SFA Football Fall Camp Report | Offense
8/5/2018 6:52:00 PM | Football
‘Jacks put on shoulder pads for first time of preseason camp, host opening afternoon practice
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, this evening highlighting the offense.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The sound of shoulder pads colliding rang out behind the athletics fieldhouse on the campus of Stephen F. Austin Sunday afternoon as the Lumberjack football team practiced in shells for the first time of fall camp. Sunday represented day three of SFA's grueling preseason workouts and the first afternoon session. With the temperatures sitting in the mid 90's and the sun beating down on the field throughout the contest, the 'Jacks had their work cut out for them from the onset.
"There's always an acclimation period with the addition of pads, that's what you're going through, and I thought they gave great effort out here", said SFA interim head coach Jeff Byrd. "We knew it was going to be a little hotter and it would demand a little more of them and they rose to the occasion."
Getting right into the flow of practice,the 'Jacks continued to work on the fundamentals of the game with added contact. SFA began with its usual pre-practice warmups and stretches before working on special teams. The majority of the units ran some punt return drills, then the 'Jacks broke out for their positional skill training. The offense ran several situational plays as a team, maximizing its playbook install on both sides of the ball.
"I think we have a lot of good players in a lot of places, and they're going to have to make plays", Byrd said. "We've added some more playmakers to our roster and we've got to continue to work to give them the football, and I think our offensive coaches are doing a great job of that."
The position groups then ran individual drills, with the running backs taking on a rushing linebacker in blitz pickup while the wideouts ran the towel drill, attempting to get past a man and snag a towel off the ground behind them. Elsewhere, the offensive line and tight ends practicing their blocking as well. Once these drills were completed the offense split up, with the wideouts going 1v1 versus the defensive backs and the remainder of the offense practicing run plays.
Following the conclusion of those sessions, the offense came together to run around 40 plays in various game scenarios, including running and short yardage situations. With the practice drawing to an end, Coach Byrd circled the squad together to reinforce the day's message to his team; to give everything they had day in and day out.
"Team chemistry has been our biggest takeaway thus far", Byrd quipped. "The guys are bonding, they realize that we all have to be successful for the Lumberjacks to be successful, and so that's our biggest thing right now is working on morale and chemistry."
The Offense
Perhaps the biggest change in SFA's offense in 2018 will be its leadership. With the departure of offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, the 'Jacks turn to new leadership on that side of the ball.
First-year assistant coach Kevin Barbay was recently named the offensive coordinator and oversees SFA's signal callers, while seventh-year assistant coach Jeremy Moses, who enters his second-year handling the wide receivers corps, was named co-offensive coordinator prior to the start of fall camp. With Barbay and Moses in charge of the offensive play calling, the 'Jacks will have plenty of guidance on that side of the ball.
Dan Clark also begins his inaugural season at SFA in charge of the Lumberjack offensive line after former assistant coach Bill Best took a position with Rice football in Houston. With the staffing changes, first-year assistant coach Jeff Bowen will oversee the tight ends as fifth-year assistant Jeremy Hammock returns to coach the running backs, the same position he held while an assistant at Central Arkansas.
The 'Jacks seek much improvement on the offensive side of the ball in 2018 after finishing ninth in the Southland Conference in scoring offense (19.6 PPG) and total offense (330.6 YPG) in 2017. SFA ranked eighth in the 11-team league in rushing offense (115.5 YPG) and sixth in passing offense (215.2 YPG).
"So far, we've really had a good first three days, and we've seen a lot of competition at every position", said SFA quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay. "That's one of the ways to build a really good offense, when nobody is comfortable, nobody's complacent and everyone is pushing to earn a job. There's not one starting position out here that is given, everything is earned."
SFA should be optimistic as the 'Jacks enter the 2018 season with a renewed since of excitement. Expectations are high for a talented offense that features both experience and skillful youth. SFA returns 17 offensive letter winners from a season ago, including 11 who had starting experience in 2017. The 'Jacks also welcome back nine who redshirted last year, in addition to 22 newcomers, including 11 transfers and 11 freshmen.
