Spring Football Practice Opens April 5
Head coach Fitz Hill, entering his second season leading the San Jose State University football, begins spring practice, Friday, April 5. Practices will take place on the fields at 10th and Humboldt Streets, next to the Bud Winter Field track.
| Coach Hill has 71 players participating in spring practice. |
| Related Material |
| Spring practice schedule |
The 2002 Spartans are coming off a 3-9 win-loss record in 2001. Seven starters, five on offense and two on defense, are among 30 letterwinners participating in spring drills that run through Saturday, April 27.
"We want to improve our fundamentals both on offense and defense. We want to become a better tackling team on defense and, basically, be sound with what we’re doing. On offense, we want to work on our execution and take better care of the ball," says the Spartan coach, who has 71 players on his spring roster. "It’s real simple. We want to get better."
Losing 14 starters including two-time first-team All-WAC offensive tackle Chris Fe’esago and tailbacks Deonce Whitaker and Jarmar Julien, both of whom were named an outstanding player in a 2002 all-star game, Hill acknowledges the spring can be viewed as a time of rebuilding.
Right tackle Tim Provost, the team’s only three-year full-time starter, left guard Joe Hayes, wide receivers Charles Pauley and Tuati Wooden and quarterback Marcus Arroyo are the returning starters on offense. Defensive tackle Brandon Miles, who is moving to fullback on a full-time basis this spring, and defensive back Melvin Cook are the only returning starters from last year’s defensive unit. Placekicker Nick Gilliam and punter Michael Carr, both of whom have held the first string kicking jobs the last two seasons, are back for the 2002 season.
"On offense, continuity is one of our strengths. Except for our turnovers last year, we were moving the ball. I feel better about our offense mastering the system the second time around. Defensively, we have some bigger bodies in our front seven. Our linebacker corps is healthy and we have some depth there with Paul Okumu and Luke LaHerran back from injuries."
Monday and Wednesday practices are scheduled for 6:30 a.m. Friday practices are at 3:30 p.m.
"We scheduled spring practice this way to get the maximum amount of participation. Most of the classes our players need to take are afternoon classes. If we have a player who has to go to class, he can’t miss class. But, it’s a double-edged sword, because he can’t miss practice, too," says Hill. "This way, we will have the least amount of no-shows or excused absences. It’s similar to the military approach – get most everything done by 9:00 a.m. So, we get up, practice and go to class."