Pair of Practices Get 2013 Season Underway; First Day in Full Pads Friday

HAMILTON — The skies are always a little sunnier for the defending Patriot League champions, and the first two days at Andy Kerr Stadium have been no exception.

Colgate opened its 2013 fall football practice schedule this week with a pair of two-hour workouts on the Raiders’ home turf, completing the first-half of four acclimation days prior to initiating full pads and full contact Friday afternoon. Head coach Dick Biddle said the team appeared to be in solid shape.

“I was impressed with the physical condition that most of our players came back in, especially the upperclassmen,” Biddle said. “We had a number of players who stayed here over the summer and it really paid off. They were able to get through this first practice with very few mistakes.

“As far as picking up the fundamentals, they really know what’s going on and there were very few mental mistakes. We can put a lot in quickly and work on it; they have great capacity for picking things up.”

Colgate picked itself off the mat after a 1-3 start to last season by reeling off seven consecutive victories to sweep to Biddle’s seventh Patriot League title. This year, another difficult pre-conference schedule awaits with Air Force, Albany, New Hampshire, Yale, Cornell and Stony Brook in succession.

To meet this year’s challenge, Biddle says the Raiders must rely on several members of their first-ever scholarship recruiting class. He liked what he saw thus far from the scholarship student-athletes and other team newcomers.

“We put a lot of stuff in and put a lot of onus on the younger kids,” Biddle said. “Our older players really picked it up; they’re familiar with what we’re doing. But some of the first-year players looked pretty good and, for this year, a lot of those guys are going to play and be in the two-deep. It’s important right now that they get a lot of work and they’re going to get a lot of work.

“That’s what fall camp is about.”

Colgate also welcomed a pair of coaching newcomers in co-defensive coordinator Paul Shaffner and tight ends/H-back assistant coach Steve Casula. Shaffer is a former head coach in Divisions II and III who also spent 13 seasons as an assistant at Lafayette. Casula spent the last three years on the Western Michigan football staff. Another newcomer is Paul Helsel, Colgate’s new Director of Strength and Conditioning. Helsel earned his stripes in the Alabama football program and led Old Dominion’s strength effort the last six years.

Biddle said he is comfortable with this year’s camp schedule, which includes eight two-a-day sessions — or doubles — and leads to the Aug. 31 season opener at Air Force.

“You can’t go doubles two days in a row,” Biddle said. “But what we normally do on our doubles is we go from 9 to 11 in the morning, and then practice in the evening around 6:30 so it gives the kids a long time off to recover. I like that schedule.”

Colgate Fall Football Camp Schedule

Aug. 7 — 2:30, uppers.

Aug. 8 — 2:30, uppers.

Aug. 9 — 2:30, first day of full pads.

Aug. 10 — 9 & 6:20.

Aug. 11 — 2:30.

Aug. 12 — 9 & 6:20.

Aug. 13 — 2:30.

Aug. 14 — 9 & 6:20.

Aug. 15 — 2:30.

Aug. 16 — 9 & 6:20.

Aug. 17 — 2:30.

Aug. 18 — 9 & 6:20.

Aug. 19 — 2:30.

Aug. 20 — 9 & 6:20.

Aug. 21 — 2:30.

Aug. 22 — 9 & 6:20.

Aug. 23 — 2:30.

Aug. 24 — 9 & 6.20, fall camp ends.

By martha

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