Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography
‘Jacks Complete Second Scrimmage of Fall Camp; Offense and Defense Strengthen
8/18/2018 12:08:00 PM | Football
SFA hosted its second scrimmage of the season Saturday morning inside Homer Bryce Stadium
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – With the 92nd season of college football in Texas' oldest town just two weeks away from officially kicking off, the Stephen F. Austin football team was inside Homer Bryce Stadium Saturday morning for its second scrimmage of fall camp. Practicing on the artificial turf for just the second time of the preseason, the Lumberjacks went completely live and ran 97 full-contact plays in complete pads.
With temperatures in the mid-80's and heat indexes well over 90, SFA made the most of the game-like atmosphere as over 75 onlookers viewed from the stands of Homer Bryce. Both the offense and defense made several exciting plays, the offense making a mark in the first half of the scrimmage and the defense making its presence felt in the second half.
"I thought offensively one of our concentrations was four yards on first down, get ahead of the chains," interim head coach Jeff Byrd said following the morning scrimmage. "I thought we did a good job with that. I thought we threw and caught the ball a little better. We threw three picks down at the end but I thought it was three really good defensive plays. As a head coach you're going, 'Yes! No!', so a little bit of mixed emotions. I told the team afterwards offensively we were ready to go at the start, it was kind of a lull in the middle by both the offense and defense, and then the defense rose at the end. That's what we're looking for, competition with us competing against each other."
Following a full team entrance from the tunnel of the stadium, the 'Jacks began with positional warmups before stretching and positional drills. The scrimmage portion of the workout began with a traditional kickoff as each drive began with the ball being spotted. First, SFA worked on being pinned deep in its own territory, beginning drives at the negative three-yard line. The 'Jacks then started drives at the -30 yard line as the offense began to find its groove.
The first half of action was highlighted by a pair of nice runs from freshman running back Tycen Thompson and an electrifying 63-yard touchdown quarterback keeper sprint down the hash marks by junior Texas transfer Josh Covey.
First, second and third-team players all took reps throughout the scrimmage but the first-team units saw limited action as the second and third-team groups took the majority of the snaps. In addition to some work by senior quarterback Foster Sawyer, junior quarterback Jake Blumrick and Covey, true freshman signal caller Cam Arnold and redshirt freshman gunslinger Zach Truelove got plenty of repetitions behind center.
"The guys we looked at as ones going in only took five series today, they had a very limited day," coach Byrd added. "We were trying to look at who we got. Who's going to step up in a game situation as far as the next guys, or who has a chance to compete. We wanted them to compete against each other so we held some of our top guys out today."
The end of the first half and the beginning of the second half saw SFA start its drives from the offense's own 40-yard line, before working on red zone action with drives starting at the defense's 40 and 25-yard lines. The defense came to life from the onset of the second half, coming up with an acrobatic interception in the back of the end zone.
Sawyer's pass was deflected off the hands of junior wide receiver Tamrick Pace and junior safety Alize Ward before being snatched out of the air by senior safety Lawrence Ghansah. Moments later on the offense's very next play from scrimmage, junior cornerback Jadarius Byrd, a transfer from Butler Community College in Kansas, leaped into the air to pick off a pass from Covey. The defense came up with their third interception of the second half as sophomore safety Gavin Roland made a play on a mishandled pass near the goal line.
"I'm really happy with the group of freshmen we have," continued Byrd. "Freshmen from "Q" (QuenTyvian) Borders to Jeremiah Davis, who is from Lufkin, Texas, are a couple of east Texas boys who have a chance to contribute at this time. Tycen Thompson made a good run today too. Those guys have been doing a good job and there are several guys on the offensive line who have been forced to go to work and are rising to the occasion."
Fall Camp Continues
With just one week of fall camp remaining, SFA will return to the grass to continue its preseason practice schedule Sunday afternoon with a 3:15 p.m. workout in helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys and shorts. Monday, the 'Jacks will head back out onto the practice fields for an 8:15 a.m. session in shells, before putting full pads on Tuesday morning.
