Annual Spring Showcase To Cap Off Redbird Football Spring Workouts

NORMAL, Ill. – The 2017 spring football practice session is rapidly coming to an end for Illinois State, with Saturday's annual Spring Showcase serving as the culmination of five weeks of hard work at Hancock Stadium for the Redbirds.

ISU held an abbreviated workout Friday afternoon, their final before the public scrimmage. Practice started when players broke up into their individual stations for work with their position coaches. Following a short 7-on-7 session, the Red and White teams took opposite sides of the field and worked on packages for the showcase.

Saturday's festivities will begin with the eighth-annual Kids Football Fest on the playing field at Hancock Stadium, weather permitting. Registration will begin at 10 a.m., with the program starting at 10:30 a.m., and running until noon. The event is free and open to all Reggie's Kids Club members ages 12 and under, with adult supervision. For Reggie's Kids Club members that have not pre-registered online, walk up registration will be available Saturday morning.

Activities include a catching station with the Redbird quarterbacks, a field goal station with the Redbird kickers, throwing accuracy, tackling stations and an obstacle course. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to dress up like a Redbird football player and get their picture taken with the ISU cheerleaders and Reggie Redbird. 

Fans can then attend the Redbird Barbecue, which will be held from noon to 1 p.m., on the Hancock Stadium East Concourse near the end zone. A lunch of a hot dog or hamburger, side dish, chips, cookie and a drink will be available for purchase prior to the start of the annual Spring Showcase at 1 p.m. 

Here's a look at how this year's Spring Showcase scrimmage will be played:
•    The Redbirds will be equally divided into two teams (Red and White) with the first-team offense and second-team defense making up one team and the second-team offense and first-team defense comprising the other squad.
•    The first two quarters will consist of 15 minutes each, with regular timing rules applying.
•    Following an 8 minute halftime, during which Redbird 4 Life alumni in attendance will be recognized and thanked by current players on field, two 15-minute running clock quarters will end the scrimmage.
•    There will be no kickoffs, and field position will be attained by punting with receivers calling for a fair catch.
•    The scrimmage will be "LIVE", meaning everyone is eligible to be tackled except for the quarterbacks.
•    Extra points and field goals will be kicked by their respective units when necessary, but will not be live.
•    Points will be tallied at the end of the day, with the team earning the most points being declared the game's winner.

Fans can purchase their 2017 season tickets online at GoRedbirds.com/Tickets or by contacting the ISU Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000. The Hancock Stadium ticket office will also be open prior to and during the Spring Showcase for purchases and questions.

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