On the final day of local preparation for Sunday's season-opening football game, the special teams units were the focus of Thursday's Alabama State football workout.
Kickoff for the 8
th edition of the MEAC-SWAC Challenge between the Hornets and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Sunday is just after 11 a.m. CT/Noon ET (WVAS 90.7 FM/HSRN.com./ESPN) in Orlando, Fla. at the Citrus Bowl. The game can also be viewed on the Watch ESPN app on smart phones.
The Hornets practiced for nearly 90 minutes Thursday morning, prior to departing for Orlando early Friday morning.
“It was a typical Thursday practice,” head coach
Reggie Barlow said of the session with a heavy focus on review “They were focused and we got accomplished what we wanted to. There were some specific game situations I wanted to make sure we reviewed on special teams, in addition to red zone offense and defense. We'll get another opportunity on Saturday to review everything prior to gameday.”
Special teams can have a tremendous impact on the game. The field position battle is always critical, as well as points in the kicking game or the return game.
“It can be the winning edge,” Barlow said. “When you have teams that are similar, often the special teams' battle can determine the outcome of the game. We want to have that edge go to us. We've had really good focus in those areas. Hopefully our guys can continue to own up to it and execute what we need them to.”
The Hornets' special teams are led by first-year Hornet coach John Hendrick, a 30-year coaching veteran on the defensive line and special teams' areas. His experience in guiding the units has been evident throughout fall camp.
“Coach Hendrick is a jewel to have,” Barlow said. “His organizational structure and presentation in getting the guys to understand what he's looking for is great and that's half the battle. Once we get on the practice field, the drills we run flow right into the play. We're happy to have him here.”
Alabama State has one of the nation's top kickers in
Bobby Wenzig, who led the Hornets in scoring with 76 points on 31-of-35 extra points and 15-of-25 field goals attempts. Wenzig also averaged 41.5 yards on 70 punts and will again be a key component in the Hornets' success.
“Bobby can do it all and it's a blessing to have him,” Barlow said. “Having Coach Hendrick here has allowed Bobby to see some the areas he needs to improve on. Bobby's truly a weapon that can punt and kick well and we have to make sure we keep him healthy.”
