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Commodores’ Tempo and Concentration Pleases Johnson As Vanderbilt Gets Underway With Spring Practice 2/24/2004
Commodores’ Tempo and Concentration Pleases Johnson As Vanderbilt Gets Underway With Spring Practice On the Vanderbilt campus in Nashville – A one-week delay couldn’t dampen Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson’s enthusiasm after the Vanderbilt Commodores completed their first session of Spring Practice Tuesday evening. Nearly 70 players participated in the 2-hour, 30-minute practice, the first of 15 sessions Johnson will direct this spring. The session included individual position drills and instruction, team pass periods and more than an hour of 11-on-11, non-contact work. The squad did not practice in full gear Tuesday, and is not expected to move into full pads until Thursday. “I was extremely pleased with today’s practice. The concentration level, effort and overall tempo was where we wanted it to be. We had a lot of guys working hard, doing what the coaches asked them to do, just trying to get better. If the next 14 practices measure up to the one we just finished, I’m going to be very pleased with the spring,” Johnson said. Jovan Haye, Vanderbilt’s All-SEC defensive end, was pleased with the Commodore defensive effort. “It’s just the first day and you are trying to get your body going, but I thought the defense worked hard going to the football,” Haye said. “That’s something we are working on this spring, getting to the football and finishing the play.” A loud whistle by Johnson starting the practice helped conclude a series of media interviews conducted with Vanderbilt Assistant Head Coach and offensive line mentor Robbie Caldwell. After scaring fellow coaches and friends with an emergency room visit Monday afternoon, Caldwell was all smiles Tuesday, cutting jokes with the media while thanking Vanderbilt University Medical Center doctors and athletic staff for their efforts on Monday. “I’m feeling fine and just very thankful that so many people cared about how I was doing,” Caldwell said before practice. Within minutes of the individual instruction period with the offensive line, it was obvious Caldwell was feeling just fine. He spent the entire segment praising good effort, teaching proper fundamentals and demanding better technique. Haye’s Day in the Spotlight Former Commodore Moore Named to Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame “I’m just now coming back to earth after a couple of beautiful days,” Moore said Monday. “I can’t how how proud I am to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.” Moore was even more shocked at the video presentation provided by Vanderbilt for the ceremonies. “I couldn’t believe it and none of the 800 other people in the audience could either. My highlights were in color. I didn’t even know color film existed back there. They didn’t show one fumble. To tell you the truth, I don’t think I even got tackled. It was beautiful,” Moore joked. Another legendary Commodore athlete, women’s basketball All-American Wendy Scholtens Wood, also joined Moore as one of nine inductees to the Arkansas hall. This Week’s Schedule The team’s first practice in full gear is Thursday. |
Commodores’ Tempo and Concentration Pleases Johnson As Vanderbilt Gets Underway With Spring Practice
