Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography
2017 SFA Football Fall Camp Report: Coaching Staff
8/4/2017 8:34:00 PM | Football
The ‘Jacks continued fall camp Friday with their second practice of the preseason, taking to the grass once again in shorts, jerseys and helmets for the final time this week
The 2017 Stephen F. Austin football season is just around the corner and the Lumberjacks have begun fall camp, beginning the countdown to the 91st season of Lumberjack football in Nacogdoches. Throughout camp, SFAJacks.com will break down each position, beginning with the SFA coaching staff.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin football team hit the practice fields behind the SFA Fieldhouse for day two of fall camp Friday afternoon. Practicing once again in shorts, jerseys and helmets for the final time this week, the Lumberjacks battled warmer temperatures than day one but continued to show great energy.
SFA took part in positional, one-on-one, team and 11-on-11 drills throughout practice as the 'Jacks' coaching staff continued to teach their schemes and install their offensive and defensive systems. Several units and players really stood out to head coach Clint Conque in just the second practice of fall camp, including the defensive line.
"I thought the defensive line was really assertive today, those guys are working really hard", Coach Conque remarked after practice. "We've got some big kids up there. Now we were down two with senior defensive end John Franklin (Greenville, Texas) having to deal with an immediate death in the family and of course, his best friend and who he grew up with, junior defensive tackle Shaq Anderson (Greenville, Texas), joining him down at the funeral today. So those guys (defensive line) had to put in a little extra work today. I was very pleased with how they pushed through it, anytime you're down two in the two-deep it forces others to have to take more repetitions."
The SFA receiving core and running backs also shined in day two as the passing game remained a focus in helmets with no pads.
"We're just growing as a football program right now and it was good to see some of the young players make some plays on the defensive line as well as the running back position", continued Coach Conque.
Of the wide outs who were of notice, true freshman "JT" Josh Thompson (Garland, Texas) had another solid day of practice showcasing his explosiveness and ability to field punts on special teams. Junior wide receiver Romello Bentley (Jacksonville, Fla.), a Sierra Community College transfer who is back after a hamstring injury that plagued him this summer, flashed his talent as a receiver. Another young player who is standing out is true freshman defensive end Desmond Robinson (Atlanta, Texas), who has been putting on weight and shows a very explosive first step.
Coach Conque was also impressed with a particular quarterback. "I thought sophomore Jake Blumrick (Pearland, Texas) had another very positive day today", the head coach said. "He's getting rid of the ball on time, he's accurate for the most part and he's going through his reads. He's got some things to cleanup but I thought he took a positive step forward today."
The Coaching Staff
2017 marks the fourth season of the Clint Conque era at SFA as Conque begins his 18th season overall as a head coach. The elder statesman of Southland Conference head coaches has accumulated a 122-77 record in his previous 17 seasons at Central Arkansas and with the 'Jacks, including a 46-29 mark in Southland play with three NCAA Division I playoff appearances. A four-time conference Coach of the Year, Conque looks to rebound from just the fourth losing season of his coaching career, and his first back-to-back sub-.500 stretch. Named Southland Coach of the Year in his first season at SFA in 2014, Conque will try to lead the 'Jacks back to the FCS playoffs for the first time in three years.
One of the major changes to the football program in the offseason was an overhaul on SFA's coaching staff as five new faces joined the team following the conclusion of the 2016 season. Four of those came on the defensive side, led by new defensive coordinator Jeff Byrd. A coaching veteran who has spent the last 14 seasons as a defensive coordinator, Byrd came to Nacogdoches after spending the last four seasons in the same position at Tennessee-Martin. The 'Jacks will continue to learn Coach Byrd's defensive philosophy throughout fall camp as SFA has already began the transition into a 3-4 defense with a three-man front.
Looking to establish the new defensive system, Conque also brought in Ben Beasley to coach the safeties, Tony Gilbert as the new cornerbacks coach and Josh Lawson to handle the linebackers. Beasley brings in incredible familiarity with the league after spending the last 17 years at four different Southland programs, while Gilbert and Lawson both bring experience from a number of schools throughout the region, primarily in the states of Arkansas and Louisiana.
The lone defensive coach who has returned for the fall of 2017 is Tom Howe, who has helped form the Lumberjack defensive line into one of the top units not just in the Southland, but on a national level as well.
Offensively, the majority of the staff remains the same, including second-year offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, who led the BYU Cougars to a 12-2 record and a top-10 ranking as head coach in 2001. He will be joined once again by Bill Best on the offensive line and Jeremy Hammock coaching the tight ends, marking the sixth-straight season both Best and Hammock have worked alongside Coach Conque.
