Photo by: SFA Athletics
SFA Football Fall Camp Report | Linebackers
8/16/2018 11:24:00 AM | Football
‘Jacks practice in shells for second consecutive day before going to helmets only Friday
The 2018 Stephen F. Austin football season is just around the corner and the Lumberjacks have begun fall camp, beginning the countdown to the 92nd season of Lumberjack football in Nacogdoches. Throughout the preseason camp, SFAJacks.com will break down each position or area of the team, today highlighting the linebackers.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin football team stepped onto the gridiron for the Lumberjacks' 12th practice of fall camp Thursday morning, going back out onto the two grass practice fields behind the SFA athletics fieldhouse at 8:15 a.m. After a sultry afternoon practice Wednesday, the 'Jacks hit the field in helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys and shorts for the second consecutive day.
Under hazy skies that ended up clearing about midway through, SFA began its 20-session practice with its typical positional drills, stretching and dynamic warmup. The 'Jacks then spent their usual three periods on special teams, focusing on point after attempts/field goal blocks, kickoffs and kickoff returns. Two periods were spent on additional positional drills before SFA worked on running back routes, perimeter screens and the inside run as wide receivers and defensive backs took on each other in one-on-one drills.
With the offensive and defensive lines going one-on-one, quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs completed 24 plays against the linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties in 6-on-8 drills. For their full team competition, the 'Jacks ran eight third-and-six pass blitz pickup plays followed by four minutes of "up by five" situational football. SFA's 12th practice of fall camp came to a close with the two-minute drill as the offense simulated being down by three with 1:43 on the clock.
"There's been a progression, we've definitely come a long way," junior linebacker Anthony Jacobs commented about fall camp following Thursday's workout. "Practicing in the morning has been really good for us, having a few days out of the heat to get acclimated and get back into the groove has been good."
"Fall camp has been going good, we've been hanging in there working on the excitement throughout practice," added junior linebacker Teddy Britton. "It's different, we try to come out here and be enthusiastic about everything we do. Hopefully we can just bring that to the game when the time comes during the season."
"That's what it's all about, every day we come out here and try to get one percent better," continued Britton. "One day isn't going to do it for you or two days, you've got to come out here with that mindset that you want to get better than yesterday. Every day we are trying to increase and make a gain."
Linebackers
The linebacker corps will feature both experienced leadership and youthful talent in 2018. SFA returns seniors Ryan Woods and Terrance Potts, in addition to juniors Anthony Jacobs and Teddy Britton. Woods, a preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team selection, joined Jacobs and Britton to combine for 26 starts and 160 total tackles, including 17 tackles for loss, during the 2017 season. The trio provided a stout wall in the heart of the Lumberjacks' defensive scheme.
Woods tied for the fifth-most total tackles on the team last fall with 55 and had 24 solo stops and 5.5 tackles for loss as Potts claimed 19 tackles, 10 individual stops, a tackle for loss and an interception. Jacobs totaled 54 tackles last season, including making 26 unassisted stops and four tackles for loss, while Britton accumulated 51 total tackles, 20 of which were of the solo variety, and tied for the second-most tackles for loss on the (7.5).
Sophomore Bert Morris, who saw playing time as true freshman last fall, returns and is expected to take part in a larger role in 2018. Morris tallied 11 tackles on the season in 2017 and made five individual stops.
The 'Jacks welcome a host of newcomers at the position with seven transfers and two freshmen. Junior Quin Jones (East Mississippi C.C.) is a talented JUCO product who could make an immediate impact after shining during spring ball and fall camp. He joins fellow junior transfers Keelan Greene (Tyler J.C.) and Matt McGill (East Texas Baptist University). Sophomores Kirkland Joseph (Independence C.C.), Jason Ramsland (Texas Wesleyan) and Nazier Wright (Dodge City C.C.), along with redshirt freshman Jalen Sutton (Illinois State), round out the linebacker transfers. Sutton will have to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules coming from a fellow FCS institution.
True freshmen DaRyan Williams (Nacogdoches HS) and Jacob Lewis (Bishop Lynch HS) will also compete for playing time in their inaugural collegiate seasons.
