NORMAL, Ill. – As fall camp nears a close and the start of classes coming on Monday, the days of focusing on football all day for the Redbirds is about over. Soon, their focus will change to once again getting the job done on the field and in the classroom which also means the team will be shifting its sights towards game week preparation for Wisconsin on Sept. 3.
The Redbirds hit the field Thursday morning for practice No. 12 of fall training camp and once again put on full pads for some live tackling drills at the end of practice. With one more practice Friday before Saturday's public scrimmage, time is running out quickly at camp.
Practice Highlights:
•   Once again, the Redbirds took the field in full pads as practice began with the normal special team circuit, before moving onto the individual position drills, the blitz period, and the perimeter session.
•   It was then time for the 7-on-7 period, where quarterbacks Zack Annexstad, Tommy Rittenhouse and Timothy Dorsey took turns taking snaps … Annexstad was solid, going 3-for-4 including a solid strike to his brother Brock Annexstad … Dorsey was also 3-for-4 which included completions to Jack Tippmann, David Connors Jr. and Eddie Kasper … Rittenhouse was 2-for-4 with a completion to Scotty Presson Jr., but was the victim of a pass breakup by Braden Price and Darius Walker added another PBU later in the drill off Dorsey.
•   The team period was then split into two specific scenarios, with the first being a drive the field session and the second being a final play from scrimmage inside the red zone.
•   On the first-team drive starting from their own 32-yard line, the offense drove down the field on four plays with the highlight coming on a 35-yard completion from Annexstad to Bryson Deming that moved the ball to the defense's 22 yard-line … the ball moved to inside the 10, but that's where it ended as Braydon Deming scooped up a fumble to end the drive.
•   The second-team unit rattled off 11 plays, picked up three first downs and moved the ball into the defense's side of the field at the 33, but a pass breakup by Larry Tracy III and an incompletion on 3rd-and-9 gave the defense some momentum.
•   The final drive the field attempt by the third-string unit ended in a three-and-out for the defense, as a breakup by Rylan Crawford brought things to an end.
•   The team then moved into the red zone, where the offense got one chance to score on a last-play scenario … starting at the 25-yard line, the first attempt at the endzone was batted down … the team then moved to the 8-yard line and picked up a score on a touchdown pass from Annexstad to Deming … the final shot came from the 4-yard line with the Annexstad brothers connecting for a touchdown.
•   Rittenhouse then got his chance from the 25-yard line, and the first attempt was thwarted on a great open field tackle by Cam Wilson … the ball then moved to the 8-yard line, but an incompletion forced the final attempt from the 4, which was caught but the receiver was just out of bounds at the back of the endzone.
•   The final session of practice focused on two-point conversion attempts, with the first and second team units each getting two attempts … The first attempt for the first unit was converted on pass from Annexstad to Tristan Bailey in the back of the endzone, but the second attempt was broken up by Kenton Wilhoit.
•   The second-team unit converted twice, first on a run by Dorsey and second on a pass from Rittenhouse to Camo Nelson.
Up Next:Â
The Redbirds return to the field Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. for practice No. 13 and their final tuneup before Saturday's scrimmage. For updates, photos, and video from 2022 Redbird Football Fall Camp, follow the team's official Twitter (@RedbirdFB) and Instagram (isuredbirdfb) accounts and log onto GoRedbirds.com.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
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