Check out Gary's comments from the MWC press day about the new practice rules. :)
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Las Vegas Review-Journal
By MARK ANDERSON
Conference coaches say new practice rules won't work out
The new football practice rules apparently don't sit well with the coaches, who say the changes probably will be just for this year.
Gone are separate practices for newcomers before the veterans arrive. Teams must spend the first five days going through an "acclimation period" of no two-a-days. And twice-daily practices also are not allowed on consecutive days.
"I think (the NCAA) had good intentions," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "I think they screwed it up. What we're doing will change next year because there are a lot of things that haven't been done right. But nothing that dramatic. I think we'll all live with it, and, hopefully, the legislation will improve next year."
Robinson said the Rebels usually stayed away from two-a-days on consecutive days because of concern about the Southern Nevada heat.
Also, one workout every other day was a light one.
UNLV will begin practice Aug. 6.
Brigham Young coach Gary Crowton agreed that the NCAA missed the mark with instituting the rules.
"I think the concept is decent; I've always done the 2-1-2 practice format," Crowton said. "The first five days without walk-throughs, I think that kind of needs to be looked at and tweaked a little bit, but they'll probably do that next year.
"You have these guys for five days with one practice, and it's a waste of money. If guys do nothing but practice in the morning, they're going to have nine hours the whole rest of the day to do nothing.
"Any time you have idle football players, good things don't always happen. I feel pretty good about the kids we have at BYU because we have married kids and we don't have them stay in the dorms. But if I was at Louisiana Tech ... that would be a very tough, tough way to manage some of those kids."
