Head coach Scott Shafer directs the Orange prior to the team's first Spring practice session.
SU Football Returns to the Gridiron
3/19/2013 7:43:00 PM | Football
Photo Gallery | Watch Coach Shafer's Press Conference
2013 Spring Practice Schedule
2013 Schedule | Purchase Tickets Today!
Head coach Scott Shafer's Orange tenure is officially underway. The squad took the field at the Carrier Dome for the first day of Spring practice on Wednesday. SU's first-year head coach and his new staff have 13 more sessions with the team before the annual Spring game on April 20.
"First off, I like the way the kids came out," Shafer said. "I like their attitude and the approach they had when they walked out on the football field. There were a lot of sloppy things and things we need to work on. I like the effort and I like the approach the kids took. I like the way that they tried to respond to the coaches as they were getting coached hard at time. We got day one in. All in all, I feel good about day one."
After serving as the defensive coordinator of the Orange for the past four seasons, Shafer enjoyed being involved with all aspects of the team during his first practice as head coach.
"It was great. It was a blast," Shafer said. "I really enjoyed it. It was fun to get back down and spend some time with the offense. It was extremely enjoyable to be right behind the quarterbacks and look at things from a different perspective. Whenever I started missing my defensive guys, I ran over to that sideline and got a little bit of this and a little bit of that."
The practice also provided a chance for the new coaching staff to work with the Orange.
"We have a new group of coaches that are meshing together," Shafer said. "A lot of us have worked together so that will be good. Now it will just be the dynamic of how the flow of the practice works. How the flow of going to practice to a meeting situation and the dynamics of the new personalities meshing, just like any group would take time to get those personalities to mesh. That's what makes it so much fun – all those firsts. You want to try and do the best you can with each first and each opportunity that's a new one."
The practice was the first of 14 that the Orange will complete this spring. Fans are welcome to come out to watch the Orange scrimmage during three spring practice sessions. In addition to the annual Spring game on Saturday, April 20, fans are invited to watch the team practice sessions, which will include scrimmages, on Sunday, April 7 and Sunday, April 14.
"You always like to finish the season on a high note and that Pinstripe Bowl was a great win for us with the way the kids played," Shafer said. "But, every season is a new season too so you have to careful. You look at momentum. Usually momentum is based on guys that won those games for you and won those situations. A lot of those guys are gone so we are looking for new guys to create a new momentum as we inch our way toward Penn State."
All fans are invited to join 'Orangenation Rising,' a state of mind where passion, tradition and die-hard loyalty intersect, by renewing their season tickets before April 3 or reserving new 2013 season tickets with a $25 deposit. Fans can use the internet (SUAthletics.com), telephone (888-DOME-TIX), or visit the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Season tickets start at just $99 each.
2013 Spring Practice Schedule
2013 Schedule | Purchase Tickets Today!
Head coach Scott Shafer's Orange tenure is officially underway. The squad took the field at the Carrier Dome for the first day of Spring practice on Wednesday. SU's first-year head coach and his new staff have 13 more sessions with the team before the annual Spring game on April 20.
"First off, I like the way the kids came out," Shafer said. "I like their attitude and the approach they had when they walked out on the football field. There were a lot of sloppy things and things we need to work on. I like the effort and I like the approach the kids took. I like the way that they tried to respond to the coaches as they were getting coached hard at time. We got day one in. All in all, I feel good about day one."
After serving as the defensive coordinator of the Orange for the past four seasons, Shafer enjoyed being involved with all aspects of the team during his first practice as head coach.
"It was great. It was a blast," Shafer said. "I really enjoyed it. It was fun to get back down and spend some time with the offense. It was extremely enjoyable to be right behind the quarterbacks and look at things from a different perspective. Whenever I started missing my defensive guys, I ran over to that sideline and got a little bit of this and a little bit of that."
The practice also provided a chance for the new coaching staff to work with the Orange.
"We have a new group of coaches that are meshing together," Shafer said. "A lot of us have worked together so that will be good. Now it will just be the dynamic of how the flow of the practice works. How the flow of going to practice to a meeting situation and the dynamics of the new personalities meshing, just like any group would take time to get those personalities to mesh. That's what makes it so much fun – all those firsts. You want to try and do the best you can with each first and each opportunity that's a new one."
The practice was the first of 14 that the Orange will complete this spring. Fans are welcome to come out to watch the Orange scrimmage during three spring practice sessions. In addition to the annual Spring game on Saturday, April 20, fans are invited to watch the team practice sessions, which will include scrimmages, on Sunday, April 7 and Sunday, April 14.
"You always like to finish the season on a high note and that Pinstripe Bowl was a great win for us with the way the kids played," Shafer said. "But, every season is a new season too so you have to careful. You look at momentum. Usually momentum is based on guys that won those games for you and won those situations. A lot of those guys are gone so we are looking for new guys to create a new momentum as we inch our way toward Penn State."
All fans are invited to join 'Orangenation Rising,' a state of mind where passion, tradition and die-hard loyalty intersect, by renewing their season tickets before April 3 or reserving new 2013 season tickets with a $25 deposit. Fans can use the internet (SUAthletics.com), telephone (888-DOME-TIX), or visit the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Season tickets start at just $99 each.
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