Bears Please Morriss
8/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 11, 2006
Baylor head football coach Guy Morriss was pleased with the Bears' effort on both sides of the ball during their 150-minute workout Friday evening on the grass practice fields at Floyd Casey Stadium.
"It was a good practice, they were getting after it pretty good," said Morriss. "It was kind of give-and-take a little bit. It seemed like the offense kind of came together a little more tonight. Up front we saw and reacted to some things that we hadn't been able to in the past yet. That tells me they are getting more comfortable and that's good to see.
"Shawn (Bell) had a good night," he added. "I was just pleased with it (practice) all around."
Nine players missed Friday's workout due to injuries that have been sustained over the first seven practices. Junior running back Brandon Whitaker (sore knee), junior inside receiver Terrance Parks (sore hamstring), senior defensive end Julian Hill (sore knee), senior nose tackle M.T. Robinson (sore hamstring), senior offensive guard Will Blaylock (muscle strain), senior center Yancy Boatner (concussion), freshman defensive end Jameon Hardeman (back strain), sophomore wide receiver Thomas White (hamstring) and sophomore offensive guard Dan Gay (sprained ankle) all missed Friday's workout. In addition, senior preseason All-America punter Daniel Sepulveda continues to be sidelined while recovering from April knee surgery.
Two other Bears, sophomore inside receiver Carl Sims (hamstring) and senior offensive tackle Travis Farst (knee) sustained injuries during practice.
Three of Baylor's projected 2006 o-line starters, Farst, Blaylock and Y. Boatner, are now on the sidelines with injuries, but Morriss has been pleased with the development of the younger players up front.
"Those kids (Baylor's reserve offensive linemen) have had a lot of reps," Morriss said. "We need to get those guys out of the training room and on the field early next week because they need to be seeing some of those reps as well. They are behind from a conditioning standpoint as well as a seeing the detail stuff of the offense. But, we still have time."
Notes: Baylor senior outside safety Maurice Linguist and senior running back Mario Price are among 12 student-athletes who will receive their degrees during Baylor's summer graduation ceremony on Saturday morning ... Linguist and Price will join teammates Bell, Farst, James Todd and Andrew Heard in earning their degrees prior to their senior seasons on the gridirion ... Redshirt freshman Thad Boatner has been moved from offensive guard to tackle prior to Friday's practice ... Baylor Board of Regents Chairman Jim Turner attended Friday evening's practice ... Friday's practice marked the end of the first week of fall camp ... Baylor returns to the practice field Saturday at 6 p.m.
