COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Tech football team, nearing
the end of spring drills, will hit the turf in Tucker Stadium for
its annual Spring Game Saturday at 11 a.m. Fans are invited to
watch. Admission is free.
The scrimmage format will give coach Watson Brown's coaching staff
one final look at a large number of players who are hopinig to
emerge into larger roles for the 2011 season including a handful
who have moved to new positions. The team heads into Saturday's
action with only a few players expected to miss due to injury.
"Spring drills are the most important time of the year for a team
on the field," Brown said. "This is when we find players, and we've
had a really good opportunity to look at a lot of players during
the past couple weeks."
The spring sessions have also given the coaching staff a chance to
take a closer look at a bevy of players who were on the team last
fall but sitting out as redhsirts including 10 freshmen. Players on
that redshirt list who are anticipating their debut in the fall
include quarterback Darian Stone, defensive linemen Matthew Smith
and Nathan Bush, and linebacker Midoho Okpokowuruk.
The 2011 roster will be a veteran group for the first time in
Brown's five seasons in Cookeville, with 25 seniors and 24
juniors.