LJ FB: Fall practice - 1st morning

Receivers go through a drill of toe-tap

in the rope ladder, then look up

to catch a pass in the first fall practice

July 31. Here, Taylor Beck (19), a junior,

runs the exercise. (Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

On the first morning of fall football practice, Coach Tyler Roach ran his charges through an hour and a half of stretches, "indie" drills in skill groups--defensive backs, receivers, quarterbacks, etc.--, and an introduction of special teams' kickoff formations in a session from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on the Edwards Field turf Mon., July 31.

The weather was 68 degrees at 7:28 a.m., with the normal cloud cover along the coast, and increased humidity that we've had for the past week or two. Roach cranked up the loudspeaker with up-tempo pop from a radio station, as varsity players worked out in shorts and T-shirts with their uniform numbers on the back.

Long-time freshman coach Craig Gagliardi, who goes back to the Jason Carter era, took his players to the lower field (softball field) for their first fall training.

Returning senior quarterback Jackson Diehl (right)

warms up early in practice.

Center Logan Bonnett (foreground) hikes to

QB Hudson Smith. Bonnett is expected

to help anchor the offensive line this season.

Smith, a sophomore, throws

in practice. Coach Tyler Roach

said two weeks ago, "He can spin it.

Wait and see." Roach said both

Smith and Diehl will play

in the early part of the season,

with Diehl even lining up

as a receiver.