AUDIO - P Steve Fitts talks about the battles going on for the kicking duties.
AUDIO - LS Patrick Rouse discusses his preparation forcompeting for the long-snapping slot.
AUDIO Illini Wrap, courtesy of WCIA-TV, Channel 3, Champaign
VIDEO Illini Wrap courtesy of WCIA-TV, Channel 3, Champaign
Aug. 13, 2001
The University of Illinois football team resumed double sessions on Monday in 80-degree temperatures, running individual position drills and over 40-minutes of team work in each practice.
When asked what he will be looking for in the first day in pads (on Tuesday) head coach Ron Turner responded, "Execution. Intensity. Enthusiasm. Energy. I've seen that already in practice and it is getting better every day."
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: The Illini will have their first padded practice on Tuesday morning at 8:15 a.m. on the East Practice Fields of Memorial Stadium. Tuesday's second session is a night practice at 7:05 p.m. on the Memorial Stadium turf. All Illini workouts are open to the public.
VISITORS WELCOME: Turner received a special visitor at Monday afternoon's practice, Coach Chester Caddas, former head football coach of Turner's alma mater, University of Pacific. The successful college coach now resides in Murray, Ky., and enjoys traveling to different college football practices in his spare time to visit former players and assistants. Among his stops may include Pittsburgh head coach Walt Harris and Southern Cal head coach Pete Carroll, who were both former Pacific players.
SCOUTING THE SPECIALISTS: Who will be the Illini's placekicker in 2001? Who will replace long snapper Nathan Hodel who signed a free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers this summer? All those questions are being answered during the 2001 preseason training camp. One position where there are no question marks is at punter. Senior Steve Fitts has been a staple at that position since his true-freshman year in 1998. Fitts currently holds Illinois' best career punting average and is a 2001 Ray Guy Award candidiate (given to the nations best college punter). Looking to wrap up the placekicking job is sophomores JJ Tubbs and Peter Christofilakos. Tubbs began all field goal and extra point kicking during the second half of the 2000 season. He was a perfect 13-for-13 on PAT attempts and made his only field goal attempt. Christofilakos made strides in the spring and is pushing Tubbs for the starting role. Also looking for playing time is true-freshman placekicer Steve Weatherford and junior college transfer John Gockman. Two senior long snappers, Patrick Rouse and Mike Malczyk, are battling out for that position. Rouse got experience in 1999 with four games, while Malczyk joined the kickoff special teams unit in 2000. True-freshman, long snapper Andrew Shaw will also push the two seniors. Listen to comments from long snapper Patrick Rouse and punter Steve Fitts on www.fightingillini.com.
