BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford football team will report to campus for fall practice Thursday, with practice for the 2016 season scheduled to start Friday afternoon.
The players will report throughout the day on Thursday, with the first practice scheduled for Friday at 4:35 p.m. at Seibert Stadium. The team's first day in full pads will be Aug. 9, and the Bulldogs will scrimmage on Aug. 13 and Aug. 20.
Samford returns eight starters on offense and seven on defense from the 2015 squad that posted the program's fifth-straight winning season. The Bulldogs were picked to finish third in the Southern Conference by the league's coaches, and fifth by the media in the SoCon's two preseason polls.
Eight Samford players were named to the preseason All-SoCon team (four on the first team and four on the second team). The team's first-team honorees were
Armando Bonheur (OL),
Karel Hamilton (WR),
Ahmad Gooden (DL) and
Jamerson Blount (DB). Samford's representatives on the second team were
Devlin Hodges (QB),
Kelvin McKnight (WR),
Xavier Forrest (DL) and
Austin Barnard (P).
In addition to the preseason All-SoCon honors, Bonheur and Blount were named preseason third team All-America by STATS.
Samford opens the 2016 season on Thursday, Sept. 1, when the Bulldogs host Mars Hill. Kickoff for the contest is set for 6 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.
2016 FALL PRESEASON PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Aug. 4: Team Reports (All Day)
Aug. 5: Practice (4:35 p.m.)
Aug. 6: Practice (2:35 p.m.)
Aug. 8: Practice (4:35 p.m.)
Aug. 9: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 10: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 11: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 12: Practice (3 p.m.)
Aug. 13: Scrimmage (10:05 a.m.)
Aug. 15: Practice (1:35 p.m.)
Aug. 16: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 17: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 18: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 19: Practice (3 p.m.)
Aug. 20: Scrimmage (10:05 a.m.)
Aug. 22: Practice (1:35 p.m.)
Aug. 23: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 24: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 25: Practice (8 a.m.)
Aug. 27: Practice (4:10 p.m.)
Aug. 28: Practice (3:30 p.m.)
Aug. 29: Practice (4 p.m.)
Aug. 30: Practice (3:30 p.m.)
Sept 1: Season Opener vs. Mars Hill (6 p.m.)
