Garin Higgins says there’s a good reason for Emporia State football fans to show up to Friday’s Spring Game at Welch Stadium.
There should be enough new players and young talent on display to keep people constantly checking their programs.
“I think that we are definitely more athletic than we were last year; I just think we’re very young and inexperienced right now,” the ESU football coach said. “Experience-wise, a lot of guys haven’t been put to the fire in a game-type situation.”
They’ll get that chance Friday in ESU’s annual Black-Gold scrimmage.
The first quarter will be regularly timed, with the final three periods going a little quicker with a running clock.
The two teams will keep score.
Higgins said he was looking forward to seeing how his young players competed.
“We are really excited about them,” Higgins said. “There may be a lot of redshirt freshmen contributing this year.”
Some of the redshirt freshmen to watch for on offense are Ben McKaig, Tracy Hageman and Adrian Abner.
McKaig has moved himself to the top of the depth chart on offensive line, while Hageman has emerged as ESU’s No. 2 receiver.
Abner — a shifty, 5-foot-7 back from DeSoto, Texas — also should get plenty of touches at tailback.
“He’s going to bring something to the table from an athletic standpoint,” Higgins said.
On defense, redshirt freshmen Matt Rosenhamer (defensive end) and Dustin Ennis (defensive line) each have had a good spring and should get plenty of snaps.
ESU also has made a slight change to its offense. The Hornets still will go no-huddle, but there will be less I-formation and more of an effort to spread the defense out.
So far, Higgins said he liked what he had seen out of ESU’s two quarterbacks.
Incumbent Andre Sloan El holds a slight edge over redshirt freshman Zach Rampy, but Higgins said the competition had gotten closer since the start of camp.
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