"These young guys have come in here and grasped things way faster than we expected," Britton said. "They came in here and are buying in. They are in the playbook and meeting rooms taking things seriously. Those guys are flying around and it makes it that much better when you have upper classmen that have experience. We've got linebackers that are going to make plays all around the board and young dudes that are ready and willing to put time in to play."
Fall Camp Continues
SFA will return to the grass practice fields Friday morning at 8:15 a.m. for its 13th workout of the preseason. The 'Jacks will practice in helmets, jerseys and shorts preceding SFA's second full-contact scrimmage in full pads Saturday morning at 8:15 a.m. inside Homer Bryce Stadium.
With the exception of the Lumberjacks' three intra-squad scrimmages, all practices will take place on the two grass practice fields behind the SFA athletics fieldhouse.
The complete fall camp schedule can be found below.
2018 SFA Football Fall Camp Schedule
Practice #13 | Friday, Aug. 17 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Helmets
Scrimmage #2 | Saturday, Aug. 18 | 8:15 a.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Practice #15 | Sunday, Aug. 19 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #16 | Monday, Aug. 20 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #17 | Tuesday, Aug. 21 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #18 | Wednesday, Aug. 22 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #19 | Thursday, Aug. 23 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Scrimmage #3 | Friday, Aug. 24 | 6:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Fans and supporters of SFA athletics will have the chance to meet the Lumberjack football team at the 38th annual Meet the 'Jacks held Tuesday, Aug. 21. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Fredonia Hotel and is sponsored by the Fredonia Rotary Club. The 2018 SFA football team will be introduced by position, followed by a first-hand look at this season's intro video. The 'Jacks will also be available for photos and will be signing autographs on SFA's posters.
Week One
The 'Jacks open up their 2018 season Saturday, Sept. 1 with a trip to Starkville, Mississippi, to face Southeastern Conference mainstay Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, available everywhere via the ESPN app. SFA hosts NCAA Division II Tarleton State in a 6 p.m. tilt for its home opener Saturday, Sept. 8.
SFA Football Season Tickets
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2018 SFA football season can visit the new home for SFA Tickets at SFATickets.com or contact the SFA Athletic Ticket Office at 936-468-JACK.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the 2018 season.
-SFA-
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin football team stepped onto the gridiron for the Lumberjacks' 12th practice of fall camp Thursday morning, going back out onto the two grass practice fields behind the SFA athletics fieldhouse at 8:15 a.m. After a sultry afternoon practice Wednesday, the 'Jacks hit the field in helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys and shorts for the second consecutive day.
Under hazy skies that ended up clearing about midway through, SFA began its 20-session practice with its typical positional drills, stretching and dynamic warmup. The 'Jacks then spent their usual three periods on special teams, focusing on point after attempts/field goal blocks, kickoffs and kickoff returns. Two periods were spent on additional positional drills before SFA worked on running back routes, perimeter screens and the inside run as wide receivers and defensive backs took on each other in one-on-one drills.
With the offensive and defensive lines going one-on-one, quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs completed 24 plays against the linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties in 6-on-8 drills. For their full team competition, the 'Jacks ran eight third-and-six pass blitz pickup plays followed by four minutes of "up by five" situational football. SFA's 12th practice of fall camp came to a close with the two-minute drill as the offense simulated being down by three with 1:43 on the clock.
"There's been a progression, we've definitely come a long way," junior linebacker Anthony Jacobs commented about fall camp following Thursday's workout. "Practicing in the morning has been really good for us, having a few days out of the heat to get acclimated and get back into the groove has been good."
"Fall camp has been going good, we've been hanging in there working on the excitement throughout practice," added junior linebacker Teddy Britton. "It's different, we try to come out here and be enthusiastic about everything we do. Hopefully we can just bring that to the game when the time comes during the season."
"That's what it's all about, every day we come out here and try to get one percent better," continued Britton. "One day isn't going to do it for you or two days, you've got to come out here with that mindset that you want to get better than yesterday. Every day we are trying to increase and make a gain."
