Daily Trainer #6: Bobcats Prep for First Scrum
8/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Mike Kramer won't concern himself with yards and catches and tackles when Montana State stages its first major scrimmage of fall training camp on Saturday.
Kramer will have his mind on a couple of issues more mundane when the Bobcat offense and defense get after each other for 50-60 plays in Bobcat Stadium beginning at 3 pm. Like effort. And video tape.
"If you're a skill-position offensive player on this football team, at some point during every play you must be in a full-speed sprint," Kramer said. "If you're carrying the ball, you must be able to take at least three full-speed strides toward the goal line. If you're on defense, you must, at some point of every play, make a full-speed sprint to or toward the ball. That's what I'm looking for. I'm looking for that effort."
Kramer likened the past week of camp to sailing without a breeze, but indicated that his primary concern Saturday is gauging effort. "We're too far from the beginning of camp to be excited, and too far from the end to be going on the adrenaline of getting ready for that first game. We've had huge, tremendous mental sessions this week, and now it's time to impress upon our players, especially the guys that are new to the depth chart and those trying to break in or hold on to spots in the two-deep, the standard of energy it takes in this program."
MSU's sixth-year head coach uses visual aids to sharpen players' focus on the subject. "It's an easy process," he said. "That's the value of video tape, and that's the importance of the outstanding quality of video we shoot. I'm able to show guys over and over exactly where their effort level is. Tape doesn't lie."
And that is exactly what Kramer hopes to get out of Saturday's scrimmage. "I'll look for that mindset, I'll look for the quality in each rep," he said. "I want to see the effort." Kramer indicated that Bobcat regulars may see as few as a dozen plays, just enough to "get used to a game tempo and game-like conditions."
The scrimmage is free and open to the public.
Kramer will have his mind on a couple of issues more mundane when the Bobcat offense and defense get after each other for 50-60 plays in Bobcat Stadium beginning at 3 pm. Like effort. And video tape.
"If you're a skill-position offensive player on this football team, at some point during every play you must be in a full-speed sprint," Kramer said. "If you're carrying the ball, you must be able to take at least three full-speed strides toward the goal line. If you're on defense, you must, at some point of every play, make a full-speed sprint to or toward the ball. That's what I'm looking for. I'm looking for that effort."
Kramer likened the past week of camp to sailing without a breeze, but indicated that his primary concern Saturday is gauging effort. "We're too far from the beginning of camp to be excited, and too far from the end to be going on the adrenaline of getting ready for that first game. We've had huge, tremendous mental sessions this week, and now it's time to impress upon our players, especially the guys that are new to the depth chart and those trying to break in or hold on to spots in the two-deep, the standard of energy it takes in this program."
MSU's sixth-year head coach uses visual aids to sharpen players' focus on the subject. "It's an easy process," he said. "That's the value of video tape, and that's the importance of the outstanding quality of video we shoot. I'm able to show guys over and over exactly where their effort level is. Tape doesn't lie."
And that is exactly what Kramer hopes to get out of Saturday's scrimmage. "I'll look for that mindset, I'll look for the quality in each rep," he said. "I want to see the effort." Kramer indicated that Bobcat regulars may see as few as a dozen plays, just enough to "get used to a game tempo and game-like conditions."
The scrimmage is free and open to the public.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
