HAHA !!! MSU Wed Morning Report
Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 9:19 am
Wednesday’s morning practice began much the same as the day before, as the Bulldogs assembled for warm-ups without their head coach present for a second-straight day. Ten minutes later, with the players in their various groups, only a few noticed the arrival of a ‘walk-on’ in a red cross jersey, helmet, and shoulder pads.
It was Coach Sylvester Croom, of course, carted out to practice like any other injured player brought from the training room to watch. Croom trotted over to join some defensive linemen observing field goal drills, and when tackle Deljuan Robinson noticed this new teammate he abruptly broke into a cackle. Soon the entire team caught on to the joke along with sideline observers, including MSU president Dr. Robert Foglesong and a number of visiting Fulbright Scholars brought to watch an American college football practice.
Croom took a turn with the offensive line, his own old playing job, and ran a snap ‘blocking’ Royce Blackledge. The starting center did not take advantage of the situation. Croom also hiked the ball to quarterback Mike Henig in passing drills before finally shedding the gear and letting everyone get back to work. He had come up with the idea of ‘reporting’ in uniform yesterday, though the helmet and pads were a later addition to the plan.
That the head coach, who had been absent for both Tuesday practices on personal business, would break the routine this way reflects his general satisfaction with the first week of preseason practices. While there have been some mediocre days and at least one where Croom was clearly upset with the results, on the whole he is pleased with the efforts and performances in this week of camp. So far, that is.
But the fact that Croom could slip into practice almost unnoticed was also a reflection of one worrisome aspect of preseason.
It was Coach Sylvester Croom, of course, carted out to practice like any other injured player brought from the training room to watch. Croom trotted over to join some defensive linemen observing field goal drills, and when tackle Deljuan Robinson noticed this new teammate he abruptly broke into a cackle. Soon the entire team caught on to the joke along with sideline observers, including MSU president Dr. Robert Foglesong and a number of visiting Fulbright Scholars brought to watch an American college football practice.
Croom took a turn with the offensive line, his own old playing job, and ran a snap ‘blocking’ Royce Blackledge. The starting center did not take advantage of the situation. Croom also hiked the ball to quarterback Mike Henig in passing drills before finally shedding the gear and letting everyone get back to work. He had come up with the idea of ‘reporting’ in uniform yesterday, though the helmet and pads were a later addition to the plan.
That the head coach, who had been absent for both Tuesday practices on personal business, would break the routine this way reflects his general satisfaction with the first week of preseason practices. While there have been some mediocre days and at least one where Croom was clearly upset with the results, on the whole he is pleased with the efforts and performances in this week of camp. So far, that is.
But the fact that Croom could slip into practice almost unnoticed was also a reflection of one worrisome aspect of preseason.
