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Weight lifting, conditioning, camps on summer schedule
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 09:46 p.m. EDT, Jul 14, 2009
Summer is a time for many college students and employees to take a break from the pressures and rigors of their particular responsibilities during the school year.
Not so with anyone associated with the University of Akron football team.
Since the end of classes in May, coach J.D. Brookhart and his staff have been following up with members of the incoming freshman class, recruiting seniors-to-be for the 2010 class, holding camps for high school players and performing myriad tasks to prepare for the 2009 season.
There were vacations mixed in there for all the coaches, but they were short.
Meanwhile, the players have gotten together on a regular — but informal — basis to lift weights under strength and conditioning coach Dan Bailey. The players also have been holding seven-on-seven drills with themselves and other colleges, taking summer school classes and working to earn money.
NCAA rules prohibit formal summer coaching, except by Bailey and his staff, so that changes the dynamics, but not necessarily in a negative way.
''It's the worst time for the coaches because you can't do anything as far as player development,'' said Brookhart, who is entering his sixth season with UA. ''We can't do anything on the field, but we have kept busy.
''Summer is better for the players. They can go to summer school, get a job, lift and run and do some noncontact work.''
Immediately after the spring game on April 4, Brookhart and his staff evaluated the performance of the players during the course of the 15 spring drills.
In May, it was time to contact the incoming freshmen.
''We did a lot of follow-up work, making sure they were finishing up their senior year the right way,'' Brookhart said.
In May, June and July, much attention was spent by the entire staff on recruiting players that are entering their senior seasons.
In addition, the coaching staff worked three football camps on campus in June and four more in July, with each camp having 150 to 200 players.
In between those responsibilities, the coaching staff is working on preparations for a new season that begins at Penn State on Sept. 5 and continues for the next two Saturdays with home games against Morgan State and Indiana, the first two games at InfoCision Stadium.
So it's safe to say that part of the summer for Brookhart and his staff has been spent following the progress of the new stadium.
''I had a chance to go through it the other day. It's fantastic,'' Brookhart said. ''The turf is beautiful, the stands are almost done. There are some internal things to do, but that's to be expected. Our plans are to practice there on Aug. 6.''
Regarding player development and assessment, Brookhart said there are no position switches expected such as the ones last year when Bryan Williams went from tailback to safety and Andre Jones from cornerback to wide receiver.
''There is nothing like that. We are pretty set,'' Brookhart said. ''There may be some moves with freshmen when they get here, but that's all.''
Brookhart said a prime summer goal for the strength and medical staff is to get injured players ready for the new season. About 20 players sat out the spring game with injuries.
The return to health of tailback Alex Allen (hip) and nose guard Ryan Bain (back) are crucial if the Zips are to finish better than the 5-7 record of last season.
Allen actually moved ahead of Dennis Kennedy last season as the starting tailback before he was injured against Ball State in the third game. Kennedy went on to rush for 1,321 yards and score 18 touchdowns.
Bain, a highly touted transfer from Iowa, was a terror in the 2008 spring camp. But a foot injury and then an NCAA suspension for taking an over-the-counter dietary supplement that contained a banned substance sidelined him for all of 2008.
Bain is eligible in 2009, but not at full strength.
''He has a back issue. Our plan is to get him going,'' Brookhart. ''We need him and have to be smart with him.''
The Zips have eight returning starters on offense, six on defense and two specialists.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Summer is a time for many college students and employees to take a break from the pressures and rigors of their particular responsibilities during the school year.
Not so with anyone associated with the University of Akron football team.
Since the end of classes in May, coach J.D. Brookhart and his staff have been following up with members of the incoming freshman class, recruiting seniors-to-be for the 2010 class, holding camps for high school players and performing myriad tasks to prepare for the 2009 season.
There were vacations mixed in there for all the coaches, but they were short.
Meanwhile, the players have gotten together on a regular — but informal — basis to lift weights under strength and conditioning coach Dan Bailey. The players also have been holding seven-on-seven drills with themselves and other colleges, taking summer school classes and working to earn money.
NCAA rules prohibit formal summer coaching, except by Bailey and his staff, so that changes the dynamics, but not necessarily in a negative way.
''It's the worst time for the coaches because you can't do anything as far as player development,'' said Brookhart, who is entering his sixth season with UA. ''We can't do anything on the field, but we have kept busy.
''Summer is better for the players. They can go to summer school, get a job, lift and run and do some noncontact work.''
Immediately after the spring game on April 4, Brookhart and his staff evaluated the performance of the players during the course of the 15 spring drills.
In May, it was time to contact the incoming freshmen.
''We did a lot of follow-up work, making sure they were finishing up their senior year the right way,'' Brookhart said.
In May, June and July, much attention was spent by the entire staff on recruiting players that are entering their senior seasons.
In addition, the coaching staff worked three football camps on campus in June and four more in July, with each camp having 150 to 200 players.
In between those responsibilities, the coaching staff is working on preparations for a new season that begins at Penn State on Sept. 5 and continues for the next two Saturdays with home games against Morgan State and Indiana, the first two games at InfoCision Stadium.
So it's safe to say that part of the summer for Brookhart and his staff has been spent following the progress of the new stadium.
''I had a chance to go through it the other day. It's fantastic,'' Brookhart said. ''The turf is beautiful, the stands are almost done. There are some internal things to do, but that's to be expected. Our plans are to practice there on Aug. 6.''
Regarding player development and assessment, Brookhart said there are no position switches expected such as the ones last year when Bryan Williams went from tailback to safety and Andre Jones from cornerback to wide receiver.
''There is nothing like that. We are pretty set,'' Brookhart said. ''There may be some moves with freshmen when they get here, but that's all.''
Brookhart said a prime summer goal for the strength and medical staff is to get injured players ready for the new season. About 20 players sat out the spring game with injuries.
The return to health of tailback Alex Allen (hip) and nose guard Ryan Bain (back) are crucial if the Zips are to finish better than the 5-7 record of last season.
Allen actually moved ahead of Dennis Kennedy last season as the starting tailback before he was injured against Ball State in the third game. Kennedy went on to rush for 1,321 yards and score 18 touchdowns.
Bain, a highly touted transfer from Iowa, was a terror in the 2008 spring camp. But a foot injury and then an NCAA suspension for taking an over-the-counter dietary supplement that contained a banned substance sidelined him for all of 2008.
Bain is eligible in 2009, but not at full strength.
''He has a back issue. Our plan is to get him going,'' Brookhart. ''We need him and have to be smart with him.''
The Zips have eight returning starters on offense, six on defense and two specialists.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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North Hill, OH
Posted 09:59 PM, 07/14/2009
WOO! Go Zips!
Highland Square, OH
Posted 11:12 PM, 07/14/2009
"Our plans are to practice there on Aug. 6"
Sweet, an aerial view with the cams! Sounds good to me. Hopefully Kent coaches won't be watching, too lol.
Canton, OH
Posted 06:55 AM, 07/15/2009
FEAR THE ' ROO. . .
Posted 08:54 AM, 07/15/2009
Of course, Brookhart will use his players incorrectly, be outcoached, and will finish sub-.500 with a team that should've been bowl eligible and challenging for the MAC title.
Posted 11:17 AM, 07/15/2009
SloppyClamBake, go comment on the Kent Daily or whatever your paper is there. GO ZIPS
KENT STATE SUCKSSSSSS!!!!
Posted 02:15 PM, 07/15/2009
@UAEngineering: You just brought up a good point - It would be wise for them to turn off the construction cams during that practice.
