NORMAL, Ill. – Overcast skies and cool temperatures set the scene for the Illinois State football team's first and only Sunday spring practice to mark day two of spring camp at Hancock Stadium.
For the final time until fall camp, the Redbirds took to the turf in a helmets only practice. Despite the gray skies above, the players practiced with high-energy and with great enthusiasm. Following a brief stretching period, the Redbirds went right into a quick circuit series before transitioning into a lengthy three-part individual period.
The Redbirds broke up and spent nearly 30 minutes focusing on position-specific drills and fine-tuning their form. During the session, the quarterbacks teamed up with the running backs to work on handoffs. On the opposite end of the field, Coach Cody Deti worked with the defensive backs on picking off the ball along the perimeter and landing in bounds.
From there, the team came back together for perimeter. Jake Kolbe and Malachi Broadnax took turns at the helm with Tristan Smith and Conor Joyce getting some reps in at quarterback toward the end of the drill. Kolbe got things started lobbing the pigskin over the heads of the defenders and into James Robinson's hands. The highlight of the drill happened when Kolbe spotted Christian Gibbs down the sideline, and launched it nearly 40 yards for the reception. Joyce capped off the drill going three-for-three as the horn sounded.
A 30-play 7-on-7 period followed, where Kolbe and Broadnax switched off at quarterback early. Two plays in, Mitchell Brees knocked the ball out of the air before catching it and running down the sideline. Kolbe then stepped up to the line of scrimmage and connected with Jordan Birch for 30 yards, before throwing a 15-yarder to Michael Kolzow who dove through the air to make the catch along the sideline. The defense then took over with Davontae Harris, Luther Kirk and DeMarco Washington each tallying a pass breakup.
As the temperatures fell, the Redbirds moved into a team period. The running backs saw ample time on the field in a session that emphasized the running game. Robinson led the pack, breaking away on the opening play and sprinting toward the end zone. Several plays later, Broadnax spotted JJ Stahl downfield who caught the ball off a tip by Kirk and then proceeded to run nearly 40 yards down the turf. About half way thought the drill, Artiss Henderson showed off his speed breaking through a tackle and running 30 yards down the field. The defense responded with veterans Matt Swaine and Bryce Holm both getting in front of the ball to record pass breakups.
Practice concluded with Zach Breen, Sean Slattery and Jackson Bohlken taking turns kicking the ball through the posts, while at the other end of the field the quarterbacks and wide receivers worked on running routes.
The Redbirds will return to Hancock Stadium Tuesday for the third practice of the spring, with a 3 p.m. start scheduled. For live practice updates, photos and video follow the official Redbird Football Twitter account @RedbirdFB and log on to GoRedbirds.com for full coverage throughout the spring.
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