March 7, 2004

FURMAN FOOTBALL TO OPEN SPRING PRACTICE MONDAY

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman Paladins open spring practice Monday, and head coach Bobby Lamb says his squad is anxious to get underway.

“With 20 starters returning and a large number of veterans in our program, we’re looking forward to getting started,” said Lamb on Sunday.

Furman will have 81 players taking part in Monday’s practice in shorts and helmets and will have 29 days to complete 15 workouts. The Paladins will practice Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Paladin Stadium due to player lab schedules. Scrimmages in Paladin Stadium are slated for Mar. 13 and Mar. 20 at 10:00 a.m., and also on Mar. 27 at 12:30 p.m.

As for goals for his squad in the spring season, Lamb said the top priorities would be “working on fundamentals at all positions and building team unity on both offense and defense, and as a team.

“We’ll also work on improving our turnover ratio, both in eliminating turnovers and in creating takeaways. We’ve got to be better in that area this fall.”

Furman, which posted a 6-5 record in 2003, ranked fifth in the Southern Conference in turnover margin in 2003 with a -0.18 ratio. The Paladins’ spring roster will include a pair of newcomers in quarterback Ingle Martin, who transferred into the Furman program in January following three seasons at the University of Florida, and true freshman linebacker Paul White, who graduated from Battery Creek High School in December.

In addition, Lamb announced on Sunday that freshmen defensive end Turner Burton had quit the team and had decided to transfer to Auburn but not play football.

Among the Paladins’ corps of returning starters are 10 offensive and 10 defensive regulars. Furman’s two departed regulars in its starting 22 include tailback Hindley Brigham and defensive end Brandon Poole. The Paladins must also find replacements for punter Jeremiah Van Dora and graduating All-America placekicker Danny Marshall.

Furman opens its season on Sept. 4 against Presbyterian. The Paladins take on the University of Pittsburgh on Sept. 25 and kick off Southern Conference play the following week when Western Carolina pays a visit to Paladin Stadium.

FURMAN SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE

March 8, 3:30 p.m.
March 9, 6:30 p.m. (Paladin Stadium)
March 13, 10:00 a.m. (Scrimmage/Paladin Stadium)
March 20, 10:00 a.m. (Scrimmage/Paladin Stadium)
March 27, 12:30 p.m. (Scrimmage/Paladin Stadium)

All Other Practices TBA