Spring Football Journal With Dane Robinson

Dane Robinson

So as we conclude yet another week it can only mean one thing ladies and gents...SCRIMMAGE TIME!!!

As we took the field on a warmer than usual day in Buffalo this was our first chance to put our knowledge to the test without coaches 5 yards away from us to tell us the call or fix how we're lined up. It's kind of like that feeling when you were young and your parents left you at the house by yourself for the first time...your nervous but just excited to have to the parents out the house for a change!

The offense came out strong and firm against our defense as if to almost say, "Here we are. Take it or leave it!" We as a defense took the field alert and as sharp as we could be as to retort back and say, "Do what you want. We'll be here, there, or where ever waiting for you!"

Establishing the run has always been one of Coach Gill's pet peeves and Saturdays scrimmage wasn't any different as the first couple snaps, shotgun or not...yup you guessed it...running right down the pipe. And for the most part the defense was where we needed to be on the field, but as the end of last season told us, tackling is still an improvement must for us. Also despite a little deception thrown our way by the offense we defended the pass well and really showed signs of life as we put on good pressure on the QB during 3rd & long and during our blitzes. Alot of our young guys had a chance to compete and could just see the exuberance out of them which is really going to make this team special because of the young talent we are going to show off this season.

We still have a ways to go to having this thing down pat but we're getting there and Saturday was a good step forward. At the end of the day through our competition we remember what playing football in a game like setting feels like again as we walk gingerly back to the locker room. Guys seeing the trainer for their bumps and bruises and injuries that we'll just suck up only to head back out on the practice field Tuesday to do it all over again.

Yup, still hurts the same...

#92

GO BULLS
2008 MAC CHAMPS