March 5, 2001

FURMAN TO OPEN SPRING FOOTBALL
PRACTICE TUESDAY

GREENVILLE -- Furman University's football team is scheduled to open its 2001 spring practice on Tuesday with a two-hour session in helmets, according to head football coach Bobby Johnson.

"Our main objective in spring practice is to make ourselves a better football team by concentrating on fundamentals first and schemes second," said Johnson on Monday. "In doing that we hope to answer all of our personnel questions."

Under NCAA spring practice rules, the Paladins have 29 days to complete 15 practice sessions beginning with Tuesday's practice, which is a mandatory helmets only session. Furman has full-scale scrimmages scheduled for March 10, 17th, and 24th.

Among Furman's biggest position objectives this spring will be preparing rising junior Billy Napier to take over for graduating quarterback Justin Hill and finding replacements for graduating fullback Derek Russell and Jacobs Blocking Award winning tackle Josh Moore.

"Obviously, one of our top priorities will be preparing Billy Napier to take over for Justin Hill, and we feel comfortable that we can do that," Johnson added. "Fullback is another big priority for us, but we're confident we already have the personnel to fill that position and the others we need to fill. We don't have dire needs at any spot, and we have a lot of guys with talent who didn't play last year. We're anxious to get them back."

Ahead of Tuesday's start to spring practice, Johnson announced a pair of player position switches. Stephen Schroeder, a true freshman this past fall, will move from defensive tackle to tight end, and Josh McWhorter, a redshirt freshman, will move from defensive tackle to offensive tackle.

Johnson also announced that backup tight end Graham Hunter and reserve defensive end Clay O'Daniel had opted to graduate this spring instead of exercising their final year of eligibility, and that reserve tight ends Carl Boland and Jon Brown, and reserve offensive linemen Matt Mangum had quit the program.

Furman returns 44 lettermen and 19 starters, including Walter Payton Award winning tailback Louis Ivory, off last year's team that posted a 9-3 record and finished the season ranked 10th in the Sports Network I-AA poll.

Furman opens its 2001 season on Sept. 1 against Wyoming in Laramie.