Saginaw Valley game notes

SAGINAW VALLEY, Mich. — The Valdosta State Blazers kickoff their 2012 campaign Saturday against the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

By the numbers

In 2011, Saginaw Valley averaged an impressive 31.5 points per contest, while VSU averaged 27.3. Offensively, the Cardinals produced more through the air, averaging 150 yards on the ground and 267.2 yards through the air. VSU averaged 391.5 yards per game last season.

Blazers looking for 21^st win on opening day

The Blazers are 20-10 all-time in season openers, including a 4-1 mark under head coach David Dean. The Blazers’ lone season opening loss under Dean was in 2009, when VSU lost to Newberry, 31-24. Last season, the Blazers beat Wingate University, 34-28, in double overtime.

Andersen listed as punter

Senior kicker Daniel Andersen is listed as the Blazers’ starting punter, on the latest depth chart, released by the sports information office. Andersen battled sophomore Dominic DeMasi for the starting punter position throughout training camp. He started as the Blazers’ punter in the 2011 season finale against North Alabama. DeMasi, a pitcher on the Blazer baseball team, is listed as the team’s second string punter.

Long distance, short time

The Blazers will travel 869 miles north to Saginaw Valley, Mich., the third longest trip in VSU football history. The Blazers flew to Saginaw Valley via a chartered Delta flight on Friday. The flight took just 1 hour and 45 minutes. Last season, VSU’s bus trip to Wingate was over 7 ½ hours.

Blazers non-shutout streak

The last time Valdosta State was shutout in a game, some current members of the Blazers weren’t alive. VSU has gone 245 consecutive games without being shutout. Central Florida, a former Division II school, last shutout the Blazers, in a 12-0 win on Sept. 14, 1991. The Blazers’ non-shutout streak is the longest in Division II football.

On the radio

For the third consecutive season, the Valdosta State Blazer Radio Network is the largest in Division II athletics. The Blazers can be heard throughout the state of Georgia, including in Atlanta and Macon.  In Valdosta, the Blazers can be heard on Talk 92.1 FM, 92.9 WAAC and The Jock 1150 AM, 96.1 FM. The games are also streamed live on www.thejock1150.com.

Thursday football practice notes

The Valdosta State football team held its final practice in Valdosta before Saturday's season opener against the Saginaw Valley. Here are various practice notes:

Without Reid, Blazers don't change game plan

Valdosta State head coach David Dean said the Blazers didn't change their game plan when they were informed they had lost cornerback Greg Reid for the season with an ACL injury.
"The things we were going to do with him, we just took it out," Dean said. "We didn't build our whole game plan around Greg Reid. We just put things in there that he could do for us."

Dean pleased with Wednesday, Thursday practices

After a lackluster practice on Tuesday, Dean said he thought the Blazers' practices on Wednesday and Thursday were much-improved.
"Tuesday, I thought we were very, very lethargic," Dean said. "It really concerned me. I thought Wednesday and (Thursday) we kind of got our legs underneath us and we got excited because we know the game is right around the corner. So, now, I think, the whole mental attitude has changed. It did concern me on Tuesday, but now I'm not concerned. I think these guys are ready to play."

Reid thinking over future

Dean said he is giving Greg Reid time to think over his future and what options lay ahead for the former Lowndes High and Florida State standout. Reid will take his redshirt season this year while he recovers from his ACL injury. Reid is eligible to enter the NFL Draft in April or return to any football team, at any level, including Valdosta State.
"He has had two big blows in about a month span," said Dean of Reid. "For his sake, he needs to sit back and evaluate his future. He is just starting classes here. He is just in his third week of classes here, so he is just getting used to what is going on. There is really no hurry in his decision, as for what he has to do. I am letting him, basically, take some time and evaluate what he wants to do, and whatever it is, we will move on from there."

Roelle won't travel with Blazers

After fighting an injured hamstring much of training camp, wide receiver Griffin Roelle will not travel with the Blazers this week after suffering an injury to his quad.
"The only positive thing I can say about it is that he hasn't done a lot with us this summer," Dean said. "So it is not like we had him and lost him. So, he is a factor. He does a lot of things for us. If he was playing, there would be some things that we could do that he does very well for us."
Roelle finished the 2011 season with a team-high 35 catches. Besides Roelle, the Blazers are relatively healthy heading into Saturday's game. Dean did say cornerback Manny Evans rolled an ankle in Thursday's practice and he was taken into the training room for further evaluation.

Captains named

Following Thursday's practice, Dean named the captains for the 2012 season. Linebacker Ryan Smith, cornerback Matt Pierce, defensive lineman Tyler Josey and offensive lineman Cam Short will be captains this season for VSU. Chris Pope is the fifth captain, but will not be eligible to walk on the field for the coin toss, per NCAA rules.

Five Saginaw Valley players suspended

Five Saginaw Valley State players, four of which were expected starters, won't dress in Saturday night's season opener against the eighth-ranked Valdosta State Blazers. 

The players were suspended after a hazing incident during the Cardinals' training camp in early August. All five players could face criminal prosecution, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.

The five players, listed in the report, are: offensive tackle Tevon Conrad, a junior from Detroit Pershing; center Kaleb Forr, a junior from Davison; offensive lineman Jack Raymond, a senior from Macomb Dakota; defensive end Nate Snyder, a senior from Dearborn High; and offensive guard Jesse Somsel, a junior from Rockford.

All but Raymond would have started in Saturday's season opener.

The hazing victim is no longer a member of the school and is no longer enrolled at the university, according to the report.

The Blazers will be without cornerback Alex Webster and linebacker Trokon Gaye for Saturday's opener. The two are suspended for the first two games of the 2012 season. Senior cornerback Greg Reid will miss the entire 2012 season with a torn ACL.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Randall Harvey Wickes Stadium in Saginaw Valley. For updates from the game, follow @Ed_Hooper on Twitter.

Blazer volleyball ready to make title run in 2012

Katie Onushko (File Photo)

The athletic season at Valdosta State University officially begins Friday morning, when the Blazer volleyball team takes the court against Converse College at 11 a.m.

The Blazers will also face the Florida Institute of Technology at 7 p.m.
The pair of games Friday are part of the Blazers’ Fairfield Inn and Suites Azalea Classic, which features six teams, including Valdosta State, participating in a two-day tournament at the VSU P.E. Complex. Games begin at 9 a.m. both days. Albany State and Lander get the action started on Friday morning.
“I know some coaches that would rather go somewhere else on the first weekend and work out all the kinks and then come home the second weekend,” Valdosta State head volleyball coach Sia Poyer said. “But for us, for non-conference play, it is pretty hard to get teams to come here, for whatever reason. ... It is nice to start with our tournament, to play four matches on our home court. It is hard to get teams to come here, but especially with our schedule this year, we’re on the road a lot, we will take anything we can get at home.”

