University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Football Practice Report No. 1
August 10, 2006 | Football
Aug. 10, 2006
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass football team completed its second full day of preseason camp on Thursday and head coach Don Brown has many positives to speak about after just two days of action. He has also added three more transfers from Division I-A programs who will be contributors in quarterback Joe Sanford from Virginia, defensive back Courtney Robinson from UConn and lineman Heath Heekin from UNLV.
"I am very happy with the general conditioning of the team," Brown said on Thursday as he walked off the Gladchuck Practice Facility. "The attitude of the entire team has been tremendous. It is early but the signs are very good at this stage. Through two practices we are very healthy which is a good sign, knock on wood.
"There is some level of competition at every position which makes for a good camp. Our core players have been responding to the challenges as well. Also, our depth at the skill positions is really showing, that is a positive."
Brown was happy with several individuals well. Starting with the kicking game, Brown first mentioned how happy he was with the performance of all areas of special teams.
"Junior college transfer Chris Koepplin is competing and is showing he is a very capable kicker," said Brown. "Sophomore Armando Cuko has shown he has a stronger leg this camp as well. He kicked five-of-six kickoffs into the end zone on the first day."
Other players who have stood out early on according to Brown include sophomore defensive back Sean Smalls, who Brown says "has taken huge steps after a good true freshman season." He also cited junior linebacker Charles Walker who returns from a redshirt season which he sat out with a knee injury, saying, "Walker is playing at a very high level early on."
Senior defensive end John Hatchell has continued to be solid with his performance as well. He broke his own school record in the bench press on the first day of camp, lifting 520 pounds, beating his mark of last season at 500 pounds.
On the offensive side, Brown said the four returning offensive lineman has been steady coming off another strong year in 2005. "Alex Miller, David Thompson, Matt Austin and Sean Calicchio have picked right off where they left off which is a major factor in our success."
Brown added three newcomers to the squad, who cleared University admission policies as of Thursday in Sanford, Robinson and Heekin.
Sanford is a redshirt-freshman quarterback who spent last season at Virginia, but took a redshirt season and retains four years of eligibility. He is a native of Charlottesville, Va., and attended Monticello High School before a post-graduate year at Bridgton Academy in Maine. He stands 6-2, 208 and is wearing No. 10 in camp.
Robinson is UMass' fourth transfer from down the road at UConn joining tailback Matt Lawrence, linebacker Anthony Rouzier and tight end Rob Getek. Robinson is a true sophomore who played in 11 games as a freshman with the Huskies last season. The Lake Worth, Florida native made 10 tackles for UConn last year and returned four kickoffs for 95 yards. He has three years of eligibility remaining with the Minutemen. He is wearing No. 4 for UMass.
Heekin is a hulking 6-3, 325-pound offensive lineman who comes to the UMass from UNLV. He took a redshirt season with the Rebels last year after playing two years at San Bernardino Valley Junior College. He has two years of eligibility remaining as a redshirt junior this season. He is a native of Riverside, California and attended Arlington High School. He is wearing No. 74.
In addition, the Minutemen have added two walk-ons, including one with an interesting background. Offensive lineman Matt Slachetka comes to UMass after serving five years in the United States Marines including two tours of duty in Iraq. He is a native of Chicopee where he graduated from Chicopee Comprehensive in 2001 before enrolling in the Armed Forces in June of 2001. He completed his tour in June 2006. Slachetka is 23 years old, stands 6-3, 270 pounds and will wear No. 67.
Also joining the team is freshman quarterback David Chervansky, who comes from St. Joseph's High School in Shelton, Conn. He is wearing No. 20.
Finally, the sand and rubber pellets have started to be mixed into the FieldTurf at McGuirk Stadium. The sand layer and first few layers of the rubber were put out on Thursday and ground into the turf. The process should be complete in the coming days.
