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Grambling begins spring reloading
Football Tigers have to replace 24 departed seniors.
Scott Ferrell / The Times
Posted on April 3, 2002
Grambling State head football coach Doug Williams won't have that comfortable feeling looking at his defense and seeing middle linebacker Robert Taylor. Nor will Williams have the luxury of watching Levi Washington and Ellis Spears catch passes from Randy Hymes.
Those players are gone. They are part of a class of 24 seniors who finished their eligibility following last year's 10-1 season.
"That's one of those things that when you wake up in the morning and hope to see them, we don't have them any more," Williams said.
Today, Williams and the Tigers staff begin the replacement process. The Tigers open spring practice today at Grambling and will culminate their spring work on April 20 with the annual spring game.
"I don't look at this as a rebuilding situation," Williams said. "I look at it as us reloading."
Few positions will draw as much scrutiny this spring as the quarterback position. The Tigers are looking to find a replacement for Hymes.
Bruce Eugene, who was a part-time starter a year ago, has the most playing experience of the Tigers' four quarterbacks on campus. He passed for 693 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Also competing for the starting quarterback position are Southwest Texas transfer Kevin Barbay, A'ron Thomas and Jeruzowski Lee.
"Last year, Bruce gave us a lot of depth," Williams said. "Now there's not as much depth. I think everybody's got to get an opportunity. I don't think anybody is safe. It's just that Bruce has played more than the rest of them. And it gives him a little bit of an edge.
"I'm going to say (it's) open. I think we've got to look at it from that standpoint. We're not blessed to say that this job belongs to any one of them. I think it's going to be a close competition thing."
The Tigers also must replace their top two pass catchers from last season, Washington and Spears.
Washington caught 38 passes for 651 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago. Spears caught 33 passes for 723 yards and five touchdowns.
"We're definitely looking for somebody to step up and somebody we can hang our hat on," Williams said. "We've got some kids coming in next year to help us, but they're not here."
Tramon Douglas has the most experience of the Tigers' returning receivers. He caught 19 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown last season.
A trio of area players figure into GSU's plans at wide receiver - Huntington's A.J. Johnson and Coushatta's Delvin Lewis and LaTroy Calhoun.
"We've got some guys that we can put out there and hopefully come through," Williams said. "We've got guys, we just haven't seen them at full speed."
Another area of concern for the Tigers comes at linebacker. The Tigers lose all three starters from last year's team - Alexis Robinson, Terrance Dukes and Taylor.
"We lost all three guys and that was a good threesome," Williams said. "We've got to find somebody. I don't say replace them as much as take their place and play up to their ability."
Williams said the Tigers are considering moving sophomore Marcus Yanez from outside linebacker to middle linebacker.
The Tigers also need to find a pair of cornerbacks to fill out their secondary. With new starters in the secondary and at linebacker, Grambling will rely heavily on its defensive line.
With holes to fill, Williams and his staff are ready for spring practice to start today.
"I think we'll probably have to be a little more physical this spring than the last two," Williams said. "Last year we were worried about not beating people up because we knew what they could do. But here, we've got to find out who's close enough to get beat up."
Football Tigers have to replace 24 departed seniors.
Scott Ferrell / The Times
Posted on April 3, 2002
Grambling State head football coach Doug Williams won't have that comfortable feeling looking at his defense and seeing middle linebacker Robert Taylor. Nor will Williams have the luxury of watching Levi Washington and Ellis Spears catch passes from Randy Hymes.
Those players are gone. They are part of a class of 24 seniors who finished their eligibility following last year's 10-1 season.
"That's one of those things that when you wake up in the morning and hope to see them, we don't have them any more," Williams said.
Today, Williams and the Tigers staff begin the replacement process. The Tigers open spring practice today at Grambling and will culminate their spring work on April 20 with the annual spring game.
"I don't look at this as a rebuilding situation," Williams said. "I look at it as us reloading."
Few positions will draw as much scrutiny this spring as the quarterback position. The Tigers are looking to find a replacement for Hymes.
Bruce Eugene, who was a part-time starter a year ago, has the most playing experience of the Tigers' four quarterbacks on campus. He passed for 693 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Also competing for the starting quarterback position are Southwest Texas transfer Kevin Barbay, A'ron Thomas and Jeruzowski Lee.
"Last year, Bruce gave us a lot of depth," Williams said. "Now there's not as much depth. I think everybody's got to get an opportunity. I don't think anybody is safe. It's just that Bruce has played more than the rest of them. And it gives him a little bit of an edge.
"I'm going to say (it's) open. I think we've got to look at it from that standpoint. We're not blessed to say that this job belongs to any one of them. I think it's going to be a close competition thing."
The Tigers also must replace their top two pass catchers from last season, Washington and Spears.
Washington caught 38 passes for 651 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago. Spears caught 33 passes for 723 yards and five touchdowns.
"We're definitely looking for somebody to step up and somebody we can hang our hat on," Williams said. "We've got some kids coming in next year to help us, but they're not here."
Tramon Douglas has the most experience of the Tigers' returning receivers. He caught 19 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown last season.
A trio of area players figure into GSU's plans at wide receiver - Huntington's A.J. Johnson and Coushatta's Delvin Lewis and LaTroy Calhoun.
"We've got some guys that we can put out there and hopefully come through," Williams said. "We've got guys, we just haven't seen them at full speed."
Another area of concern for the Tigers comes at linebacker. The Tigers lose all three starters from last year's team - Alexis Robinson, Terrance Dukes and Taylor.
"We lost all three guys and that was a good threesome," Williams said. "We've got to find somebody. I don't say replace them as much as take their place and play up to their ability."
Williams said the Tigers are considering moving sophomore Marcus Yanez from outside linebacker to middle linebacker.
The Tigers also need to find a pair of cornerbacks to fill out their secondary. With new starters in the secondary and at linebacker, Grambling will rely heavily on its defensive line.
With holes to fill, Williams and his staff are ready for spring practice to start today.
"I think we'll probably have to be a little more physical this spring than the last two," Williams said. "Last year we were worried about not beating people up because we knew what they could do. But here, we've got to find out who's close enough to get beat up."