VSU soccer looking to avoid sophomore slump

2011 Freshman of the Year Abbi Edwards.
(Pat Gallagher | The VDT)

The Valdosta State soccer team begins its second season Friday. The Blazers will host Coker at 8 p.m. at the VSU Soccer Stadium.
After winning 11 games in the program’s inaugural season in 2011, the Blazers are looking to avoid the infamous sophomore slump, a decrease in productivity and wins from last season.
“We avoid that by staying focused,” said goalkeeper Olivia Mills. “We don’t even address the sophomore slump, because we don’t believe it is going to happen. And it is not going to happen. We are focused and we just need to focus on what we need to do to be the best in the game.”
With such a young team last season, the Blazers took the Gulf South Conference and South Region by surprise, finishing the year with an 11-6-2 record and knocking off heavily-favored West Florida in the first round of the conference tournament. The young Blazers lost in the conference championship game to more-experienced North Alabama.

Greg Reid to miss season with torn ACL

Valdosta State head coach David Dean confirmed Wednesday morning on a local radio program that cornerback Greg Reid will miss the entire 2012 season with a torn Anterior Crucitate Ligament (ACL).
On Tuesday, Dean told The Times he thought Reid would miss the first game due to his injury, but did not know the severity of the injury until later that night.
The former Florida State cornerback and punt returner, who joined the Blazers Aug. 14 after being dismissed from the Seminoles' football team for violating team rules, tore his ACL while returning a punt in the Blazers' final preseason scrimmage on Friday. He went to the ground after attempting to shake a tackler while returning a punt down the sideline. He was seen hobbling off the field after getting up from the ground. Valdosta State medical personnel escorted Reid to the medical training room, where he later reappeared with his knee heavily iced and taped.Initially, the injury was believed to be minor, as Reid was seen jogging off the field with his teammates Friday night.It was later learned that he tore his ACL."It is frustrating right now," Dean said. "He came into camp a little late and he gets injured. I know he is frustrated about it. It is was a non-contact deal." 
"Ion even know what to say... Or do?!! I never asked for all this all I wanted was to play football," Reid said in a tweet Wednesday morning. 
Reid was expected to start for the Blazers Saturday when they open their season at Saginaw Valley State. He was also in contention to be the starting punt returner, a job that will now go back to last year’s returner, Quin Roberson. With senior Alex Webster suspended for the first two games of the 2012 season, and Reid out for the season, juniors Dominique Wheeler and Manny Evans will join preseason All-American Matt Pierce in the secondary. "Dominique Wheeler, Matt Evans and Matt Pierce are all three good corners," Dean said. "I feel like we have got good secondary players. We would love to have Greg playing, he is a special-type player. But, we were going into the season without him. So that was just icing on the cake and now somebody has taken our icing from us. So we are going back with the guys that we had." Reid’s knee injury ends his opportunity for a redemption season before is ever really got started with the Blazers; a season that Reid was looking to prove that he could return to his hometown after his dismissal from Florida State and compete at a high-level while managing to stay clear of any off-the-field trouble that followed him around when he was with the Seminoles.

Greg Reid not likely to play Saturday for Blazers

Greg Reid returns a punt during Friday's scrimmage.
He injured his knee later in the scrimmage.
(Ed Hooper | The VDT)

.

Valdosta State's newest football player, senior cornerback Greg Reid, is not likely to play Saturday in the Blazers' season opener against Saginaw Valley State, according to head coach David Dean.
"If I had a guess, I'd say no," said Dean of the status of the two-time Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year with the Lowndes Vikings. "If you ask him, yes, he is going to play. It is just going to depend on what the doctor says, but I wouldn't count on it."
The former Florida State cornerback and punt returner, who joined the Blazers Aug. 14 after being dismissed from the Seminoles' football team for violating team rules, injured his knee while returning a punt in the Blazers' final preseason scrimmage on Friday. 
He went to the ground after attempting to shake a tackler while returning a punt down the sideline. He was seen hobbling off the field after getting up from the ground. Valdosta State medical personnel escorted Reid to the medical training room, where he later reappeared with his knee heavily iced and taped.
Initially, the injury was believed to be minor, as Reid was seen jogging off the field with his teammates Friday night.
Now, the injury seems much worse.
"It is frustrating right now," Dean said. "He came into camp a little late and he gets injured. I know he is frustrated about it. It is was a non-contact deal. He was running down the field and plants and kind of tweaked his knee a little bit. We will find out a little more about him. He went for an MRI (Monday) and he was going to meet with the doctors this afternoon. So we'll find out how he is."
Reid was not in attendance at VSU's practice Tuesday, thus making him unavailable to media. He did send out a string of tweets earlier in the day.
"This has been tough for me.!!... I can't quit," one of Reid's tweets read. "So many blessing came thru my life... Just hope They haven't ran out," another tweet read.
Reid was expected to start for the Blazers Saturday when they open their season at Saginaw Valley State. He was also in contention to be the starting punt returner, a job that will now go back to last year’s returner, Quin Roberson. 
With senior Alex Webster suspended for the first two games of the 2012 season, and Reid's status for Saturday, and possibly future games, uncertain, juniors Dominique Wheeler and Manny Evans will join preseason All-American Matt Pierce in the secondary. 
"Dominique Wheeler, Matt Evans and Matt Pierce are all three good corners," Dean said. "I feel like we have got good secondary players. We would love to have Greg playing, he is a special-type player. But, we were going into the season without him. So that was just icing on the cake and now somebody has taken our icing from us. So we are going back with the guys that we had. If we have him, and he is able to play, great, but if not, I feel pretty good with the guys we got."
A long-term injury to Reid’s knee would likely end his opportunity for a redemption season before is ever really got started with the Blazers; a season that Reid was looking to prove that he could return to his hometown after his dismissal from Florida State and compete at a high-level while managing to stay clear of any off-the-field trouble that followed him around when he was with the Seminoles.

Meet the Blazers

A record 625 area kids turned out for the annual Valdosta State football Meet the Blazers event on Saturday morning at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.

Between Friday’s Meet the Blazers event for soccer and volleyball and Saturday’s event, over 850 area youth participated in Meet the Blazers this year.
“It is great,” Junior safety Chris Caspari said. “Everybody is excited for the season to start. The kids, they just look up to us, and we are just doing our best to be role models out here and just have fun with them.”

