FALL CAMP REPORT 4: The Grind Is Real

NORMAL, Ill. – Following an off day on Wednesday for the team's annual Media/Photo Day, the Redbird football team returned to the field on Thursday and not only were temperatures increased, but so was the intensity. With full pads on, the team battled through a gritty, tough two-hour workout at Hancock Stadium as fall training camp reached the halfway point.

Practice Highlights:
•    After the individual position drills took pace, the passing under pressure and blitz drills followed, as the pressure ramped up resulting in tense competition all over the field. During the PUP drill, Tommy Rittenhouse started off strong with three-straight completions to Wenkers Wright and Daniel Sobkowicz. The defense then picked up a sack from Kayode Amusan, a pass breakup from Cam Wilson, and a sack by Nick Kessler on the next three plays to swing the momentum back in the defense's favor. 
•    As the blitz drill started, the offense managed to avoid pressure for the first four plays, before Cal Martine beat the blitz and broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run. However, Kessler was back at it on the next play with his second sack of the day and Valentino Garcia picked up a tackle for loss two plays later. 
•    When action moved to the perimeter period, Anthony Corona started things off with a TFL before Rittenhouse connected with Max Ziebarth for a first-down reception over the middle of the field. The drill also featured two pretty connections from Beckham Pellant to Brett Kasper on the sideline, as he got a foot in both times for big gains.
•    The 7-on-7 session followed as both quarterbacks were flawless, each going 6-for-6 during the drill. Rittenhouse started with back-to-back completions to Victor Dawson out of the backfield, before finding Javon Charles and Ziebarth for connections over the middle. His final completion of the session was a 35-yard touchdown to Rylan Crawford. Pellant had a pair of completions to Seth Glatz out of the backfield and found tight ends Nick True and Brady Probst for solid pickups.
•    The team red zone session wrapped things up, with the first-team defense forcing a three-and-out on the first series as Tye Niekamp broke up a pass on third down to force a field goal attempt. The second-team unit was able to pick up a first down on fourth-and-one on a run by Glatz, but ultimately was turned away on a TFL by Ben Harman.
•    As the first-team unit came back out on the field, preseason All-American Jake Anderson took over the drive with back-to-back TFL stops before Martine was finally able to break through on fourth down to move the chains. He would then find the end zone two plays later from four yards out for the score. The second-team group also found the endzone but were behind the sticks from the beginning after a TFL by Travis Jones. However, Pellant bounced back and picked up seven yards with his feet before finding Gavin Camp for 12-yard touchdown reception.

Up Next: 
The Redbirds will return to the field Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. for practice No. 8 of fall training camp, before the team has its first intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday morning. For updates, photos, and video from 2025 Redbird Football Fall Camp, follow the team's official X (@RedbirdFB), Instagram (isuredbirdfb) and TikTok (@redbirdfb) accounts and visit GoRedbirds.com.

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