2008 Woodie Awards
Football team ready for scrimmage as spring practice ends
Ben Garbarek
Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: Sports
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Not to steal the legendary slogan of the Chicago Cubs' faithful, but next year may be here.
"We can win the Mid-American Conference championship," said Head Coach Shane Montgomery. "We're going to have a chance (to win) like everyone else."
Redshirt junior quarterback Mike Kokal agreed.
"We're more cohesive this year," he said. "We're more consistent this year, more confident."
The football team is wrapping up its spring practices this week, and will play the annual Red and White spring game at 7:30 p.m. Friday night, which is free to the students and public.
Montgomery has been pleased with the quality of the team's spring practices so far.
"The competition is good - we have better competition at a number of positions this spring," Montgomery said. "This has been the best off-season in (the seven years I have coached at Miami) - we like the chemistry of this team."
Standing in the way of the 'Hawks is a tougher schedule than many are accustomed to. The Red and White will play five nonconference games, including visits to the Golden Gophers of Minnesota, the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Colorado Buffaloes, all of which will be challenging games for the 'Hawks. Miami will also start the season with an in-conference matchup on the road against Ball State.
"This is the most important opener we've had in a while," Montgomery said. "It's important to start 1-0 in conference."
In addition to the challenging nonconference schedule, Montgomery noted that the MAC will be no easy test either.
"The MAC is improving," Montgomery said. "Two-thirds of the teams in the MAC have a realistic chance at winning the MAC championship."
One big question that has already been set straight is who will take the position of starting quarterback. Kokal stepped in and led the RedHawks offense last season, but had his fair share of struggles like the rest of the Miami squad. Montgomery made it clear however that Kokal is still his guy next season, despite stiff competition from redshirt sophomore Jared Elliot and redshirt freshman Daniel Raudabaugh.
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RedHawk21
posted 4/19/07 @ 10:15 AM EST
Great piece of investigative journalism. Jared Elliot is no longer a quarterback (as you mention) but a wide receiver. As usual, great job at getting the facts wrong. (Continued…)
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