April 10, 2008

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina eclipsed the midway point of its 2008 Spring Practice on Wednesday with an off day spent doing community outreach, and is scheduled to return to the turf at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field on Thursday afternoon for practice number eight.

Last week, Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Matt Pawlowski spoke about the progress of the Catamount defense through spring drills. First-year Offensive Coordinator Keith Heckendorf talked Wednesday evening about the status of the offense and what they are looking to accomplish through the spring.

"We are in a feeling out stage with our offense, analyzing our personnel on campus and figuring out what we can do," said Heckendorf on the progress thus far this spring. "Before you can sink your teeth into what you are doing offensively, you need to know what your players can do - and that is what we have been working with a lot this spring."

He added, "This spring, we are starting with fundamentals and will build off of that - we are not game planning or scheming against a defense right now. We are installing the base package and learning terminology. We want to establish a set of plays - both run and pass - that we feel comfortable going to in a variety of situations."

Hear more with WCU Offensive Coordinator Keith Heckendorf on the Catamount Tracks Podcast

Regardless of the moniker or name given to the Catamounts' offense that will take the field in the fall, Heckendorf emphasized that he wants the offense to be balanced no matter what type of alignment or the formation in which they line up.

"I see us having a balanced attack offensively, nearly a 50-50 split between run and pass. As a former quarterback, I want to be able to pass the football. But I have been around football long enough to know that to win games, to win championships, you have got to be able to run the football," said Heckendorf. "We want our offense to dictate the style, the flow and the tempo of the game. We want the defense to feel us - we will be in and out of the huddle quickly, not giving the defense a break or a chance to recover."

In sentiments echoed on both sides of the ball by players and coaches alike, Heckendorf reiterated the speed and high intensity with which the Catamounts have practiced through spring drills. He stated that the goal is to maximize teaching through meetings, talking through techniques with position coaches and then walking through the material in a group setting before putting it all together, offense and defense.

"With the way we practice - with the high number of quality repetitions and at a high pace - we want when we get into a game situation that things seem to slow down and to be able to think through what to do," Heckendorf explained.

Depth, especially at wide receiver and running back, has been a concern during spring practice for the offensive coaches. However, the influx of nine new offensive players from last year's signing class - including six at the skill positions - will help bolster the numbers. But Heckendorf is confident in the corps currently in Cullowhee.

"We have a good foundation of players here on campus that have been working extremely hard and doing everything we have asked of them. They are hungry to win," said Heckendorf. "We will continue to recruit players to help build upon what we have, and we as coaches will do our best to put them in a position to be successful - and will do it in a first-class manner."

WCU will practice three more times this week before taking Sunday off from the field. The practice on Saturday morning will feature controlled scrimmage sessions for the team.

2008 Catamount Football Spring Practice Schedule:
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