SFA legend and 2010 Walter Payton Award winner Jeremy Moses returns for his sixth season on staff but with a slightly new emphasis, taking over the wide receivers after spending the last three years working with the 'Jacks' running backs. That responsibility now rests on Jake Brown, who joined SFA after spending the past three seasons on staff at Big 12 power TCU.
Defensive assistant Ryan Jones and offensive assistant Chris Meyers have also returned to the 'Jacks' coaching staff. Jones is in his third season working with the SFA football program but first as a defensive assistant, while Meyers is in his second season assisting OC Crowton.
"Jeff Byrd and his staff bring a lot of extraordinary energy everyday", Coach Conque commented after day two of fall camp. "They make our players be accountable and they are very high level. You have no problem being enthusiastic if you're a defensive football player and that's how defense needs to be played. I think the message is really good and they work really hard as a staff, they get along well together and the players feel that. The chemistry is there."
Fall camp continues tomorrow with practice No. 3 at 3:45 p.m. The 'Jacks will remain on the grass at the practice fields but will strap on shoulder pads in addition to their helmets.
The 'Jacks open up the 2017 season at SMU on Saturday, Sept. 2, before beginning the home portion of their schedule the following weekend against Southern Utah (Sept. 9).
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete 2017 fall camp coverage.
2017 SFA FOOTBALL FALL CAMP SCHEDULE
Saturday, Aug. 5 – Practice 3 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Sunday, Aug. 6 – Practice 4 (7:30 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Shells
Monday, Aug. 7 – Practice 5 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Wednesday, Aug. 9 – Practice 6 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Thursday, Aug. 10 – Practice 7 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Full Pads
Friday, Aug. 11 – Practice 8 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Helmets
Saturday, Aug. 12 (Scrimmage One) – Practice 9 (4 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Full Pads
Sunday, Aug. 13 – Practice 10 (7:30 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Shells
Tuesday, Aug. 15 – Practice 11 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Wednesday, Aug. 16 – Practice 12 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Thursday, Aug. 17 – Practice 13 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Shells
Friday, Aug. 18 – Practice 14 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Helmets
Saturday, Aug. 19 (Scrimmage Two) – Practice 15 (4 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Full Pads
Monday, Aug. 21 – Practice 16 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Tuesday, Aug. 22 – Practice 17 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Shells
Wednesday, Aug. 23 (Scrimmage Three) – Practice 18 (7 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Full Pads
* – Practice fields located behind the athletics fieldhouse
-SFA-
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin football team hit the practice fields behind the SFA Fieldhouse for day two of fall camp Friday afternoon. Practicing once again in shorts, jerseys and helmets for the final time this week, the Lumberjacks battled warmer temperatures than day one but continued to show great energy.
SFA took part in positional, one-on-one, team and 11-on-11 drills throughout practice as the 'Jacks' coaching staff continued to teach their schemes and install their offensive and defensive systems. Several units and players really stood out to head coach Clint Conque in just the second practice of fall camp, including the defensive line.
"I thought the defensive line was really assertive today, those guys are working really hard", Coach Conque remarked after practice. "We've got some big kids up there. Now we were down two with senior defensive end John Franklin (Greenville, Texas) having to deal with an immediate death in the family and of course, his best friend and who he grew up with, junior defensive tackle Shaq Anderson (Greenville, Texas), joining him down at the funeral today. So those guys (defensive line) had to put in a little extra work today. I was very pleased with how they pushed through it, anytime you're down two in the two-deep it forces others to have to take more repetitions."
The SFA receiving core and running backs also shined in day two as the passing game remained a focus in helmets with no pads.
"We're just growing as a football program right now and it was good to see some of the young players make some plays on the defensive line as well as the running back position", continued Coach Conque.
Of the wide outs who were of notice, true freshman "JT" Josh Thompson (Garland, Texas) had another solid day of practice showcasing his explosiveness and ability to field punts on special teams. Junior wide receiver Romello Bentley (Jacksonville, Fla.), a Sierra Community College transfer who is back after a hamstring injury that plagued him this summer, flashed his talent as a receiver. Another young player who is standing out is true freshman defensive end Desmond Robinson (Atlanta, Texas), who has been putting on weight and shows a very explosive first step.
Coach Conque was also impressed with a particular quarterback. "I thought sophomore Jake Blumrick (Pearland, Texas) had another very positive day today", the head coach said. "He's getting rid of the ball on time, he's accurate for the most part and he's going through his reads. He's got some things to cleanup but I thought he took a positive step forward today."