"With 11 starters returning it makes it a lot easier for us, because we've got some guys who have played some quality football at some high level", added Barbay.
Junior standout wide receiver Tamrick Pace was an All-Southland Second Team pick last fall and is a preseason All-Southland Second Team selection this year, while junior offensive lineman Devonte Jones claimed All-Southland honorable mention accolades in 2017.
"I'm really please so far with the quarterback position," added Barbay. "All five of the guys have been doing a good job, not just [returning starters] Foster Sawyer and Jake Blumrick. What we're looking for at that position is leadership, and being able to command the offense and be in charge; be the field general. Our guys have really come out focused every day and in the meetings, where they're really locked in on the offense and what we're trying to achieve."
Barbay also praised the overall team speed and playmaking ability of the Lumberjacks, as well as the toughness and strength on the offensive line, all of which has been evident throughout the first three days of camp.
"We've added a lot of good speed and some guys that are tough up front, so we're looking to create that identity of toughness on the line," added Barbay. "Where we're at offensively, we're taking it a little bit slower on our installs, taking some time to be more descriptive and detailed, and I feel really good about our team speed and offense."
Fall Camp Continues
SFA's 20 total practices of preseason camp continue Monday at 8:15 a.m. as the 'Jacks return to morning workouts and remain in shoulder pads, helmets and shorts. The team will get its first taste of full-contact football in complete pads under the Texas sun Tuesday when SFA practices once again at 8:15 a.m.
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 #4 | Monday, Aug. 6 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #5 | Tuesday, Aug. 7 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #6 | Wednesday, Aug. 8 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
OFF | Thursday, Aug. 9
Practice #7 | Friday, Aug. 10 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Scrimmage #1 | Saturday, Aug. 11 | 8:15 a.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Practice #9 | Sunday, Aug. 12 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #10 | Monday, Aug. 13 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #11 | Tuesday, Aug. 14 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #12 | Wednesday, Aug. 15 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #13 | Thursday, Aug. 16 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
OFF | Friday, Aug. 17
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
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.comor 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 sound of shoulder pads colliding rang out behind the athletics fieldhouse on the campus of Stephen F. Austin Sunday afternoon as the Lumberjack football team practiced in shells for the first time of fall camp. Sunday represented day three of SFA's grueling preseason workouts and the first afternoon session. With the temperatures sitting in the mid 90's and the sun beating down on the field throughout the contest, the 'Jacks had their work cut out for them from the onset.
"There's always an acclimation period with the addition of pads, that's what you're going through, and I thought they gave great effort out here", said SFA interim head coach Jeff Byrd. "We knew it was going to be a little hotter and it would demand a little more of them and they rose to the occasion."
Getting right into the flow of practice,the 'Jacks continued to work on the fundamentals of the game with added contact. SFA began with its usual pre-practice warmups and stretches before working on special teams. The majority of the units ran some punt return drills, then the 'Jacks broke out for their positional skill training. The offense ran several situational plays as a team, maximizing its playbook install on both sides of the ball.
"I think we have a lot of good players in a lot of places, and they're going to have to make plays", Byrd said. "We've added some more playmakers to our roster and we've got to continue to work to give them the football, and I think our offensive coaches are doing a great job of that."
The position groups then ran individual drills, with the running backs taking on a rushing linebacker in blitz pickup while the wideouts ran the towel drill, attempting to get past a man and snag a towel off the ground behind them. Elsewhere, the offensive line and tight ends practicing their blocking as well. Once these drills were completed the offense split up, with the wideouts going 1v1 versus the defensive backs and the remainder of the offense practicing run plays.
Following the conclusion of those sessions, the offense came together to run around 40 plays in various game scenarios, including running and short yardage situations. With the practice drawing to an end, Coach Byrd circled the squad together to reinforce the day's message to his team; to give everything they had day in and day out.
