March 17, 2005

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford football team practiced for about two hours, including a full-contact scrimmage for the last 45 minutes of the workout, Thursday afternoon at Seibert Stadium.

The workout was the final full-contact work of the spring for the Bulldogs. After taking next week off for Spring Break, the Bulldogs will have three practices the following week, but those workouts will be non-contact and will focus on assignments.

"As the spring went along, I thought the offense came together more and more," Samford head coach Bill Gray said. "Defensively, we didn't put in a lot of schemes, but we are trying to be aggressive, and trying to make sure we are reading our keys and we know our responsibilities.

Head Coach Bill Gray talks with the media prior to Thursday's practice.

"I think we made strides on both sides of the ball," Gray said. "The injury bug hit us a little, but that is going to happen. That is an advantage of going early in the spring, so hopefully you can have the injured players back for the fall."

Gray said the veterans of the team impressed him during Thursday's scrimmage.

"You can see the poise of the guys who have done it before," Gray said. "I thought Matt Crum and Kevin Pughsley really had a good spring and a good day today. Defensively up front, we still continue to see some improvement, but we are just too hit-and-miss right now. That is what spring is about, getting those things on film, so hopefully they can have that driven home by the time they get back in August."

Gray added the team will begin its off-season weight program after spring workouts are finished.

"The biggest thing we have going for us is, we are about to take a week off, which we all need," Gray said. "And then we will come back in and have six-straight weeks of working in the weight room. We have to continue to make people stronger and bigger. Coach (Thomas) Rohling does a good job with our weight program, and we are excited about getting back in there and going to work."