Full-Contact Football underway

Progression in training camp provides new excitement all the time for college football. There's reporting day, there's the first practice, then there's half-pads, and finally full pads. From there, though you have to wait for the first game when the real excitement begins, but at the same time Sunday night's first full-contact practice draws a lot of excitement from players, staff and fans.

McMurry conducted just over a two-hour practice Sunday night with full pads and the team is beginning to piece together the offense, defense and special teams before its first game Sept. 4 in Muskogee, Okla. against NAIA Bacone College.

Hal Mumme did say he wanted to see a better effort out of the players in tonight's official press release of the practice, but he did admit that some of the flaws are to be expected on the first night in full pads. No rest for the weary though as they head straight into two-a-days tomorrow.

Brian Schmidt was our professional photographer last season for all things McMurry Sports and did a great job. He took a job outside of Abilene and we welcome Gary Rhodes to the crew. He came and shot the practice tonight, and he's going to do some editing (probably much better work than mine) and then I'll upload his gallery tomorrow so fans can purchase the action shots. For tonight, the YouTube video will have to do - hopefully you'll enjoy our individual interviews with the players, we'll try to keep that up through the last six days of camp.

I will not be covering the morning practice tomorrow, but it will be business as usual tomorrow night.

Thanks for reading and watching.
Stay tuned ...
--KR