SPRING CAMP REPORT 2: Break Time Is Over

NORMAL, Ill. – Following a week off for spring break, the Illinois State football team returned to campus and resumed spring workouts on Tuesday, as the Redbirds worked through a two-hour workout Tuesday morning inside the Indoor Practice Facility for practice No. 3.

Practice Highlights:
•    Practice began with a team stretch and a special teams circuit, before the passing under pressure drill got things going on the first day in full pads.
•    Quarterbacks Tommy Rittenhouse and Jake Rubley shared the majority of the snaps, as the defense dialed up pressure on every play in the passing game.
•    Rittenhouse finished 6-for-8 during the session, with a pair of completions to Tommy Donovan including a 45-yard diving grab down the middle of the field … Rubley was 6-for-9 with three completions to Scotty Presson Jr. and a touchdown to Xavier Loyd that went for 60 yards.
•    The defense was strong throughout the drill as well, with Jalan Gaines and Garret Steffen each recording sacks and Ivan Erickson and Greg Galloway each swatting down pass attempts at the line of scrimmage … Tye Niekamp also added a pass breakup and Patrick Bauer worked his way into the backfield for a tackle for loss.
•    Following the perimeter drill and another individual session, action moved to the 7-on-7 drill where Rittenhouse and Rubley once again split reps … Rittenhouse was 5-for-7 with a pair of completions to Rylan Crawford and Rubley was also 5-for-7 two connections to Loyd.
•    Then it was time for the team period, which lasted for 25 plays as the team worked on both running and passing scenarios … Rittenhouse connected twice to Presson while running backs Wenkers Wright, Cal Martine and Josh Robinson each picked up strong gains on the ground … Rubley found Donovan and Eddie Kasper each twice during the session, as the defense picked up momentum with a Travis Jones sack and a second sack on the day by Steffen.
•    Kickers Ian Wagner and Michael Cosentino then wrapped things up by field goal/PAT practice into the net on the north side of the facility. 

Up Next: 
The Redbirds will return to the field on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. for the fourth practice of the spring. For updates, photos, and video from 2024 Redbird Football Spring Camp, follow the team's official X (@RedbirdFB) and Instagram (isuredbirdfb) accounts and log onto GoRedbirds.com.

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