SFA Fall Camp Report - Scrimmage Two
8/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – For the final time in the fall camp schedule, Stephen F. Austin head coach Clint Conque gave an opportunity for everyone on the SFA roster to show their abilities and receive a significant number of reps under the lights at Homer Bryce Stadium.
Once those players wake up Thursday morning, that dynamic will have changed dramatically.
“We’ve completed phase one of what we’re trying to accomplish with this football team, and now we’re moving on to phase two, which is preparing for Northern Arizona,” Conque said. “Tomorrow we come with a different mindset, a different focus. Our practices will be a little different.”
SFA held its final scrimmage of fall camp under the lights at Homer Bryce Stadium Wednesday night, marking the end of the Lumberjacks’ fall camp schedule. It also gave SFA’s youngsters one final chance to make an impression on the Lumberjack coaching staff.
SFA ran through a condensed 48-play scrimmage as the Lumberjack first and second teams saw limited action, giving the youngsters their moment to earn significant reps as game week draws near.
“Probably the best way to equate tonight was the fourth preseason NFL game. We had our ones out there sparingly and gave the younger guys one final chance to earn a spot on the roster,” Conque said. “I thought it was good work tonight, and I thought we found a good balance.”
Once the final whistles sounded, it became decision time for Conque and his staff as they work to assemble the 65-70 players that will suit up for the 2015 season opener against Northern Arizona in 10 days. Conque knows tonight can be a sobering one for many players, but one that will provide bigger opportunities down the line.
“One thing I will say is that there were no misses with this recruiting class,” Conque said. “Each of them has great futures here at SFA, but some will just need to wait a little longer for their opportunity. We have talented players at each position but some are fighting a battle against numbers and depth. Everyone has a role, and those roles are being defined on a daily basis.”
The final scrimmage of camp ended with Conque pulling aside his senior class for a reinforcement of their roles as leaders and mentors to their teammates. It also served as a reminder that starting tomorrow, it’s go-time as they begin the final chapter of their SFA career.
“We challenged them to leave their own legacy on this program and to build off the successes of what last year’s team did,” Conque said. “It’s go-time for them. This is the last camp that any of them are guaranteed, and in 10 days it’s their last first game. I want them to feel that sense of urgency and lead this team the way I know they can.”
Q&A with Head Coach Clint Conque
On his thoughts with fall camp coming to a close:
“We’ve completed phase one of what we’re trying to accomplish with this football team, and now we’re moving on to phase two, which is preparing for Northern Arizona. Tomorrow we come with a different mindset, a different focus. Our practices will be a little different. We’ll have scout teams now and we’ll start implementing our plan for Northern Arizona. It’s good to finish camp. We kept seven or eight guys out tonight with lingering injuries, but the good news is that if we had to play this upcoming Saturday, the majority of them would be good to go. Probably the best way to equate tonight was the fourth preseason NFL game. We had our ones out there sparingly and gave the younger guys one final chance to earn a spot on the roster. I thought it was good work tonight, and I thought we found a good balance.”
On setting up the depth chart heading into the season:
“Tonight we’ve got to make some decisions and figure out which guys we are going to take with us into the start of our season and help us win if we need them. In some cases, we will need them. But like I told the team, everything that they do, whether it’s preparing to play Northern Arizona or filling a role on the scout team, everything continues to be assessed and evaluated. Everyone has a role, and those roles are being defined, and it’s time to move forward to phase two.”
On which positions might be impacted by young players:
“I’ve been impressed by Loren Easly throughout camp, and we’ll keep him up there as our fourth back heading into the season. We’ve got to make some decisions on the depth at receiver, which has been a very contested position. I saw some things tonight at the linebacker position as Teddy Britton and Spencer Choka really flashed. I can’t say enough about Jack Martin and Gary Sampson as those two will be animals at defensive end. But it will be a long night and we’ll work hard to set up the depth chart and get the guys that are ready to help us against Northern Arizona. Every one of the players in our locker room was one of the best players at their high school on Friday nights. They’re use to playing and playing a lot, but some of them are going to need to be redshirted. It’s important to see the maturity on how some of them handle that situation.”
On what message was conveyed to the seniors following tonight’s scrimmage:
“I challenged them with leadership. I challenged them to make sure this team is doing it the SFA way. I challenged them to take the young players along, being a lot of these young guys have been taking a lot of reps, but tomorrow they may find themselves on scout units, so it’s important for them to help mentor these younger players. We also challenged them to leave their own legacy on this program and to build off the successes of what last year’s team did. It’s go time for them. This is the last camp that any of them are guaranteed, and in 10 days it’s their last first game. I want them to feel that sense of urgency and lead this team the way I know they can.”
