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Football Takes Part In Two-A-Day Practice Wednesday
Aug. 17, 2005 ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine football team took part in two, intense practice sessions Wednesday on the grass fields behind Alfond Stadium. Both practices featured the Black Bears working on the two-minute drill, field goal operation and kickoff coverage. The afternoon session ended with a two-minute drill between the offense and defense. Some of the highlights included the defense coming up with a big play on the first possession when freshman cornerback Lamir Whetstone (Trenton, N.J.) intercepted a pass to stop the offense after it had crossed midfield. The offense responded two possessions later as senior quarterback Chris Legree (Brooklyn, N.Y.) connected with freshman wideout Rodney Salomon (Marlboro, N.J.) on a 30-yard touchdown pass. Also on Wednesday, five Black Bears were named to the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Team by I-AA.org. Earning spots on the first team were senior co-captains Ben Lazarski (New Windsor, N.Y.) and Jermaine Walker (Teaneck, N.J.). Lazarski made it as a center, while Walker earned a spot as a linebacker. Joining Lazarski and Walker on the first team was junior Arel Gordon (Rochester, N.Y.) as a return specialist. The honors are the second this week for Lazarski and Gordon, who were both named Second-Team Preseason All-Americans by CollegeSportsReport.com on Monday. Senior tight end Josh Radulski (Newark, Del.) and junior quarterback Ron Whitcomb (East Rochester, N.Y.) were named to the second team by the website. The preseason honors were the first for both players this season. Maine will return to practice Thursday for one morning session. The practice will go from 9:05-to-11:30 a.m., on the grass practice fields. The session will be in preparation for the team's second intersquad scrimmage of camp on Friday afternoon at Alfond Stadium. Friday's scrimmage, which is open to the public, will be held from 3:35-to-5:35 p.m. QUOTES Head coach Jack Cosgrove General comment on both of Wednesday's practices... "We battled our way through a tough day with two practices. We're truly into the camp routine. At this time of camp, it's all football, football, football. Before you know it you're coming off the field and then going back and getting ready for another practice. You're trying to get so many things accomplished and your body doesn't have the octane that it had when camp began. That happens to both players and coaches, because you're always pushing yourself to perform better and get better. These times are important, because you start to figure out the identity of your team." On what can happen to a team when it establishes it's identity... "Once a team establishes its identity and who it is, then it can start to think about what it can become. You find out about your strengths and weaknesses and what you can do well. That's when you can work the intangibles into your plan." On what can make this time of camp tense... "It's so competitive. We have the two scrimmages this week and there's going to be promotions and demotions. Guys worry about that and want to know how they're doing." On what can be done to relax some of the tension in camp...
"I've always felt a relaxed player is guy that plays better. It's really about coaching in a positive manner and letting guys know when they've done something good. It's also important in a positive manner to point out to guys what they need to do to get better. We have fun as a coaching staff and I want out players to notice that. This morning we had (defensive end) Mike DeVito try to catch a punt at the end of practice and we used it as a little bit of a laugher. All the guys had fun with it. It helped to loosen them up."
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