Football

March 22, 1999

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Universityof Miami football team conductedits first practice of the 1999 spring football schedule with a threehourworkout in helmets and shorts at the Greentree Practice Facility onthe UMcampus.

After a half-hour of stretching,the team broke off into separateoffensive and defensive units. Both squads ran fundamental drillsforapproximately one and half hours. The next half hour was spentwith bothunits working on special teams assignments. The practice endedwith thetraditional seven-on-seven drills between the first and second teamoffenseand defense.

“I really felt that therewas a lot more positives, then there werenegatives,” said Coach Butch Davis on the first day of spring practice.”Most of the positives came from the standpoint that these guys werefocused, they are listening and paying attention. I see a lotof guys thatare really receptive to being coached. And that is what springis allabout.

“At times we were a littlebit sloppy. Sometimes they tried to be alittle too cute. We threw some interceptions and put the ballon theground. I think it was more that the guys are in shorts, insteadof beingintense and focused on protecting the football. We were a littlebit sloppyfrom that standpoint. That was probably the only negative.

“I thought Kenny (Kelly)threw the ball real well. The runningbacks, James (Jackson) and Najeh (Davenpoirt), looked very good.I likedwhat I saw from Mondriel (Fulcher) and Robert (Williams) at fullback.Theydid some real nice things today. I also love the way that ourdefense iscommunicating and talking. There are guys now who are reallyverbal andconfident about the secondary making checks and calls. I sawMike Rumph andJames Scott do some nice things. It was a really good start.”

The 1999 spring footballcalendar continues on Tuesday, March 23with a two-hour practice in helmets and shorts, beginning at 3 p.m.at theGreentree Practice Facility. For more information contact theUM SportsInformation office at (305) 284-3244. For Hurricane ticket information,please call 1-800-GO CANES or (305) 284-CANES in Dade County.