After an off day on Monday, the Alabama State football team returned to practice Tuesday night at Hornet Stadium preparing for Saturday's 70
th State Farm Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola.
The Hornets (6-1 overall, 6-0 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference) will face Alabama A&M (5-2, 4-1) at 2:30 p.m. at Birmingham's Legion Field. The game will be broadcast live on WVAS 90.7 FM, streamed live on ESPN3.com, and televised tape-delayed Saturday night on ESPNU at 9:30 p.m.
“It was good. I was pleased with the intensity and excitement,” head coach
Reggie Barlow said of practice. “That's always a good thing. We just have to keep connecting dots and put a few more good practices together.”
Usually Tuesday is a full introduction and installation practice heading into Saturday's game. With the Hornets having a bye week and using part of that time to introduce the game plan, tonight's practice was notably more intense.
“They were moving faster than the normal Tuesday because we had a three days last week, and then we practiced Sunday night,” Barlow said. “Things were definitely moving a bit faster, so it was good to get those extra days in.”
Now that game week is here, among the challenges in preparation is controlling the emotions that come with a game the Classic and not peaking too soon.
“It's for all of us. I can't peak too fast either,” Barlow said. “I'm antsy and excited about the opportunity to play in a game of this magnitude. We'll manage it. We'll keep working and keep presenting them with challenges at practice, things they have to learn and do to keep them from looking ahead to Saturday. Hopefully by Friday, we'll be peaking at the right time.”
Barlow, along with WR
Nick Andrews, DL
Kynjee Cotton, and FS
Kejuan Riley will participate in the State Farm Magic City Classic Press Conference Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Birmingham at the State Farm Headquarters.
The Hornets will practice Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday at 11 a.m.