Participants in this year’s event took part in various football drills run by the football players and they were able to run out onto the field like the Blazers do on game days. An autograph session with the team followed activities on the field. Every participant received a free T-shirt.

Nearly every drill during Saturday’s event involved tackling. Some of the participants skipped tackling on the dummies and took to tackling members of the team, like senior offensive lineman Edmund Kugbila.
“It is fun being out here with the little kids,” said the 6-foot-5, 347-pound offensive guard Kugbila. “It is all for them.”
Every drill finished with a dance, too.
“I usually just give the ball back to the referee,” Caspari said. “I just act like I’ve been there before, but if I had to choose a dance, I would do a little shoulder lean or something like that.”
The annual event allows Blazer fans, young and old, to get an up close and personal look with the team and interact with the players they watch on the field.
The Blazers open their season next Saturday, when they visit Saginaw Valley. The game will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Due to the length of the trip, the Blazers will fly out of Valdosta on Friday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Blazers get game ready with scrimmage

Greg Reid catches a punt during Friday's scrimmage.

The Valdosta State football team held its final scrimmage of the fall Friday night. The Blazers worked the majority of the scrimmage under the lights, much like next week's season opening game against Saginaw Valley will be played.
The scrimmage served as a dress rehearsal for next week's opener against the Cardinals.
“This was good for us to get out and have some competition under the lights,” football head coach David Dean said.
The Blazer football team was split into two teams for Friday’s scrimmage. The starting offense and starting defense worked on the white team. Playing on the same team allowed the players to get a feel for game-like situations.
“If the offense was coming off the field, we are not used to guys like Chas Matthews, and all those defensive guys, catching us and telling us ‘good job’ and stuff,” said quarterback Cayden Cochran. “Usually they are jawing at you and telling you how bad you are during practice. So it was cool with them being on the same side as us.”
“Basically, it was a trial run for us,” Dean said. “We wanted to make sure our guys understood what we are going to do in the game — who is going to call the different special teams, make sure our special teams are good. And we wanted to make sure, as coaches, that all our communication lines were good.”
One coaching change that was evident Friday night was the move of co-defensive coordinator Seth Wallace to the booth. Wallace will coach the games from the coaches’ booth so he can better see the secondary, according to Dean.
"Last year, I think Seth missed some things on the sidelines," Dean said. "Having two coordinators and both being on the sideline, it just made sense for one of them to go up. We need Earl (Chambers) to be on the field so he can talk to the front-seven guys and Seth, being in the secondary, can see route combinations easier from the press box."
Defensively, the performance was a much-improved effort from last week’s scrimmage when the No. 1 offense moved the ball at its will.
“I feel like we came out and had a good game on offense and defense,” linebacker Ryan Smith said. “We are just trying to get the finishing touches so we will be good next week.”
Former Florida State Seminole Greg Reid was featured early in the scrimmage. Reid started the Blazer defense and returned two punts. The two-time Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year returned the second punt 49 yards before he was tackled by the punter. Reid left the field with an apparent knee injury and did not return.
After the scrimmage, the injury did not worry Dean.
“I saw him running off the field here at the end,” Dean said. “I think he is fine. It looked like he just took a shot on the knee. I will have to give him a hard time. The punter is who made the tackle on him right there. But I think he is fine.”
Along with Reid, wide receiver Quin Roberson had a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown.
“A lot of it will depend on what we see and what the punt team does,” said Dean about his options at punt returner. “Hopefully, we can get to the point to where it is hard to kick to either one of those guys.”
Cochran finished the night 6 of 7 for 99 yards and a touchdown. The Blazer defense allowed just 150 yards to the black team offense.

Final football scrimmage tonight; Meet the Blazers this weekend

The Valdosta State football team will hold its final scrimmage of the fall tonight.
The Blazers' scrimmage will begin at 7 p.m., following the conclusion of Meet the Blazers for the soccer and volleyball teams. That event begins at 6 p.m. in the soccer stadium.
In the first scrimmage of the fall, the Blazer offense shined, including quarterback Cayden Cochran.
Heading into this scrimmage, head coach David Dean said he is looking for his defense to improve on its tackling and "flying to the ball."
Blazer Sports Beat and The Valdosta Daily Times will have complete coverage of tonight's scrimmage and Saturday's Meet the Blazers event at 9 a.m. in Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. Follow @Ed_Hooper on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates of both events.

Andersen looking for bounce back season in 2012

Daniel Andersen (File Photo)

Much like his team, Daniel Andersen was inconsistent in 2011.
At times, the then-junior kicker was the only offensive scorer for the Blazers. At other times, he was missing potential game-winning kicks, and seemed as though he couldn’t find the uprights.
The Pike County native finished the season 13 of 22 (59 percent). He missed at least one field goal in seven of VSU’s 10 games last season.
During one stretch of the season, he missed five of eight kicks, including one that was blocked in a three-point loss to rival Delta State.
A major reason for Andersen’s struggles last season, especially during the stretch where he missed five of eight kicks, was because his holder, quarterback Austen Roberts, was injured and unable to play.
With Roberts sidelined, the Blazer coaching staff was forced to throw a backup holder into action, someone Andersen had little experience working with.
“It probably affected me a little bit,” Andersen said. “You get used to a holder and I think he was with me for two years. I knew his tendencies, when to go — I just knew his movements. But at the end, I am the one kicking the ball, and as long as the ball is down, I should be able to get it through the uprights.”
Despite having his struggles throughout the year, Andersen had his bright spots, too. In the Blazers’ 30-27 win over Albany State, he was an impressive 3 for 3 on field goal attempts, including a game-winner with 3:15 remaining. He accounted for the only offensive production in the Blazers’ 23-9 loss to Arkansas-Monticello, converting three field goals in the game.
Then there were the games where he struggled. Against Ouachita Baptist, he was just 1 for 3 kicking, his worst performance of the season.
Inconsistent to say the least.
Now, as he looks back on last season and prepares for the upcoming season, Andersen says he didn’t get discouraged through the misses, largely because of his faith and his understanding that he is on the team for more than football.
“No matter the result at the end, I give God all the glory,” said Andersen, an active member of VSU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. “Being a Christian, God is your complete mindset. Everything you do, everywhere you go.”
Heading into this season, Andersen is hoping to find more consistency in his game, but says he isn’t approaching the season any different than in years past.
“I pretty much have the same mentality every year — aim small, miss small,” Andersen said. “I don’t expect to miss. It happens. There is no perfect kicker.”
“(Daniel) has had a good camp,” Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. “He has kicked the ball well, very accurate. I am pleased with his progress so far.”
Andersen will also benefit this season from having a steady full-time holder. Backup quarterback Justin Roberts will take over the duties, something that excited Andersen when he was informed by coaches.
“We were roommates for a couple years,” Andersen said. “We have been close ever since we got into college. I was excited when they told me he was going to be the holder.”
“It is very important,” said Roberts of their relationship off the field. “My job is to make his job easier. You kind of only hear about the holder if something bad happens. So I am just catching the ball and putting it down. He is a great kicker, and he will take care of the rest.”
With a strong relationship off the field — both are active FCA members — Roberts and Andersen have been able to bring their relationship with each other and God onto the field.
“We are both strong Christians,” Roberts said. “We both say give God glory with no matter what happens.”
Along with serving as the team’s placekicker this season, Andersen is the leading candidate to serve as the Blazers’ punter.
If the Blazers started the season this weekend, rather than Sept. 1, Dean said Andersen would also hold the punting duties for the team. Currently, Andersen is competing against sophomore Dominic DeMasi for the punting job.
“They are both fighting for that position right now,” Dean said. “They both have good kicks, then they both have average kicks. We are looking for consistency with the two. But they are both neck-and-neck right now.”
For Andersen, who filled in as the punter in last season’s loss to North Alabama, there is no competition. He hopes DeMasi wins the job.
“Obviously, I backed up Jack (Fulford) the past two years,” Andersen said. “Dom has a stronger leg than I do. My hope is that he does get the position. But if it does come down to it, that the coaches do want me punting, I’ll be in there.”
Regardless, Anderson said he hopes to be able to help the Blazers win games this season, much like he did in 2010, when he kicked the Blazers to two victories.
He finished that season 11 of 15, including his 42-yard game-winning kick as time expired against Wingate, a kick that remains the highlight of his career.
“That definitely is the big topper,” said Andersen of the kick. “I have never had a kick like that before. It was definitely incredible.”

