Aug. 18, 2005
- Post-practice with Coach Ron Zook
- Head Football Athletic Trainer Adrian Melendez
The Illini football squad has only two sessions left in Rantoul before packing up camp and heading back to Champaign Saturday evening. Coach Ron Zook moved up Thursday's practice time by nearly five hours in order to give his players plenty of time in the afternoon to relax and rest as camp nears completion. Friday's practice will also begin at 10:45 a.m., followed by a scrimmage on Saturday, which is tentatively set for 3:30 p.m.
"Today started off a little slow, which is probably about half normal," said Zook. "The guys understand that we are not going to accept anything unless it's all they've got. We had to do one period over and went about 20 extra plays and we still got done a little early. I thought the tempo was good. We gave them extra rest this morning and let them sleep in. They'll have some time this afternoon to get off their feet and relax. They are slowly but surely learning that we are not going to accept anything but all they've got."
Support Staff Spotlight - Adrian Melendez:
Adrian Melendez is one of the newest members of the Illnois football staff, joining the team as the football athletic trainer. He comes to Illinois after 13 football seasons at the University of Florida. Zook felt it was important to bring an athletic trainer that he felt matched his style and one with whom he felt comfortable. Melendez began his training at Florida with the men's and women's track & field teams before being named head athletic trainer for football in 1998. Some of Melendez's previous stints included traveling as a therapist for then-World Record holder and Olympic Champion Donovan Bailey to attending the NFL scouting combine as a guest of the Professional Football Athletic Training Society. Melendez has immediately fit in with the Midwestern way of life and will lead a team of two full-time trainers, Byron Cunningham and grad assistant Matt Fitterer, and 12 students this season.
"No. 1, Adrian is very talented at his job and what he does," Zook said. "No. 2, he knows me and I know him so we know what each other are thinking. I've known him since 1992; he's part of the family. I call him the "bearer of bad news." When there is something bad that happens, people tell him and he tells me. He really is part of my family. Not to mention the fact that he is talented at what he does. I think one of the most important things is for your strength coach and your trainer to have a beat of the team and for the team to trust him. They have that with Adrian. It's really important because the players are around Adrian more than the coaches are around the players and the players tell Adrian things they wouldn't tell me."
Melendez is not only a strong trainer, but a close friend to Coach Zook, which only adds to the trust between the staff.
"Our relationship started in '92 when I was a grad assistant at Florida," Melendez said. "When he came back to Florida I was head trainer for football, so we began to get a lot closer. When Zook came up to Illinois he asked me to come. It makes it a lot easier when the head athletic trainer and the head coach have good communication. He calls me the "bearer of bad news" because I am the one who brings him bad news all the time. I've gotten used to that, whatever comes up, I'm not afraid to tell him what's going on he's not afraid to yell at me.
"The biggest thing is that I understand Coach Zook. Some people tell us that we are both alike. That helps me understand what he wants and he understands what I want, and those things happen as quick as they can. He and I communicate on the same level, which really helps us take care of things."
Athletic Training Graduate Assistant Matt Fitterer on Melendez...
"Adrian is experienced enough between Florida and TCU that he brings a fresh set of ideas between him, Byron and myself. We have three different backgrounds and three different sets of ideas on how to approach things. It pretty much gives us the best opportunities and options to help the guys with what ever they have."
Fan Appreciation Day:
The annual Fan Appreciation Day is only three days away. Mark you calendars for Sunday, Aug. 21. The fun for fans begins at 3 p.m., when they have a chance to take pictures, get autographs and throw the football with their favorite Illini players. Admission is free to the general public and parking is available in the North lots of the Assembly Hall. Fans can come into the Stadium through the south horseshoe entrance. Game highlights and entertainment will be shown on the video board along with music and talks from all the coaches.
