April 2, 2008

Cullowhee, N.C. - After two days of helmet-and-shorts workouts to open 2008 spring practice, the Western Carolina Catamount football team took Wednesday off as scheduled ahead of its first session in full pads, slated for Thursday afternoon at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Leading the Catamount defense this season is Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Matt Pawlowski, who brings nearly 30 years of past coaching experience to Cullowhee. He talked on Wednesday morning about the transition from the off-season workout program to spring drills, and his expectations from his players moving forward.

"The enthusiasm so far has been fantastic," said Pawlowski, who in addition to overseeing the entire defense also works one-on-one with the linebacking corps. "The young men have been willing to listen, willing to learn. I am proud of the young men in our program right now for how they have responded and reacted to what we have put them through thus far, which includes the winter strength and conditioning aspects."

He added, "Since we got here as the new coaching staff, we have been working to change the culture. We have been emphasizing getting better one day at a time, playing one play at a time for a 60 minute game."

Practice, according to Pawlowski, has been designed at a fast rate through the first two days with the coaches throwing a lot of information and fundamentals at the student-athletes in a short amount of time. Repetition, making the players think on their feet especially when they are tired and creating a chaotic atmosphere have been the order of the day as to begin to simulate game-like scenarios, while also teaching and reinforcing the technical aspects of the game.

"We want our players to have the ability to communicate. See with their eyes, communicate with their mouths and execute physically with great footwork and great pad levels - to execute their role as one-eleventh of our defense," Pawlowski said.

Pawlowski, who was a part of two NCAA Division II National Championship teams while at Grand Valley State, said that he plans on implementing a 4-2-5 defensive scheme featuring four down linemen, two versatile linebackers and five defensive backs, while also scattering in some 3-4 scheme looks as well, depending namely upon the opposition.

He did state that he is not overly concerned at implementing and installing a set system during spring drills, but more interested in establishing the mental edge and attitude with which he wants his defensive unit to take to the field.

"I want to develop trust and accountability, as well as a cohesiveness and a passion in our guys during these spring practices. I want our guys to play 100-percent, 100-percent of the time for a 60-minute game, and then we will look at the scoreboard," said Pawlowski. "I have told our guys that we want 11 `junk yard dogs' that expect to get takeways and to score on defense. The system we will employ will allow everyone to make big plays."

That philosophy is already apparent in the first two days of drills as every defensive player - regardless of the outcome of the play - rushes to the football, treating it like a takeaway. He has also worked with the defensive players on the details that often get overlooked, such as stripping and recovering fumbles, intercepting passes when the ball is at its zenith and hanging onto takeaways amidst piles and scrums.

He went on to state that even after off-season workouts and through the first two days of spring practice, it was difficult to single-out any one player. But that he felt the squad as a whole was working with great effort.

"We are in the second quarter," explained Pawlowski. "The first quarter is our off-season workout sessions, while the third is our summer conditioning and the fourth quarter - where you win the game - is our season next fall."

Western Carolina continues with practice number three on Thursday, donning full pads for the first-time this spring. The Catamounts will continue their schedule with an afternoon practice on Friday, with a morning session on Saturday. The squad will work through its first scrimmage sessions a week from Saturday, with the annual Spring Game slated for Saturday, April 19th at 1:00 pm in Cullowhee.

2008 Catamount Football Spring Practice Schedule:
Practice 3: Thursday, April 3 - First Day in Full Pads
Practice 4: Friday, April 4
Practice 5: Saturday, April 5
Practice 6: Monday, April 7
Practice 7: Tuesday, April 8
Practice 8: Thursday, April 10
Practice 9: Friday, April 11
Practice 10: Saturday, April 12 (scrimmage sessions)
Practice 11: Monday, April 14
Practice 12: Tuesday, April 15
Practice 13: Thursday, April 17
Practice 14: Friday, April 18
Practice 15: Spring Game - Saturday, April 19