Roelle could scrimmage Friday

The Valdosta State receiving corps is deep this season, and it is about to get another weapon added back to it.
Junior wide receiver Griffin Roelle practiced at full speed Tuesday after being hampered by a nagging hamstring injury. Roelle, who led the team in receptions with 35 receptions in 2011, told The Valdosta Daily Times Saturday that he was around 85 percent. Head coach David Dean is optimistic that Roelle will be 100 percent by the Blazers' season opener Sept. 1 against Saginaw Valley State. Dean is also optimistic that Roelle will scrimmage in VSU's final scrimmage of the fall Friday night.
"He is able to go through everything," Dean said. "He is not able to go the entire practice because it gets kind of tight on him. So we are being very cautious with him. But it is good to have him back, his leadership back. I think he will be ready towards the end of the week, and I think he will be able to scrimmage Friday night."
Roelle was seen catching passes and returning punts at Tuesday's practice.

Defense looking to rebound in scrimmage

The starting Blazer offense dominated the first scrimmage of the fall Saturday, especially quarterback Cayden Cochran. Friday could be a different story.
"What I told (the defense) was just make sure they don't give up the big plays," Dean said. "They gave up too many big plays, and then tackling better. We can't give up extra yards. I'm sure our defensive coaches got in their ear pretty good. That was not a typical defensive scrimmage that we had."

Dean gives insight to kicking game

Following Tuesday's practice, Dean gave insight as to whom will be doing the kicking duties this season. Daniel Andersen returns for his senior season as the team's place kicker. Currently, Dean said Andersen would also serve as the punter, although sophomore Dominic DeMasi is battling for the position. True freshman Jake Walker, a Pierce County native, will handle the kickoff duties this season for the Blazers.

New uniforms for VSU

The Valdosta State football team held its annual picture day Sunday at the VSU P.E. Complex. The event gave players and media a look at the new Nike uniforms the Blazers will wear in 2012. VSU will wear black jerseys and black pants for home games and white jerseys and white pants for away games. The team will continue to wear black helmets.

Cochran shines in VSU scrimmage

Cayden Cochran (Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times)

Cayden Cochran and the Valdosta State offense shined Saturday morning during the Blazers’ first scrimmage of the fall.
Cochran completed 12 of 19 passes for 195 yards with three touchdowns. He also added 30 yards on the ground with two rushing scores.
Altogether, the starting Blazer offense was 3 for 3 in the red zone portion of Saturday’s scrimmage and managed several lengthy touchdown drives.
“I’m glad we came out here and executed,” Cochran said. “That is a test to the coaches, the wide receivers, the offensive line – the whole group. They did a good job today and we are excited. I think we did good, and obviously performed well. Without the O-line and wide receivers, it was nothing.”
Saturday’s scrimmage featured several different game situations. For the first part of the scrimmage, the starting offense rotated every series with the No. 2 offense in the red zone. The starters were 3 for 3 with three touchdowns, while the backups were 0-3, all of which were three-and-outs.
“I saw a lot of bright spots,” Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. “Our No. 1 offense went three-for-three in the red zone, which is great. That is where we have struggled. We put a great emphasis on that — to be better in the red zone. And for us to come out, and our No. 1’s go three-for-three, that is a very big positive.”
On the first red zone possession, Cochran dropped back and found Gerald Ford wide-open in the end zone on an 18-yard pass. The drive took just three plays.
On Cochran’s second drive, redshirt freshman Austin Scott found the end zone after just two plays on a 15-yard run. The starter’s next drive, Scott was in the end zone again, this time coming on an 11-yard run.
Scott, who ran with the No. 1 offense the entire day, finished the scrimmage with 10 carries for 61 yards and his two touchdowns.
“It was nice,” Scott said. “I had a year to get bigger, faster, stronger. So I made sure I grabbed the concept and it helped a lot. I worked hard as I could in practice when we had shells and full pads, and I just made a couple of runs.”
Following the red zone portion of the scrimmage, the No. 1 offense took over possession at their own 25-yard line. Cochran led a masterful drive down the field, using a 35-yard connection with Quin Roberson to move down the field. The drive was capped off with a touchdown run by Cochran.
After a few stalled series and a defensive touchdown on a Ryan Smith interception, the offense found its rhythm again. Cochran found a diving Reggie Lewis in the end zone for a 5-yard score, the first of their two touchdown connections on the day.
Cochran was able to find Lewis again in the two-minute drill, connecting on a 75-yard touchdown.
In the goal line portion of the scrimmage, Cochran again found the end zone with his feet, slicing across the goal line from four yards out.
“I thought it was outstanding,” said Dean of Cochran. “He made some big time throws and also some big time runs. We are asking him to read some things and he did that very well; checking some plays when we were asking him to check-off. Mentally and physically, I thought he had a very good day.
“Coach (Robby) Brown and I were just talking, it is the first time since 2007 that we’ve had a quarterback go every snap with the No. 1’s. So that is going to be a very big positive.”

