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To be sure, the UW-La Crosse football team’s first practice of the 2008 season Sunday afternoon had its rough spots. The trouble wasn’t dropped passes or missed assignments, it was lack of space.
Some drills had to be reconfigured on the fly, and careful choreography was required for 11-on-11 work.
Construction on the new Veterans Memorial Stadium, which spreads into the adjacent open areas, has the Eagles working with about half the practice field space — two 70-yard-long fields with little extra room on the sides and ends — than they’ve had in the past.
Just to get to the new, cramped quarters every day, players and staff will have to walk from Mitchell Hall down East Avenue, then between White and Sanford Halls and around Reuter Hall.
The Eagles will be playing their four home games in Winona, Minn.
“We’re out here to get work done,” Moe said. “That’s going to be the story of the year, between practicing here and having to go to Winona to play. We’ll have to deal with it and we have the kind of guys on this team who will deal with it.”
UW-L coach Larry Terry said he doesn’t expect the lack of space to be a problem all season. He and his staff will make changes in the logistics of running drills based on what happened Sunday. Plus, there are 153 players out for the team, and the first round of cuts will bring that to 100.
“It’s a little bit tight,” Terry said. “It’s something we do need to get used to. Our numbers are up right now and that’s a good thing, and limited practice space is a good thing because we’re getting a new stadium out of it. We’ll just have to adjust.”
Said Ihde: “You just have to let it roll off your shoulders and do the job you’re here to do. It’s just something that we’re going to have to get used to.”
MOE OK: Moe, a senior who led the WIAC in passing (222.8 yards per game) last season, said his right (throwing) shoulder felt good after the first day.
Moe said during spring drills that he played about half the 2007 season with shoulder soreness. Moe said it first occurred when he felt a tweak while throwing a pass in the Platteville game Oct. 13.
“It feels good so far; they’re keeping a close eye on it,” Moe said Sunday. “Tendinitis can flare up. But I felt the ball was jumping out of my hand pretty nice today.”
CONWAY COMFORTABLE: Jeff Conway, who was promoted from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator in the spring after Mike Durnin left the program to become head coach at Luther College (Iowa), enjoyed the first on-the-field day of his new job.
“The kids came into camp in great shape and they have a great attitude,” Conway said. “They were flying around and we’re enjoying it.”
Conway’s primary job will be to tighten up a defense that finished in the middle of the pack in the WIAC statistically last year but suffered untimely lapses.
“We want them to have a chip on their shoulder from last year,” Conway said.
MILLER JOINS STAFF: Dempsey Miller has joined the coaching staff and will work with the defensive ends. Miller, who works for the La Crosse School District and was named the Tribune’s 2007 Person of the Year, played football at Northern Iowa. He also played for La Crosse’s River Rats and Night Train indoor teams.
Joel Badzinski can be reached at (608) 791-8402 or joel.badzinski@lee.net
