By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information 

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It's been a while since Tennessee Tech has been able to have a full team practice. As the team's newcomers and freshmen took to the Tucker Stadium turf on Friday, it started to feel like football again. 

Spring practice was cut short to the COVID-19 pandemic, just days into workouts. From the middle of March until the last days of July, Tucker Stadium was silent. Last week, the returning players took to the field for conditioning and walkthroughs before the full team was able to reunite. 

"We're finally at the first day of preseason camp, and, wow, it's been a lot to just get to this point," said Tech head football coach Dewayne Alexander. "I was very pleased with the guys and how they've handled themselves.  

"With the time these guys have had off, I'm actually impressed with their conditioning. We've held up well. We've had great enthusiasm and energy and I've seen a lot of competitiveness out here. I've been very impressed with our returning guys and how they've matured, and I've been impressed with our new guys. I see a lot of athleticism and ability. A lot of those things stood out today."  

While there is a lot of teaching going on for the large group of newcomers, they managed to hang in there with the veterans. 

"They were – they had some one-on-one time today with the receivers and DBs, just to get the competitive juices going and to evaluate," Alexander said. "We're in a shorter window because we haven't had these freshmen here since early July and only three or four days then. We have a short window before we actually start classes, so it's a short camp. We have to be able to identify the guys who are going to help our football team. 

"Last year, we were able to identify Metrius Fleming, Trevor Stephens, Cam Hudson, Christian Cantrell, Kail Dava, Michael Dixon and I can list many more – we had so many young guys that made an impact in camp. They were a big part of our success. It wasn't all older guys as we had some really good young guys play big roles. We're going to need some of these freshmen to contribute as well in a lot of positions. Our older guys are doing a great job of working with them and try to teach them." 

Alexander continued, "The attitudes and work ethic have been good. Now we're just hoping to get on to a consistent schedule over the next week or two." 

With the summer heat and the sounds of whistles and players on the field, it truly feels like football again. That said, it's a different set of routines adapting to the present situation. 

"It's great to get back out here, and it was a challenge to do so," Alexander said. "There's a lot of habits they're having to break from their entire lives playing football. It's the same with coaches. It's not natural for a team to be separated and off by themselves, because, from the time you start in the game playing and coaching, you're taught the opposite of that. You're taught the team concept, encouraging them to be close together. Now you're being told to not do that, space out, be separated. That's been our biggest challenge – when you're not in and running the play as one of the 11 out on the field, just doing a good job of being separated and spaced out. 

"Overall, we've been doing a good job of it. There's still plenty of energy in practice and I was very pleased with this first day." 

It's not just on the field that things have had to change. 

"In the weight room, it's 22 players at a time," he said. "They've been spaced out in the meeting room. The team meetings have been in the Hooper Eblen Center – a 7,500-seat facility to have a team meeting. It's different. We're working our way through the locker room and assign times to go eat. It's a challenge and we've prepared them, letting them know it is going to be different. They're getting tested once a week and have to arrange times for that. There's a protocol these guys have to follow and you can't ease up on it." 

Fortunately, the Golden Eagle student-athletes are keeping their heads up and moving forward.  

"These guys are smart – they're reading up on everything and they know what's going on," Alexander said. "These guys know what's going on with the college football landscape, but they've been able to block it out when they get out here and do a good job with it." 

Season tickets for Tennessee Tech football are still on sale. Call (931) 372-3940 or visit TTUsports.com to order. 

Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information