By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

There were a lot of new faces, but it was a familiar routine as the Concordia College football team opened fall camp on Monday.

The Hornets hit the field in shorts and shirts as head coach Shepherd Skanes welcomed about 185 players, 45 of which return from last year’s team.

Skanes said it was a dull first practice.

“This morning’s practice was a little sluggish,” Skanes said. “We’ve been through this, but this is the first feel a lot of them are getting of us and we’re getting of them.”

Skanes said it was a different experience for the players when they actually hit the field as opposed to sitting in meetings.

“We’ve been talking and doing everything in the meetings, but now when you get out here and do things for the first time instead of writing it on the board, it’s kind of shaky,” Skanes said.

The first of two practices on Monday saw Skanes and his staff go through what Skanes called installment.

“We met and we went strictly with an installment plan that we wanted to teach the guys because we have so many,” Skanes said. “We had close to 190 players in camp, so we wanted to make sure we give everybody a fair shot.”

For what Skanes called day one of installment, players rotated to various stations set up around the field to run position-specific, footwork and fundamental drills.

Assistant coaches worked players through tip drills, blocking drills and pursuit drills among others.

The coaching staff installed basic offensive and defensive packages and plays.

The Hornets offense and defense also went head-to-head in 7-on-7 drills.

Skanes said the team will practice once on Tuesday and will hold another two-a-day practice on Wednesday.

Tuesday the Hornets will work on special teams and after each practice coaches will examine film and make corrections.