," Johnson said. "When you have two arms throwing every ball in camp, that's a lot of pressure on those arms."

The Redbirds will have their first back-to-back practice days as they return to the field on Sunday at 3 p.m.

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