Players feel out new regime as spring football begins

The CMU football team began spring practice on the heels of a bowl appearance and Mid-American Conference championship — like it has in several previous seasons.

But unlike recent years, where the players and coaching staff had little catching up to do, both sides had adjustments to make at the first two practices last week under new coach Dan Enos.

“It’s tough for even me and the seniors — you’ve got a completely new practice format and you kind of lead with the punches,” said senior linebacker Nick Bellore. “You want to ask
questions of the coaches and it’s tough, because you’re in a practice format and you have to
kind of keep moving. Obviously, there’s some growing pains just learning new systems, but it’s going as well as it can go.”

Not only were players making adjustments to the new regime, but Enos and the rest of his staff were still trying to get familiar with their current roster.

“We have a lot of guys eager to learn our new systems,” Enos said. “There was a lot of anxiety from our players — they wanted to get out and see what we were going to do offensively and defensively — but I think, now, people are starting to settle in.

“Players want to know that the guys that coach them can help them get better, and these guys have established right away that they are able to make our players better and achieve all of their goals.”

Enos, serving as an offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and running backs coach before coming to CMU, spent most of his first time directing practice on the offensive side of the ball.

“I’ve been preparing for this job my entire career,” Enos said. “And just like I tell the players, everybody’s going to get an opportunity someday to play and you have to prepare yourself.
All those days, all those meetings and all those practices so that, when you do get your chance, you’re prepared and successful.”

Mild weather on Thursday allowed CMU to spend the first day of practice outside at
Kelly/Shorts Stadium while rainy and cold conditions Saturday forced the team to move into the Indoor Athletic Complex for the second day. A lot of team, passing and one-on-one drills were used to get players ready for full-contact practices this week.

“We’ve actually installed quite a bit of offense and quite (a bit) of defense in two days,” Enos said. “We’ve been treating it like a normal practice — you just don’t get to take anybody to the ground.”

Prior to Thursday’s practice, the players were treated to a speech from legendary coach and former CMU Athletics Director Herb Deromedi that stressed the importance of spring practice. Deromedi said each player should use the 15 practices to improve and finish a better player than he came in as.

“Obviously, there’s going to be a lot of improvement because you’re starting from square one ,learning a new offense and defense,” Bellore said. “We have no choice but to improve significantly practice-to-practice to have a chance to compete next year because this is the learning time of the year.”

NOTES

Former CMU players and NFL Draft hopefuls Dan LeFevour, Antonio Brown and Bryan Anderson were in attendance for the team’s postseason awards banquet Sunday. All three are scheduled to take part in CMU Pro Day on Wednesday.

The team begins practicing in full pads Tuesday, leading into the spring game April 17.