DAVIDSON, N.C.— The Davidson football team will open its 15-session spring practice schedule this Friday, head coach
Tripp Merritt announced today. Davidson returns 67 players for the 2009 season, and about 60 will participate in spring practice.
“We’ve got some guys studying abroad and some guys still healing, but these are still some of the better numbers we’ve had participate in spring practice,” said Merritt. “We’re excited to get back at it. I think our guys have had a wonderful offseason so far with strength training and conditioning programs, and now we’ll see how that translates onto the field.”
Spring practice will be the first opportunity for the Wildcat coaching staff to see who will fill the voids vacated by a four-year starting quarterback and a defensive secondary that lost four seniors.
Michael Blanchard,
Tyler Hammett and
Matt Heavner will begin competition for the starting quarterback role. Blanchard took some snaps last season but did not attempt a pass. He rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown.
“Michael has gotten a few more reps in games, but really, it’s wide open,” said Merritt. “Spring practice will go a along way towards helping us decide who’s going to be our starting quarterback next season. They all have different strengths so you may see a combination of faces throughout the spring.”
The rest of the offense has a wealth of veteran returners. The Wildcats return four of their five starting offensive lineman, three of their four leading rushers and two of their top three leading receivers.
“We lose just two starters on our offensive and defensive lines combined so those should be strengths of our team,” said Merritt. “Will Nolte and Will Funderburg will be obviously hard to replace, but we do have depth and experience.”
Defensively, the ‘Cats return nine of their top 14 tacklers, and Merritt expects some rising sophomores, who saw plenty of action in their rookie seasons, to be in the mix in the secondary.
John Behm,
Peter Kidwell,
Clem Butler and
Malcolm Moses-Hampton each played in eight or more games, and they will compete with upperclassman
Brandon Sykes,
Harvey Kee,
Rodney Lasher and
Matt Guerrieri for starting roles in the secondary.
“We have a host of young defensive backs who got significant playing time last season returning,” said Merritt. “They will have to step in and contribute right away. Their development this spring is a key to our defense next fall.”
The ‘Cats also return three of their four starting linebackers, including the team’s leading tackler
Tyler Lemons, and two of their three starting defensive lineman.