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APSU Governors Football to put on full pads for first time Saturday

Austin Peay State University Governors Sports - APSUClarksville, TN – After four days of practice, Austin Peay State University’s football team will put on full pads for the first time, 9:00am, Saturday, in Governors Stadium.

Austin Peay Football. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Football. (APSU Sports Information)

The Governors practiced Tuesday and Wednesday in just shorts and helmets before donning shoulder pads Thursday and Friday. The Governors are anxious to show their wares to first-year head coach Kirby Cannon and his staff.

“The first padded practice there always is a little more excitement in the air,” Cannon said. “The main thing is you hope you have taught some fundamentals in the first four days so you can go out there and practice safely with full pads because the contact level and the types of drills will change.”

Despite stifling humidity, the Governors were able to complete the entire practice and conditioning, Friday morning, after watching the previous two days activities disrupted by thunderstorms. Cannon hopes his team can carry the aggressiveness and intensity level to great heights once the contact increases.

“There used to be cute term that was used in the evaluation of non-padded practices,” Cannon said. “’You have a lot of no-pad All-Americans.’ I think to a point it is still true. Some players when the contact aspect is involved there is a breakdown of decision making and fundamentals.

“As a result, we are always very slow to increase the tempo and contact level in practices. However, the real evaluation is 11-on-11 play. You shouldn’t make any decisions until then. You can be a teacher and motivator but only until you go 11-on-11 can you make decisions as far as the depth chart is concerned.”

Friday was the Govs’ first two-a-day session. Saturday will see the Govs practice just once, with walk-throughs during the afternoon. The Govs will go through a modified media day Sunday afternoon before returning to a two-a-day practice, Monday.

The Governors are in preparation for a 12-game 2013 that will kick off with a 5:00pm (CT) at Tennessee, Saturday, August 31st. It is the first time program history the Governors have played the UT Vols.

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