Southern continues preseason with second practice

STATESBORO -- The Georgia Southern Football Program continues fall camp with its second practice in shorts and helmets on the banks of "Beautiful Eagle Creek." The Eagles will add some pads to their two practices this weekend and will don shells for the first time this fall.

Head Coach Jeff Monken talked about the differences between shells and just helmets following practice. "You don't worry about guys banging into each other as much. They have shoulder and thigh pads on and about the only thing piece of gear they do not have are knee pads."

As per NCAA rules, GSU wore only helmets and shorts on days one and two and will wear shells on days three and four before dressing out in full pads from the fifth practice on.

The Eagles continued work on installing there schemes on offense and defense during the middle of practice and had two sessions of offense against defense near the end of the day. Coach Monken and the staff pushed the team to work hard and fight through the final 40 minutes to finish the practice strong.

Coach Monken also discussed the differences between his first and second fall camps. "We are not having to spend all our time on fundamentals and assignments with our whole football team. The veterans know the assignments pretty well though the coaches do have to remind them. It allows us to work on scheme more than the little steps."

Fall camp continues this weekend with two practices in shells at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday and 3:20 p.m. on Sunday. The first day of full pads is set for Monday at 2:45 p.m.