MACOMB, Ill. – The Leatherneck Football team continued to pursue the goals set forth at the start of spring practice, wrapping up session number 12 on Wednesday morning (April 9). Western Illinois will have two more practices before the finale on Saturday, the Bruce Craddock Memorial spring game.
According to second year head coach Bob Nielson, his squad is continuing to work on areas that he and the staff determined needing improvements.
“We are continuing to polish some things up. We have not installed anything the last 3-4 days. We worked some situations today we feel could be beneficial for us, and obviously continue to get some of our young guys repetitions, which has been our focus all spring.”
With only three days remaining in the NCAA allotted 15 practice sessions, Nielson noted improvements but that there is still work to do.
“You always like to be better, you always like to be further along. I don't think you're ever satisfied as a coach. I think the things that we knew we had to make progress on we've made progress on. So I'm going to feel like we are going to come out of the spring way ahead of where we were last year,” stated Nielson.
Western will have an abbreviated walk-through practice on Thursday night before returning to Hanson Field on Friday morning for practice #14.
TWO-DEEP STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE: One of the other goals that head coach Bob Nielson said at the start of spring was to get a working two-deep put together heading into fall camp.
“I think we are getting close,” said Nielson. “We have a few positions where we will carry that competition over to the fall. We have some young guys that have stepped forward and through the course of the spring and the repetitions they got, have gotten better.”
#14in14 PLAYERWATCH: This spring, Western will highlight 14 Leathernecks as a player to watch during the 2014 season. Junior offensive tackle Tyler Bode joined the Leathernecks in January after two seasons at Scottsdale Community College. He helped his team advance to the Valley of the Sun Bowl and won the WSFL conference title. Bode earned First Team All-WSFL and First Team All-America honors after last season. He is currently running with the first team during spring practice as the starter at left tackle.
#14in14 PLAYERWATCH: This spring, Western will highlight 14 Leathernecks as a player to watch during the 2014 season. Junior defensive lineman Eddy Holtschlag has played in 20 career games, including all 12 last season. He recorded two sacks in the home game versus South Dakota State, and set a career-high with six tackles against Missouri State. Holtschlag recorded 20 of his 28 career tackles last season. In 20 career contests he has 7.5 tackles for a loss and 4.0 sacks.
2014 SPRING SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 10 7:00 pm
Friday, April 11 6:45 am
Saturday, April 12 7:00 pm
(Bruce Craddock Spring Game)
