The Alabama State football team wrapped up its three-a-day schedule with a night practice at Hornet Stadium.
The Hornets worked for about 90 minutes in shoulder pads and shorts with an energetic, spirited effort.
“I liked the energy,” head coach
Reggie Barlow said. “It was another opportunity for us to get better and get these guys in better condition. We've talked about to achieve extreme things, you have to do extreme things – extra practice, extra conditioning - so the mindset will be right. I think we got better tonight. I think guys understood what we were looking for and we just have to continue to get better.”
To that end, Barlow changed the usual schedule of the practice, putting the usual post-conditioning runs in the middle of practice.
“I just believe at some point in a game, our guys and their guys will get tired,” Barlow said. “The guys who have been through it mentally and still performed will be the guys that will have the edge. By putting the team through extreme conditions in the middle of practice, and then finishing practice, it will trigger something in the mind during the season that 'we've been able to perform at practice when we were fatigued and tired after a lot of conditioning.' It was impressive to see how the guys were able to do it and finish practice the way they did.”
With three practice sessions literally morning, afternoon, and night, Barlow felt he got what he wanted out of his team today.
“I wanted to see these guys come and compete without moaning and complaining about it,” Barlow said. “I think for the most part, they fooled the coaching staff - maybe they didn't complain around us because I didn't hear much of it. I thought the energy for the third practice was good, and that's all you can ask.”
The Hornets will take team pictures Thursday at 9:30 a.m., and return to practice Friday at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