Linebackers
The linebacker corps will feature both experienced leadership and youthful talent in 2018. SFA returns seniors Ryan Woods and Terrance Potts, in addition to juniors Anthony Jacobs and Teddy Britton. Woods, a preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team selection, joined Jacobs and Britton to combine for 26 starts and 160 total tackles, including 17 tackles for loss, during the 2017 season. The trio provided a stout wall in the heart of the Lumberjacks' defensive scheme.
Woods tied for the fifth-most total tackles on the team last fall with 55 and had 24 solo stops and 5.5 tackles for loss as Potts claimed 19 tackles, 10 individual stops, a tackle for loss and an interception. Jacobs totaled 54 tackles last season, including making 26 unassisted stops and four tackles for loss, while Britton accumulated 51 total tackles, 20 of which were of the solo variety, and tied for the second-most tackles for loss on the (7.5).
Sophomore Bert Morris, who saw playing time as true freshman last fall, returns and is expected to take part in a larger role in 2018. Morris tallied 11 tackles on the season in 2017 and made five individual stops.
The 'Jacks welcome a host of newcomers at the position with seven transfers and two freshmen. Junior Quin Jones (East Mississippi C.C.) is a talented JUCO product who could make an immediate impact after shining during spring ball and fall camp. He joins fellow junior transfers Keelan Greene (Tyler J.C.) and Matt McGill (East Texas Baptist University). Sophomores Kirkland Joseph (Independence C.C.), Jason Ramsland (Texas Wesleyan) and Nazier Wright (Dodge City C.C.), along with redshirt freshman Jalen Sutton (Illinois State), round out the linebacker transfers. Sutton will have to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules coming from a fellow FCS institution.
True freshmen DaRyan Williams (Nacogdoches HS) and Jacob Lewis (Bishop Lynch HS) will also compete for playing time in their inaugural collegiate seasons.
"These young guys have come in here and grasped things way faster than we expected," Britton said. "They came in here and are buying in. They are in the playbook and meeting rooms taking things seriously. Those guys are flying around and it makes it that much better when you have upper classmen that have experience. We've got linebackers that are going to make plays all around the board and young dudes that are ready and willing to put time in to play."
Fall Camp Continues
SFA will return to the grass practice fields Friday morning at 8:15 a.m. for its 13th workout of the preseason. The 'Jacks will practice in helmets, jerseys and shorts preceding SFA's second full-contact scrimmage in full pads Saturday morning at 8:15 a.m. inside Homer Bryce Stadium.
With the exception of the Lumberjacks' three intra-squad scrimmages, all practices will take place on the two grass practice fields behind the SFA athletics fieldhouse.
The complete fall camp schedule can be found below.
2018 SFA Football Fall Camp Schedule
Practice #13 | Friday, Aug. 17 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Helmets
Scrimmage #2 | Saturday, Aug. 18 | 8:15 a.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Practice #15 | Sunday, Aug. 19 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #16 | Monday, Aug. 20 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #17 | Tuesday, Aug. 21 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #18 | Wednesday, Aug. 22 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #19 | Thursday, Aug. 23 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Scrimmage #3 | Friday, Aug. 24 | 6:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
- Practice time and location subject to change dependent on weather
Fans and supporters of SFA athletics will have the chance to meet the Lumberjack football team at the 38th annual Meet the 'Jacks held Tuesday, Aug. 21. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Fredonia Hotel and is sponsored by the Fredonia Rotary Club. The 2018 SFA football team will be introduced by position, followed by a first-hand look at this season's intro video. The 'Jacks will also be available for photos and will be signing autographs on SFA's posters.
Week One
The 'Jacks open up their 2018 season Saturday, Sept. 1 with a trip to Starkville, Mississippi, to face Southeastern Conference mainstay Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, available everywhere via the ESPN app. SFA hosts NCAA Division II Tarleton State in a 6 p.m. tilt for its home opener Saturday, Sept. 8.
SFA Football Season Tickets
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2018 SFA football season can visit the new home for SFA Tickets at SFATickets.com or contact the SFA Athletic Ticket Office at 936-468-JACK.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the 2018 season.
-SFA-
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