Five things to watch at Saturday's football scrimmage

The Valdosta State football team will hold its first scrimmage of the fall on Saturday. The scrimmage is open to the public and will begin promptly at 8 a.m. Saturday morning. The scrimmage is the first of two this fall, with the second being held Aug. 19. The Blazers open the regular season Sept. 1 at Saginaw Valley State.

Here are five things to watch this scrimmage:

1) Greg Reid in full pads
The newest member of the VSU football team, Greg Reid, will participate in his first full-contact practice with the Blazers on Saturday morning. Head coach David Dean said Reid will play in the scrimmage, but how much he will play depends on how fast he can grasp the defensive scheme. Reid will wear No. 24 this season for the Blazers and is expected to overtake the starting cornerback spot from Alex Webster, who faces a two-game suspension to start the season. Reid will also compete with Quin Roberson for the starting punt return job.

2) Offense vs. Defense
So far this preseason, the Valdosta State defense has seemed to have the edge throughout team drills. At times, the Valdosta State offense has had trouble gaining first downs against the stingy VSU defense. At Wednesday's practice, both sides of the ball were electric, swapping big-play for big-play.

3) The punting game
One of the open competitions this camp is at punter. Several candidates are competing for the starting punter position, including Dom Demasi, a member of the Blazer baseball team. Demasi and place kicker Daniel Andersen seem to be the leading candidates to fill the role left void by Jack Fulford, who graduated this past year.

4) Juwan Johnson
With a banged up Theseus Jackson, freshman running back Juwan Johnson will get an opportunity to shine during Saturday's scrimmage. Jackson will see limited action in the scrimmage after suffering an ankle injury during last Saturday's practice. Johnson, a true-freshman from Groves High School in Savannah, has shined this camp, turning heads with his quick moves into holes and his strength to blow through various defenders. Along with Johnson, freshman Eric Scott will also get an opportunity to run plays with the first team offense.

5) Lance Holder/Jeremy Grable on defense
Safety Lance Holder and linebacker Jeremy Grable are said to be having great camps for the Blazers. Saturday will give both players the opportunity to show how far they've come in filling in giant holes on the Blazer defense. Holder is leading candidate to replace All-American Harrison Dreiling and Grable is looking to replace Japree Miles at outside linebacker. He is battling for the position with Trokon Gaye and Chas Matthews.
 

Greg Reid works out with Blazers

Greg Reid is officially a Valdosta State Blazer.

The former Lowndes Viking and Florida State football standout participated in his first practice with his new team Tuesday afternoon on the practice fields outside the VSU Athletic Fieldhouse.

“It is a great pleasure to be part of this team,” Reid told the Times. “To come back to Valdosta, I know the atmosphere around here is real hot. It is all about football here, and that is the kind of program I wanted to come to. I am glad to be here.”

Wearing just a helmet and shorts — he must undergo the mandated NCAA acclimation period — Reid was unable to do much of the drills with the Blazers, who practiced in shells. Still, Reid was seen standing on the sideline discussing every defensive play with graduate assistant defensive backs coach Doug Belk, a former high school teammate of Reid’s at Lowndes.

“It was his first day out here, so he couldn’t do much,” Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. “Everybody else had pads on. He was very limited in things he could do, as far as 11-on-11. But just by watching him run around, he obviously has a lot of skill and he is a great athlete. He is exactly what I remember him being at Lowndes and unfortunately, I didn’t get to see him play a lot at Florida State because we’re busy at the same time.

“But what I remember of him at Lowndes and the little bit I saw at Florida State, he was every bit of what he is built up to be. He is a very hard worker.”

Tuesday’s participation in practice was his first with the Blazers, but Reid was introduced to the team Sunday night and he stood on the sidelines throughout the entire practice Monday night.

So far, Reid says the team has been welcoming.

“Everyone is talking to me, just like I thought,” Reid said. “I didn’t know too many people in (Division) II schools, maybe one or two people, but just being here, I knew what the atmosphere was and I had people talking to me about it a lot. It is everything I expected.”

With his participation in Tuesday’s practice, Reid will be eligible to participate in VSU’s first preseason scrimmage on Saturday morning.

“We’ll put him in there,” Dean said. “A lot of it will be how well he picks things up, being so far behind. But he is pretty sharp at picking things up. We don’t do a lot of things different than Florida State, defensively. So I think the transition from there to here is pretty easy. It is just terminology that he has to pick up.”

After being dismissed from Florida State nearly two weeks ago, Reid said he is fortunate to be given a second chance at playing the sport he loves.

“It means a lot,” Reid said. “Football is everything to me. So it is great to get a second chance, and I am going to make sure I live up to it.”

A projected late second or third round draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft if he had declared following his junior season, Reid opted to return to Florida State for his senior season. He was then dismissed from the Seminoles’ team and was left looking for a new place to play in 2012. Despite the way the events played out, Reid said he doesn’t hold any grudges and he is just fortunate to be playing football.

“I am playing football, that is the main thing,” Reid said. “Right now, I am satisfied about that. I did everything I could for Florida State, and that is in the past. And now I am looking forward to this year with my new team.”

Since news that Reid was headed to Valdosta State broke Monday afternoon, the move has been heavily debated and somewhat scrutinized throughout the community and nation. One of Reid’s two arrests came in Lowndes County and many believe Reid should have moved away from the hometown distractions for his senior season.

The two-time Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year sees it otherwise.

“I don’t really have anything to say,” Reid said. “I am going to have doubters wherever I go — I’m pretty sure I had doubters at Florida State, too. It is whatever to me. I am here to play football and to please my teammates and to win a championship.”

While some have scrutinized the move, some have embraced the addition to the eighth-ranked team in Division II, and the attention has brought even more interest to the team.

“He brings a lot of excitement,” Dean said. “A lot of folks around town are talking about that, and are looking forward to seeing him play. We are too.”

While Reid picked his hometown university, he admitted Tuesday that he was approached by West Georgia and West Alabama, both Gulf South Conference rivals of the Blazers, and Miles College about playing for those institutions this season.

“I didn’t know too many people, and just by staying in Valdosta so long I knew the atmosphere,” said Reid of his decision.

Referred to as ‘G5’ (his Twitter name is GregReid5), Reid will not wear the number that so many fans were accustomed to seeing him wear with the Seminoles. Reid has ditched the No. 5, allowing backup quarterback Kaleb Nobles to continue wearing it, and has moved back to the No. 24, the number he wore during his days with the Lowndes Vikings.

