MONROE, La. – The hottest morning of preseason practice so far yielded quality repetition and work for the ULM football team on Sunday morning as the team prepares to move to full-padded practice beginning on Monday.
“Today ended well. It started a little slower than the other days did. This morning was by far the hottest morning we've had so far, so you try to get guys to just push through it,” head coach Matt Viator stated. “I thought we got a lot accomplished today. I think we can get a little crisper in terms of our assignments and what we what we are doing on both sides of the ball.”
Viator spoke about the heat, which was already in the low-90's during the practice session and felt closer to 100.
“It's tough. But you have to get out here and do it. We monitor their weights, how much they are losing and how much they've put back on before the next morning. We have the water breaks and all that. You just have to push through it this time of year.”
The team begins full-padded practice Monday morning, and will have a schedule throughout the week that leads up to Friday's 'Meet the Team' event beginning at 6:45 p.m., followed by the first scrimmage of the fall on August 13 at 6:30 p.m. at JPS Field at Malone Stadium. Following a week of practice, the second scrimmage will take place the following Saturday (8/20), at the same time.
Daily practices will continue to take place mornings from 8:40-10:55 a.m. on the practice fields and are open to the public. The team will also continue hour-long walk-throughs until August 17 (most nights), beginning at 7:20 p.m. inside JPS Field at Malone Stadium.
ULM classes begin on Monday, August 22, with the Warhawks moving to afternoon practices that week, culminating in the ULM Athletic Department's 'The Pursuit' event on Thursday, August 25. Information about The Pursuit can be found at ulm.edu/thepursuit.
The 2016 season kicks off on Saturday, September 3 as the Warhawks host Southern University. Season and single game tickets are available by calling 342-HAWK or via this link.