The Coaching Staff
2017 marks the fourth season of the Clint Conque era at SFA as Conque begins his 18th season overall as a head coach. The elder statesman of Southland Conference head coaches has accumulated a 122-77 record in his previous 17 seasons at Central Arkansas and with the 'Jacks, including a 46-29 mark in Southland play with three NCAA Division I playoff appearances. A four-time conference Coach of the Year, Conque looks to rebound from just the fourth losing season of his coaching career, and his first back-to-back sub-.500 stretch. Named Southland Coach of the Year in his first season at SFA in 2014, Conque will try to lead the 'Jacks back to the FCS playoffs for the first time in three years.
One of the major changes to the football program in the offseason was an overhaul on SFA's coaching staff as five new faces joined the team following the conclusion of the 2016 season. Four of those came on the defensive side, led by new defensive coordinator Jeff Byrd. A coaching veteran who has spent the last 14 seasons as a defensive coordinator, Byrd came to Nacogdoches after spending the last four seasons in the same position at Tennessee-Martin. The 'Jacks will continue to learn Coach Byrd's defensive philosophy throughout fall camp as SFA has already began the transition into a 3-4 defense with a three-man front.
Looking to establish the new defensive system, Conque also brought in Ben Beasley to coach the safeties, Tony Gilbert as the new cornerbacks coach and Josh Lawson to handle the linebackers. Beasley brings in incredible familiarity with the league after spending the last 17 years at four different Southland programs, while Gilbert and Lawson both bring experience from a number of schools throughout the region, primarily in the states of Arkansas and Louisiana.
The lone defensive coach who has returned for the fall of 2017 is Tom Howe, who has helped form the Lumberjack defensive line into one of the top units not just in the Southland, but on a national level as well.
Offensively, the majority of the staff remains the same, including second-year offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, who led the BYU Cougars to a 12-2 record and a top-10 ranking as head coach in 2001. He will be joined once again by Bill Best on the offensive line and Jeremy Hammock coaching the tight ends, marking the sixth-straight season both Best and Hammock have worked alongside Coach Conque.
SFA legend and 2010 Walter Payton Award winner Jeremy Moses returns for his sixth season on staff but with a slightly new emphasis, taking over the wide receivers after spending the last three years working with the 'Jacks' running backs. That responsibility now rests on Jake Brown, who joined SFA after spending the past three seasons on staff at Big 12 power TCU.
Defensive assistant Ryan Jones and offensive assistant Chris Meyers have also returned to the 'Jacks' coaching staff. Jones is in his third season working with the SFA football program but first as a defensive assistant, while Meyers is in his second season assisting OC Crowton.
"Jeff Byrd and his staff bring a lot of extraordinary energy everyday", Coach Conque commented after day two of fall camp. "They make our players be accountable and they are very high level. You have no problem being enthusiastic if you're a defensive football player and that's how defense needs to be played. I think the message is really good and they work really hard as a staff, they get along well together and the players feel that. The chemistry is there."
Fall camp continues tomorrow with practice No. 3 at 3:45 p.m. The 'Jacks will remain on the grass at the practice fields but will strap on shoulder pads in addition to their helmets.
The 'Jacks open up the 2017 season at SMU on Saturday, Sept. 2, before beginning the home portion of their schedule the following weekend against Southern Utah (Sept. 9).
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete 2017 fall camp coverage.
2017 SFA FOOTBALL FALL CAMP SCHEDULE
Saturday, Aug. 5 – Practice 3 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Sunday, Aug. 6 – Practice 4 (7:30 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Shells
Monday, Aug. 7 – Practice 5 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Wednesday, Aug. 9 – Practice 6 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Thursday, Aug. 10 – Practice 7 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Full Pads
Friday, Aug. 11 – Practice 8 (3:45 p.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Helmets
Saturday, Aug. 12 (Scrimmage One) – Practice 9 (4 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Full Pads
Sunday, Aug. 13 – Practice 10 (7:30 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Shells
Tuesday, Aug. 15 – Practice 11 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Wednesday, Aug. 16 – Practice 12 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Thursday, Aug. 17 – Practice 13 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Shells
Friday, Aug. 18 – Practice 14 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Helmets
Saturday, Aug. 19 (Scrimmage Two) – Practice 15 (4 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Full Pads
Monday, Aug. 21 – Practice 16 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Practice Field* | Attire: Shells
Tuesday, Aug. 22 – Practice 17 (9:15 a.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Shells
Wednesday, Aug. 23 (Scrimmage Three) – Practice 18 (7 p.m.)
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium | Attire: Full Pads
* – Practice fields located behind the athletics fieldhouse
-SFA-
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