“It is important,” said Reid of changing numbers. “It is just a number, but personality wise, it is always about heart. I carried the G5 thing as long as I could, but I’m going to leave that in Tally. I am going to try and be a little more mature and just play ball, not for the fame but the heart.”

Ultimately, Reid said he wants to help the Blazers win a national championship this season. When asked what it would mean for him to win a championship with VSU and watch his former Florida State teammates win the BCS National Championship, Reid said that “would be a blessing.”

Regardless of what happens at Florida State, Reid said his main focus is helping the Blazers win their third national championship in eight seasons and their first since 2007.

“I am just feeding off these guys and I want to bring a national championship back here,” Reid said. “That was my expectation at Florida State — was to win a national championship. That is what I want to do here, too."

Reid accepted at VSU

Less than two weeks after being dismissed from the Florida State football team, Greg Reid has found a new school — and, it seems, a new football team.

Reid, the two-time Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year for the Lowndes Vikings, was accepted to Valdosta State University Monday, according to school athletic officials. With his acceptance to the university, Reid may now enroll in classes at VSU and then begin football activities with the Blazer football team.

As of Monday night, Reid had not yet enrolled in classes, and it is unclear if Reid will enroll in classes today, but when he does, he will practice with the team, which holds a single practice today at 3:30 p.m. Mandated by the NCAA, Reid will have to endure an acclimation period into pads before he can practice in full pads with the Blazers.

If he is unable to practice today, Reid will be unavailable for contact for Saturday’s first of two Blazer pre-season scrimmages. Regardless, Reid seems committed to his new school and team. Before going out to the practice field and watching his potential new team practice on Monday night, Reid tweeted a picture of himself wearing a Valdosta State football T-shirt to his 11,700-plus followers.

He also thanked the Florida State fans for their support and encouraged those fans to attend Valdosta State home games at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. Reid’s new teammates seemed to welcome his addition to the team, too. Several players took to their Twitter pages to welcome the former five-star prospect to the team.

A three-year starter for the Seminoles, Reid will add to what is an already deep roster and a deep defense at Valdosta State, not to mention what he will bring to the special teams. Reid will likely start opposite of preseason All-American Matt Pierce at cornerback, with last year’s starter Alex Webster rotating in along with Dominique Wheeler. A special teams standout since his freshman season with the Seminoles, Reid will surely be a weapon in the punt return game for the Blazers.

Before being dismissed from the Seminoles by head coach Jimbo Fisher earlier this month, Reid was preparing for his fourth season as the ’Noles’ punt returner. He needed just 312 yards to break the school’s all-time punt return record, held by NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.

With much athletic ability and talent on the field, Reid has been hampered by a string of off-the-field issues, including an arrest in Lowndes County in early July.

The charges against Reid (driving on a suspended license and possession of marijuana) are still pending, and he will be arraigned in September at a Lowndes County courthouse. He was also arrested for lying to Tallahassee police last September, but those charges were later dropped. He served an unrelated one-game suspension for the Seminoles last season. For more information on the Blazers, visit www.blazersportsbeat.com and follow Ed_Hooper on Twitter.

Blazers ranked 8th; Reid accepted at VSU

The Valdosta State football team has been tabbed the eighth-ranked team in the country, according to the American Football Coaches Association preseason poll. The Blazers also received the news that former Florida State cornerback Greg Reid has been accepted to the university. VSU must await Reid's summer school grades from FSU before he can become a member of the school's football team. The VSU sports information office confirmed Reid's acceptance but said he had not yet enrolled in classes.

Reid to be a Blazer?

The nearly two-week long saga of where former Florida State cornerback Greg Reid will play college football this season looks to be coming to an end.
According to multiple sources, Reid was in attendance at Valdosta State's football practice Sunday night.
Monday morning, several current Blazer football players tweeted Reid (whose Twitter handle is GregReid5) welcoming him to the team.
As of 10 a.m. Monday morning, the university had nothing official to report about Reid joining the team or enrolling at the university.
The Valdosta Daily Times will have continuous coverage of the Reid situation. Follow Ed_Hooper on Twitter for breaking news regarding the situation.

Lance Holder looking to fill shoes of Dreiling

Lance Holder (Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times)

For two seasons, Valdosta State fans saw the No. 15 uniform of Harrison Dreiling make plays all over the field. From tackles to interceptions to fumble recoveries, Dreiling became a staple on the Blazer defense in 2010 and ’11.

Unfortunately for VSU fans, the All-American Dreiling graduated, this leaving a giant hole in the Blazers’ secondary. A hole that will likely be filled by junior Lance Holder.

A former cornerback for the Blazers, Holder, a native of Lawrenceville, made the switch to safety during spring practice and has continued his work at the position this fall camp.

“It is pretty good,” said Holder of fall camp. “I am learning a lot — a lot more in detail. It is a good transition for me.”

The transition is one that Holder isn’t taking lightly, but one that he is accepting with a positive outlook, saying he learned a lot from Dreiling the past two seasons and that he hopes he can use that knowledge moving forward.

“I learned a lot from Harrison watching him when I was playing behind him,” Holders said. “I am just trying to contribute to the defense the best way I can.”

“He still has a lot to learn, but I have been pleased with how he has picked things up,” said head coach David Dean. “You could start to see that about halfway through spring when we moved him. We figured out at the end that was going to be a good move for us and a good move for him. He is a smart kid, a lot like Harrison, he just doesn’t have the football savvy at the safety position yet, but I think he can.”

The move from cornerback to safety is one that poses problems for many players. In 2009, cornerback Matt Pierce, a freshman at the time, was moved to safety and struggled. He returned to his corner position the following season and has since excelled; earlier this summer, he was named a preseason All-American.

For Holder, the move to safety isn’t as hard as it may seem for others, largely because he played the position in high school when he was with the Central Gwinnett Black Knights. If anything, Holder said the time he spent at cornerback made him a better safety.

“I was a safety in high school,” Holder said. “So it was kind of second nature. This feels good. At corner I am good with my man skills, so I can take that to safety.”

The last line of defense for the Blazers this season, Holder and two-year starter Chris Caspari have formed a strong relationship, both on and off the field, that they hope will help them in the secondary this season.

The relationship dates back to high school when the two trained with one another, despite playing for rival high schools.

“We have a little bond there,” Holder said. “It is a good friendship.”

That relationship will be key for the Blazers to succeed this season, said Dean.

“Anytime you are the deep guys, you are what is called the safeties, you have to be able to work together,” said Dean of Caspari and Holder. “I think they do a good job at that. They are both cerebral kids. They can get us lined up, they can see the things in front of us and get us set in some good positions.”