"Team chemistry has been our biggest takeaway thus far", Byrd quipped. "The guys are bonding, they realize that we all have to be successful for the Lumberjacks to be successful, and so that's our biggest thing right now is working on morale and chemistry."
The Offense
Perhaps the biggest change in SFA's offense in 2018 will be its leadership. With the departure of offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, the 'Jacks turn to new leadership on that side of the ball.
First-year assistant coach Kevin Barbay was recently named the offensive coordinator and oversees SFA's signal callers, while seventh-year assistant coach Jeremy Moses, who enters his second-year handling the wide receivers corps, was named co-offensive coordinator prior to the start of fall camp. With Barbay and Moses in charge of the offensive play calling, the 'Jacks will have plenty of guidance on that side of the ball.
Dan Clark also begins his inaugural season at SFA in charge of the Lumberjack offensive line after former assistant coach Bill Best took a position with Rice football in Houston. With the staffing changes, first-year assistant coach Jeff Bowen will oversee the tight ends as fifth-year assistant Jeremy Hammock returns to coach the running backs, the same position he held while an assistant at Central Arkansas.
The 'Jacks seek much improvement on the offensive side of the ball in 2018 after finishing ninth in the Southland Conference in scoring offense (19.6 PPG) and total offense (330.6 YPG) in 2017. SFA ranked eighth in the 11-team league in rushing offense (115.5 YPG) and sixth in passing offense (215.2 YPG).
"So far, we've really had a good first three days, and we've seen a lot of competition at every position", said SFA quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay. "That's one of the ways to build a really good offense, when nobody is comfortable, nobody's complacent and everyone is pushing to earn a job. There's not one starting position out here that is given, everything is earned."
SFA should be optimistic as the 'Jacks enter the 2018 season with a renewed since of excitement. Expectations are high for a talented offense that features both experience and skillful youth. SFA returns 17 offensive letter winners from a season ago, including 11 who had starting experience in 2017. The 'Jacks also welcome back nine who redshirted last year, in addition to 22 newcomers, including 11 transfers and 11 freshmen.
"With 11 starters returning it makes it a lot easier for us, because we've got some guys who have played some quality football at some high level", added Barbay.
Junior standout wide receiver Tamrick Pace was an All-Southland Second Team pick last fall and is a preseason All-Southland Second Team selection this year, while junior offensive lineman Devonte Jones claimed All-Southland honorable mention accolades in 2017.
"I'm really please so far with the quarterback position," added Barbay. "All five of the guys have been doing a good job, not just [returning starters] Foster Sawyer and Jake Blumrick. What we're looking for at that position is leadership, and being able to command the offense and be in charge; be the field general. Our guys have really come out focused every day and in the meetings, where they're really locked in on the offense and what we're trying to achieve."
Barbay also praised the overall team speed and playmaking ability of the Lumberjacks, as well as the toughness and strength on the offensive line, all of which has been evident throughout the first three days of camp.
"We've added a lot of good speed and some guys that are tough up front, so we're looking to create that identity of toughness on the line," added Barbay. "Where we're at offensively, we're taking it a little bit slower on our installs, taking some time to be more descriptive and detailed, and I feel really good about our team speed and offense."
Fall Camp Continues
SFA's 20 total practices of preseason camp continue Monday at 8:15 a.m. as the 'Jacks return to morning workouts and remain in shoulder pads, helmets and shorts. The team will get its first taste of full-contact football in complete pads under the Texas sun Tuesday when SFA practices once again at 8:15 a.m.
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 #4 | Monday, Aug. 6 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #5 | Tuesday, Aug. 7 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #6 | Wednesday, Aug. 8 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
OFF | Thursday, Aug. 9
Practice #7 | Friday, Aug. 10 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Scrimmage #1 | Saturday, Aug. 11 | 8:15 a.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Practice #9 | Sunday, Aug. 12 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #10 | Monday, Aug. 13 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #11 | Tuesday, Aug. 14 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #12 | Wednesday, Aug. 15 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #13 | Thursday, Aug. 16 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
OFF | Friday, Aug. 17
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
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.comor 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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