LaGrange College's linemen run through a drill during a spring-practice session at Callaway Stadium. The Panthers are in the midst of a 15-day spring practice period. The Panthers have one week of spring practice remaining.

LaGrange College spring practice
Published: Sunday, May 4, 2008
LaGrange Daily News
http://www.lagrangenews.com
Kevin Eckleberry - Sports Editor

The season opener is more than four months away for the LaGrange College football team, but the road to a possible successful 2008 season is already being traveled.

The Panthers have one week remaining in their 15-day spring practice period, and although the players won't wear pads and there'll be no contact during the spring because of NCAA Division III rules, the time is of critical importance for the Panthers.

"The way we're set up, with NCAA guidelines, we break camp and there's two and a half weeks (before the first game)," LaGrange College head coach Todd Mooney said. "We get a lot of stuff done. It's a lot of teaching time. It'll be focused on individual work, group work without contact."

Mooney has the luxury this year of having a veteran team to work with.

The Panthers had their debut season in 2006, and the team was made up almost solely of freshmen.

A year ago, it was mostly freshmen and sophomores taking the field for the Panthers.

This year, many of the players have been in the program for two years, and Mooney can see the difference.

"They've come back this spring, and we can slow down and get into the intracies of what we're trying to do," Mooney said. "You can see the lightbulbs going off for everybody. They're getting it. And physically, they're different people now."

Mooney is hopeful the hard work the players have put in will yield dividens this season.

The Panthers were 0-10 their first season, and although they had a number of close calls a year ago, they suffered through another winless season.

"With a young team, you go the first year with all freshmen, and the next year with freshmen and sophomores," Mooney said. "You can say a lot of things, but the scoreboard doesn't care. We had to go out and do our business against juniors and seniors. Now we're much more equipped for that."

The players, Mooney said, can't wait to get the new season started.

"This group is driven right now. They have a stake in it now, and they realize the stakes," Mooney said. "There's not people having to run around and motivate them. They know."

One advantage the Panthers will have this season is the incoming players won't have to get through immediately into the fire.

The freshmen, as is the case with most programs, will have the chance to make a gradual adjustment to the college game.

"They have the luxury of being able to relax and learn a little bit," Mooney said.

The Panthers open their season Sept. 6 at Birmingham Southern, and they make their home debut a week later against Shorter College.

After visiting Maryville Sept. 20, the Panthers will make their St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference debut a week later against Principia (Ill.)

The Panthers' final seven games will be against conference foes.

The Panthers played as an independent team their first two seasons.

"Now you have two seasons. You have a three-game non-conference season, and then you hit another milestone when you go into conference play," Mooney said. "You get to play for a conference title."