In 2012, the Blazers return several key members of the defense, including Caspari and Pierce in the secondary, along with linebackers Chris Pope and Ryan Smith and linemen Tyler Josey, Lawrence Virgil and Tevin Davis.

With all the returning stars, many eyes will be focused on Holder in the season opener Sept. 1 at Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) to see if he can handle the pressure of replacing Dreiling, who finished his career with 165 total tackles, nine interceptions and four fumble recoveries.

For Holder it is simple, he just needs to make a few plays to help the team and the rest will take care of itself.

“(Harrison) basically told me to just make plays,” said Holder of the challenge.

“He told me to be patient and make plays and have trust...I just want to make plays, get interceptions and contribute any way I can to my team and get us to that ship. That is what I am planning on doing.”

-Follow me on Twitter at @Ed_Hooper. 

Saturday practice notebook

The Valdosta State football held its only two-a-day practice of the fall on Saturday. In the first practice Saturday morning (the other practice is Saturday night at 8 p.m.), the Blazers worked for 2 1/2 hours until the morning sun in full pads.

Kaleb Nobles (Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times)

The practice was the Blazers' first full practice in full pads after Friday's full-pad practice was cut short due to heavy thunderstorms in the Valdosta area.
Saturday's practice featured a physical team practice session, the team's first in full pads.
"It was pretty physical," head coach David Dean said. "This was really our first full-contact stuff we've had because we got rained out Friday. We worked a lot of short yardage and goal line stuff so everything we packed in there. There really wasn't a lot of collisions. It was a lot of 'lets lineup and knock someone of the ball.'"
 
Here are some notes from the Saturday morning practice:

Jackson hobbles off field

Senior running back Theseus Jackson left practice early with an apparent ankle injury. Jackson was seen limping off the field and hobbling down the sidewalk towards the locker room. He suffered the injury during the team portion of practice. The severity of the injury is not known at this time.

Nobles No. 2

Freshman quarterback Kaleb Nobles is currently serving as the team's No. 2 quarterback behind starter Cayden Cochran. Nobles enrolled at VSU in the spring semester and worked through spring practice with the team. Murray State transfer Graham Craig is the team's third string quarterback, at this time.

Johnson turning heads at RB

Freshman running back Juwan Johnson is turning heads this fall camp. The 6-foot-0 running back from Groves High School displayed his athleticism during Saturday's team practice while working with both the No. 1 and No. 2 offensive units. Head coach David Dean said he has been pleased with the progression of the freshman back.
"He is playing hard, he practices hard, and he keeps his mouth shut," Dean said. "He is very coach-able, which is exciting. But more importantly, is his ability to come out here and work and his willingness to come out here and learn."

Craig could be used at wide receiver

The Blazers have a lot of depth at the wide receiver, but that doesn't mean the Blazer coaching staff wouldn't ponder the idea of moving quarterback Graham Craig to the slot position if the right scenario presented itself. Craig, the team's current No. 3 quarterback, displayed his speed and agility in the spring game and has had a good camp thus far. But with Cayden Cochran being a lock for the quarterback job the next two seasons and the youth and future QB already in place with Nobles, Craig could see time at wide receiver, said Dean.
"He has probably got the most speed of all our quarterbacks," said Dean of Craig. "That says a lot when you have Cayden back there. He runs the ball very well, he catches the ball, so yes he can be a guy that we line up at the slot."

Kickers use wind to advantage

The kicking game turned heads during Saturday morning's practice. With the win behind them, several kickers were consistently kicking the ball into the end zone on kickoffs. The Blazers have an open competition for a kickoff specialist and at punter. Daniel Andersen is the presumed returning starter at field goal kicker.

One week from scrimmage

Saturday morning's practice took place exactly one week from the team's first official scrimmage of the fall. Blazersportsbeat.com will have complete coverage of the scrimmage.

-Follow me at @Ed_Hooper on Twitter. 

Rain alters schedule; Blazers prepare for only two-a-day

The Valdosta State football team’s first day in full pads was cut short due to heavy thunderstorms that rolled through the greater Valdosta area Friday morning.

The Blazers completed two hours of their scheduled practice before being called off the field due to lightning. Soon after, heavy rain soaked the practice fields and forced the Blazers to hold a walk through later in the afternoon.

Regardless, head coach David Dean was pleased with his team’s work Friday.

“We had a good walk through period out here and we covered everything that we were going to cover this morning,” Dean said. “We did get a good days work.”

Valdosta State will hold its only true two-a-day practice today. The Blazers will practice this morning at 8:30 a.m. and again tonight at 8 p.m.

With five days of practice under their belts, Dean said he could see members of the team becoming fatigued, both physically and mentally.

As for today’s practices, Dean said the players will be challenged because of the two-practice schedule, the Blazers’ only scheduled two-a-day of the preseason.

“I told the guys, ‘it is going to be tough because you haven’t done that,’” Dean said. “Their legs are tired, mentally they are a little fatigued. I told them (Saturday) is the day of separation. We find who is going to step up and get better and make this team better. We find out who can push through and get better in both practices that we have, no just one of them.”

Despite the fatigue, Dean said Friday afternoon’s walk through went well, and the team learned from its mistakes.

“We made a lot of mistakes, which is typical for things you do early on,” Dean said. “And that was good for us to be able to do that walk through. I thought it was good. We didn’t have any substitution problems, which is always one of those things when you go back and look at practice is one of those mental aspects — not having guys on the field. We didn’t have that. We were all lined up out there correctly.”

Follow me on Twitter at @Ed_Hooper.

Football opponent outlook: (Game 6) West Georgia

The fifth and sixth games of the 2012 season for the Valdosta State football team features a home game against Edward Waters, an NAIA opponent, on Sept. 29 and a visit to West Georgia in Carrollton on Oct. 6.
The Blazers' meeting against Edward Waters will be the second all-time meeting between the two schools. VSU holds a 1-0 record, following a 70-6 victory in the 2009 regular season finale.
VSU's meeting with West Georgia on Oct. 6 will be the 29th all-time meeting between the two Gulf South Conference rivals.
Last season, the Wolves ended their five-game losing streak to the Blazers with a shocking 23-20 come-from-behind victory at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.

UWG 2011 recap

The Wolves finished the 2011 season with a 6-4 record, including a 39-35 victory over the No. 1 ranked team in the region, Delta State.

Led by senior Emmanual Taylor, who led the team in rushing and passing, the Wolves offense averaged 326 yards per game. Taylor finished the season with a team-high 580 yards rushing with nine touchdowns and 1,233 yards passing with nine touchdowns. 

Defensively, the Wolves struggled. The allowed 214 rushing yards per game and 199.8 yards passing. 

