STRAWDOG
JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050808/SPORTS030101/5080
August 8, 2005
Tigers arrive en masse for season
# Previously thin ranks filled out with about 90 players reporting, including 13 treasured O-linemen
By Mark Alexander
malexander@clarionledger.com
Bell
Ryan Hopkins got a little more than he bargained when he checked into his dorm room at Alexander Hall on Sunday.
"My friend and I walked in and there was a little web of spiders," Hopkins said. "Man, I don't like spiders! That kinda got things started off on the wrong foot."
Despite the rather inauspicious start, everything else went according to plan for Hopkins, who was one of approximately 90 Jackson State football players who reported to campus for fall practice.
The players, after checking into their respective dorms, were treated to a cookout by the Blue Bengals Booster Club at 5:30 p.m., and then they attended a team meeting at 7.
The overall numbers are up considerably from the spring, and that applies to the offensive line, as well. Hopkins, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound transfer from Northeast Miss. CC, is one of a handful of offensive line newcomers, doubling the Tigers' numbers up front.
That influx of talent should serve JSU well in terms of ability, competition in practice and depth. If Hopkins and Co. had been on board in the spring, there may have been a spring game. As it was, the spring game was called off because the Tigers didn't have enough offensive linemen to field two units.
They enter fall practice with a minimum of 13, including the return of All-SWAC performer Albert Stinson, who sat out last year because of academic reasons.
"That was an emphasis of ours, no doubt," JSU coach James Bell said. "Naturally, you never get as many as you want, but we got enough. We like the group we have.
"Now it's up to us to work with them, see who's going to be on the right side, who's going to be on the left, who's best at center. And they've got to learn the system. We're going to spend extra time with them to make sure that happens."
JSU lost three starters along the offensive line. Stinson is going to occupy one of those spots, leaving the other two, and possibly more, up for grabs leading into the Sept. 3 season opener against Hampton in Detroit.
Contenders include Reggie Harper of Hinds CC, Darrell Washington of Copiah-Lincoln CC and Louisiana Tech transfer Glen Mason, who is likely to fill the void at center left by the departure of Chris Bates.
"I'm sure everybody coming in is expecting to start," Hopkins said. "We know that's not going to happen. Training camp is going to settle a lot of those disputes. I plan on coming in with a positive attitude, and hopefully everything will work out for the best."
Things haven't turned out so well for JSU the past two seasons. The Tigers are a combined 6-17 in Bell's first two seasons, a fact that didn't deter Hopkins from signing with JSU.
"All the guys coming in, we just look at it like the first two years have been a learning experience for Coach Bell and the players who have been here," Hopkins said. "All he needs to do is get guys in here who fit his system and believe in his system."
Hopkins has good reason to be optimistic. At Jim Hill, where he was coached by current JSU quarterbacks coach Darrell Jones, the Tigers improved from 2-9 his sophomore year to 9-2 his senior year. And, at Northeast, the Tigers went 7-2 his second year after a 3-6 mark the year before.
"This is my third set of Tigers, and I've been apart of helping the first two turn things around so I don't see why it can't be done here," Hopkins said.
Hopkins was a two-year starter at left tackle while at Northeast, where he played in more of a passing offense. He said the JSU coaches have talked to him about starting out at right tackle. "It shouldn't be that much of an adjustment," he said.
Reginald Green, one of two returning starters, welcomes the arrival of Hopkins and Co.
"I feel like the more numbers we have, the better our situation is going to be," Green said.
OOOOOOK?????
August 8, 2005
Tigers arrive en masse for season
# Previously thin ranks filled out with about 90 players reporting, including 13 treasured O-linemen
By Mark Alexander
malexander@clarionledger.com
Bell
Ryan Hopkins got a little more than he bargained when he checked into his dorm room at Alexander Hall on Sunday.
"My friend and I walked in and there was a little web of spiders," Hopkins said. "Man, I don't like spiders! That kinda got things started off on the wrong foot."
Despite the rather inauspicious start, everything else went according to plan for Hopkins, who was one of approximately 90 Jackson State football players who reported to campus for fall practice.
The players, after checking into their respective dorms, were treated to a cookout by the Blue Bengals Booster Club at 5:30 p.m., and then they attended a team meeting at 7.
The overall numbers are up considerably from the spring, and that applies to the offensive line, as well. Hopkins, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound transfer from Northeast Miss. CC, is one of a handful of offensive line newcomers, doubling the Tigers' numbers up front.
That influx of talent should serve JSU well in terms of ability, competition in practice and depth. If Hopkins and Co. had been on board in the spring, there may have been a spring game. As it was, the spring game was called off because the Tigers didn't have enough offensive linemen to field two units.
They enter fall practice with a minimum of 13, including the return of All-SWAC performer Albert Stinson, who sat out last year because of academic reasons.
"That was an emphasis of ours, no doubt," JSU coach James Bell said. "Naturally, you never get as many as you want, but we got enough. We like the group we have.
"Now it's up to us to work with them, see who's going to be on the right side, who's going to be on the left, who's best at center. And they've got to learn the system. We're going to spend extra time with them to make sure that happens."
JSU lost three starters along the offensive line. Stinson is going to occupy one of those spots, leaving the other two, and possibly more, up for grabs leading into the Sept. 3 season opener against Hampton in Detroit.
Contenders include Reggie Harper of Hinds CC, Darrell Washington of Copiah-Lincoln CC and Louisiana Tech transfer Glen Mason, who is likely to fill the void at center left by the departure of Chris Bates.
"I'm sure everybody coming in is expecting to start," Hopkins said. "We know that's not going to happen. Training camp is going to settle a lot of those disputes. I plan on coming in with a positive attitude, and hopefully everything will work out for the best."
Things haven't turned out so well for JSU the past two seasons. The Tigers are a combined 6-17 in Bell's first two seasons, a fact that didn't deter Hopkins from signing with JSU.
"All the guys coming in, we just look at it like the first two years have been a learning experience for Coach Bell and the players who have been here," Hopkins said. "All he needs to do is get guys in here who fit his system and believe in his system."
Hopkins has good reason to be optimistic. At Jim Hill, where he was coached by current JSU quarterbacks coach Darrell Jones, the Tigers improved from 2-9 his sophomore year to 9-2 his senior year. And, at Northeast, the Tigers went 7-2 his second year after a 3-6 mark the year before.
"This is my third set of Tigers, and I've been apart of helping the first two turn things around so I don't see why it can't be done here," Hopkins said.
Hopkins was a two-year starter at left tackle while at Northeast, where he played in more of a passing offense. He said the JSU coaches have talked to him about starting out at right tackle. "It shouldn't be that much of an adjustment," he said.
Reginald Green, one of two returning starters, welcomes the arrival of Hopkins and Co.
"I feel like the more numbers we have, the better our situation is going to be," Green said.
OOOOOOK?????
