HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Every time pads popped, and contact was made, the enthusiasm coming from the Alabama A&M football practice field grew.
It was a day the Bulldogs anxiously had been awaiting:
The first day in pads.
Alabama A&M completed its fourth practice of fall camp Tuesday morning, practicing in shoulder pads and helmets. The previous three practices were in shells.
“The players were definitely excited to get that first opportunity to make contact,” first-year coach Connell Maynor said. “Guys were flying around and competing with a lot of energy — getting after it until the whistle was blown. That’s what we want. We want excitement.”
Even though the players practiced in helmets and shoulder pads, contact situations were limited to just a couple of practice periods.
“We did some inside work (with the interior offensive and defensive personnel), and we had a bull drill session,” Maynor said. “It gave our coaches an opportunity to see how guys respond after someone hits them. It was a good day of work.”
Alabama A&M has three more practice sessions before taking the field for fall camp’s first live scrimmage.
Maynor said the team has made progress since camp began on Friday.
“We’re moving in the right direction, but make no mistake, there still is a whole lot of work to do,” Maynor said. “Right now, the defense is a little bit ahead of the offense, but with a new system, that’s to be expected.
“The important thing is that we keep working, both on the practice field and in meetings, and continue to improve. We’ve got a plan, and we’re working hard to achieve it.”