‘Riders Begin Spring Football Practice

Blue-Gold Spring Game Scheduled for May 3

Magnolia, Ark.-Southern Arkansas University will begin spring football practice Monday in preparation for the 2003 season, according to head coach Steve Quinn. Quinn will enter his third season with the Muleriders this fall and his staff remains intact, defensive coordinator Carey Baker, offensive coordinator Tommy Laurendine, secondary coach Joe Carter and defensive line coach Jason Smelser.

Quinn said the ‘Riders will practice four days each week, Monday through Thursday, until the last week when practices will be held Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the annual Blue-Gold game scheduled for Saturday, May 3. He went on to say that the SAU staff will be looking for quality depth, to improve fundamentals and techniques as well as determining how last year’s red-shirts competes with the returning starters and lettermen.

SAU lost only three seniors off their 2002 team, fullback Scott Schroeder, wide receiver Jason Bennett and cornerback Carl Bucknor. Bennett played sparingly because of a lingering injury. The ‘Riders were 7-4 overall last year and finished tied for third in the Gulf South Conference with the University of Central Arkansas with a 6-3 record behind champion Valdosta State University and runner-up Harding University.

The ’03 ‘Riders will have their strongest crop of seniors in years with 12 returning who started last year, six on each side of the ball. In all, 11 starters are back on offense and 10 on defense. A total of 43 lettermen, including a punter and kicker, return, with 23 on offense and 18 on defense scheduled to return next season.

Starters and lettermen returning on offense are record setting quarterbacks Ted Williams and Damian Melancon, halfbacks Torrence Jones, Rodney Hill, Donald Butler and Don Simpson, fullbacks Larnelle Sinegal and Brandon Nightingale, record setting wide receiver Nik Lewis and backups Juan Bedolla and Edwin Skipper, tight ends Ryan Baker, Laron Sylvester and Tyler Briggs, the deep snapper, tackles Kelvin Wallace and Bill Parker, guards Josh Spittler, Kevin Berneathy, James Herrera, Dude Chisum and Ed Primas and centers Tim Bezenah and Blake Mitchell.

Defensive starters and lettermen are ends Dedrick Thompson, Andrekus Dixon and D.C. Chandler, tackles Robert Hooks and Tirone Curtis, noseguards Cedric Brooks and Eddie Caldwell, linebackers Keenan Washington, DeVares Campbell, Tim Rose, Darrell Williams and Justin Willis, cornerbacks Dez Myers, Jordan Babineaux and Trey Lewis and safeties Brian Davis, Charles Rollins and David Williams.

Tony Grecco returns as the punter and Thomas LaToof as the kicker. Cornerback Chris Ibezim is the only transfer. He came to SAU from Navarro College (Texas).