2012 preview

The Wolves seem to be on the up-and-up under the leadership of head coach and athletic director Daryl Dickey, although they have several holes to fill this season. Emmanual Taylor will not return this season, along with James Kennebrew, who finished the 2011 season with 523 yards and three touchdowns.  Leading receiver Denarious Appling will be back after hauling in 22 passes and three touchdowns last season.

Defensively, cornerback Kelly Dawsey, a Lowndes native, returns for his senior season.

The Wolves open the season Sept. 1 against Point University in Carrollton. The Wolves' schedule features home games against Point, Tusculum, Valdosta State, North Alabama, West Texas A&M and Shorter. The Wolves will visit Miles, West Alabama, Delta State and Midwestern State this season.

Greg Reid shows interest in VSU

Greg Reid remains uncommitted to a new college football program following his dismissal and release from Florida State University. But the two-time Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year has given a glimpse of where he could be heading.
Reid made an appearance at Valdosta State University’s football practice Thursday morning and spoke with head coach David Dean.
When asked if Reid was a member of the Valdosta State football team on Thursday evening, Dean gave a definitive “no” response. When asked if Reid will be a member, Dean had a clearer response.
“I don’t know. I really feel bad for (Greg),” Dean said. “Today was the first day I had an opportunity to talk with him and he is still in shock, I think, about what took place. There are still a lot of questions that he has to still answer. From our standpoint, from a Valdosta State University standpoint, we are giving him time to answer those questions. We don’t want to put pressure on him.
“The thing I want to do for Greg Reid, and yes, I’d love to have him as part of this football team, but the main thing is he needs to do is make the right decision for Greg Reid,” Dean said. “We are not going to put pressure on him and we are going to let him make the situation he needs to make.”
Thursday’s split-squad practices at VSU were closed to media and fans, but Dean said that wasn’t because Reid was in attendance. Dean said practice on Thursday was closed because the team was implementing new schemes.
“We were putting in some new formations,” Dean said. “When you get guys out here, they ask ‘what is that you’re doing?’ and obviously we didn’t want to get that out there. There was this rumor that we closed it because of a certain guy — he was here, he stopped by – but that had nothing to do with it.”
When Reid was present at practice, Dean said practice went on as usual and that he was not a distraction to the team.
“Practice went on as usual,” Dean said. “Nobody went over to shake his hands or anything like that. Our guys have the mentality that if you come in here from a Division I program, you are going to have to prove yourself, and that is always the way it has been.”
Dean did mention that several members of the team have previous relationships with Reid and that many have shown interest in Reid joining the team.
“Our players are excited about the possibility of him joining our team,” Dean said. “Several of them have expressed interest..They know how good of a football player he is. So our kids would embrace it and I think they are going to be excited about a guy like that joining our football team, if it infact does.”
Reid has been released from the Florida State football team and is eligible to sign with any program, although Thursday’s meeting at VSU was the first known indication of where he possibly could land.
“We said ‘if this is something that you want to look at, we encourage you to come out here and look,’” Dean said. “He still thought we were practicing at Reames Field. That just kind of gives you an indication of why we told him to come out here and see what we have.
“I did not pressure him into making a decision,” Dean continued. “I did not pressure him into telling me on who he thinking about going to. He obviously has interest in going here.”

-Follow me on Twitter at @Ed_Hooper.

Blazers prepare for pads

The Valdosta State football team will put on full pads Friday morning.
After a four-day acclimation period, two in helmets and two in shells, the Blazers are eligible for full-contact drills for the first time all fall practice. Today’s practice, set for an 8:45 a.m. start, will also mark the team’s first full-team practice after four days of split squad practices.
"What I am more excited about is getting the entire team together," Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. "That, to me, is going to be fun. Seeing the two groups mesh together. But, yeah, this is when football starts — when you start figuring out how physical guys are; are they afraid of contact? Can they move when the pads are on?
"Everyone can run around when there are just helmets on and you know you're not going to get hit," Dean continued.
Thursday’s practice was closed to media members. Dean said the practice was closed so they could introduce new schemes without media around.

Players impressing in camp

When asked what players were having impressive camps thus far, Dean said linebackers Ryan Smith and Jeremy Grabel are having "outstanding" camps. Offensively, Dean said wide receiver Seantavious Jones is having a good camp, along with Gerald Ford.
Dean said quarterback Cayden Cochran has thrown the ball "very well."

Running backs making mistakes, learning

The running back position at Valdosta State is thin this season, but Dean said the backs in camp have been working hard and are learning from their mistakes.
"We have some young running backs, that while they don't always do the right thing, you can tell they have some ability," Dean said. "I am really excited to see now if they are able to run and break tackles."

Mathews making interceptions

Linebacker Chas Mathews is fighting for the final starting linebacker spot (with Grable) and Dean said Mathews is making a name for himself this camp by recording several interceptions throughout passing skeleton and team situations.

Blazers staying healthy

Dean knocked on the table he was sitting by when he said besides one knee injury to an offensive lineman, the Blazers have managed to stay healthy through the first four days of fall camp. Dean said some players have suffered from "heat issues". Dean said the lone injury, lineman Scott Crawford, will not practice until he is evaluated by team doctors.

The Blazers’ first scrimmage of the fall will be Aug. 18. They conclude fall camp with a second scrimmage Aug. 24 before hosting the annual Meet the Blazers event Aug. 25. Valdosta State opens regular season play Sept. 1.


-Follow me on Twitter at @Ed_Hooper.

VSU runner drowns in river

The Valdosta State community is mourning the loss of incoming freshman cross country runner Tajay Hoppines, who drowned Wednesday evening while swimming in the Suwanee River with teammates during a team building event.
The search for Hoppines’ body continued well into the afternoon hours on Thursday, until a search and rescue team from Jacksonville discovered the body late in the afternoon.
“The VSU athletic family is saddened by the loss of Tajay Hoppines, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his cross country teammates and coaches,” said Valdosta State athletic director Herb Reinhard.
Hoppines,18, and fellow Valdosta State cross country runners were training in the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla.  Wednesday and decided to go for a swim in the murky waters of the Suwanee River.
“They had been out running on the property at the Spirit of the Suwanee doing training,” Suwanee County Sheriff Tony Cameron told the Suwannee Democrat. “They then went to the river.”
Several members of the team decided to swim across the river at the popular sandbar inside the park. That is when Hoppines went under the water, according to the Democrat. Teammates attempted to bring up Hoppines, but couldn’t locate is body.
The VSU cross country team was set to return home from the Suwanee Park today, but was all back in Valdosta late Wednesday night. Members of the team will receive counseling on behalf of the VSU Counseling Center.