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 #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 this 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-
With temperatures in the mid-80's and heat indexes well over 90, SFA made the most of the game-like atmosphere as over 75 onlookers viewed from the stands of Homer Bryce. Both the offense and defense made several exciting plays, the offense making a mark in the first half of the scrimmage and the defense making its presence felt in the second half.
"I thought offensively one of our concentrations was four yards on first down, get ahead of the chains," interim head coach Jeff Byrd said following the morning scrimmage. "I thought we did a good job with that. I thought we threw and caught the ball a little better. We threw three picks down at the end but I thought it was three really good defensive plays. As a head coach you're going, 'Yes! No!', so a little bit of mixed emotions. I told the team afterwards offensively we were ready to go at the start, it was kind of a lull in the middle by both the offense and defense, and then the defense rose at the end. That's what we're looking for, competition with us competing against each other."
Following a full team entrance from the tunnel of the stadium, the 'Jacks began with positional warmups before stretching and positional drills. The scrimmage portion of the workout began with a traditional kickoff as each drive began with the ball being spotted. First, SFA worked on being pinned deep in its own territory, beginning drives at the negative three-yard line. The 'Jacks then started drives at the -30 yard line as the offense began to find its groove.
The first half of action was highlighted by a pair of nice runs from freshman running back Tycen Thompson and an electrifying 63-yard touchdown quarterback keeper sprint down the hash marks by junior Texas transfer Josh Covey.
First, second and third-team players all took reps throughout the scrimmage but the first-team units saw limited action as the second and third-team groups took the majority of the snaps. In addition to some work by senior quarterback Foster Sawyer, junior quarterback Jake Blumrick and Covey, true freshman signal caller Cam Arnold and redshirt freshman gunslinger Zach Truelove got plenty of repetitions behind center.
"The guys we looked at as ones going in only took five series today, they had a very limited day," coach Byrd added. "We were trying to look at who we got. Who's going to step up in a game situation as far as the next guys, or who has a chance to compete. We wanted them to compete against each other so we held some of our top guys out today."
The end of the first half and the beginning of the second half saw SFA start its drives from the offense's own 40-yard line, before working on red zone action with drives starting at the defense's 40 and 25-yard lines. The defense came to life from the onset of the second half, coming up with an acrobatic interception in the back of the end zone.
Sawyer's pass was deflected off the hands of junior wide receiver Tamrick Pace and junior safety Alize Ward before being snatched out of the air by senior safety Lawrence Ghansah. Moments later on the offense's very next play from scrimmage, junior cornerback Jadarius Byrd, a transfer from Butler Community College in Kansas, leaped into the air to pick off a pass from Covey. The defense came up with their third interception of the second half as sophomore safety Gavin Roland made a play on a mishandled pass near the goal line.
"I'm really happy with the group of freshmen we have," continued Byrd. "Freshmen from "Q" (QuenTyvian) Borders to Jeremiah Davis, who is from Lufkin, Texas, are a couple of east Texas boys who have a chance to contribute at this time. Tycen Thompson made a good run today too. Those guys have been doing a good job and there are several guys on the offensive line who have been forced to go to work and are rising to the occasion."
Fall Camp Continues
With just one week of fall camp remaining, SFA will return to the grass to continue its preseason practice schedule Sunday afternoon with a 3:15 p.m. workout in helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys and shorts. Monday, the 'Jacks will head back out onto the practice fields for an 8:15 a.m. session in shells, before putting full pads on Tuesday morning.
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 #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 this 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-
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
S
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ Football
S
/ Football
QB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
S
/ FootballCharles Demmings' NFL Draft Journey
Thursday, April 23
12.15.25 | Weekly Press Conference- Football
Monday, December 15
12.12.25 | SFA @ MSU Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, December 13
12.8.25 | Weekly Press Conference- Football
Monday, December 08
