BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --  The Samford football team returned to practice with a two-hour workout in full pads Tuesday afternoon at Seibert Stadium.
 
Samford enters Saturday's game at Western Carolina with a record of 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the Southern Conference. Samford's special teams have been strong through the first three games of the season. The Bulldogs lead the SoCon in kickoff coverage, kickoff return average and extra point kicking, while ranking second in the league in field goals and punt return average. 
 
“ Our kicking game has been huge for us,” Samford Head Coach Pat Sullivan said. “Every coach in America talks about it, but when you have a kicker who has kicked off the way Cameron Yaw has, and then the unselfishness that Greg Peranich has shown by hanging the ball up and putting it inside the 20, and not trying to line drive it has been huge for us and we need to continue to do that.”
 
Individually for Samford, Riley Hawkins leads the SoCon in punt return average. Fabian Truss, who was named the National Special Teams Player of the Week earlier this week, leads the league in kickoff return average and all-purpose yards per game.
 
Western Carolina enters this weekend's game with a record of 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the SoCon. The Catamounts are coming off two tough losses to Marshall and Wofford.
 
“It is a different Western Carolina team than we have seen in years past,” Sullivan said. “Coach (Mark) Speir came from Appalachian State, and they are very similar to Appalachian State on offense.  They have a transfer quarterback from Marshall, Eddie Sullivan who we were very interested in trying to get to come here who is playing well. They are playing with a lot of enthusiasm. It will be by far the best Western Carolina team we have played since we have been here.”
 
Sullivan talked about a few areas his team needs to improve in heading into this week's game.
 
“We are going to have to improve in all areas,” Sullivan said. “We have played good in spurts on offense and on defense. Our special teams has been the most consistent area for us all year. We have got to be consistently good on offense and defense this week.”  
 
Samford will practice again Wednesday afternoon. The workout is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.
 
Saturday's game at Western Carolina is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. (CT) kickoff from E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee, N.C. The game can be heard locally on ESPN 97.3 The Zone, or worldwide on the internet at www.973thezone.com.