By Staff
KALAMAZOO – On the second day of preseason camp, Western Michigan quarterbacks are featured.
A lot goes into learning and perfecting an offense as intricate as head coach Bill Cubit's. The corps of five Broncos signal callers work hard at refining their skills with each snap.
This is the first day WMU practices on Bronco Field on Davis Street. The team was forced to Waldo Stadium on Monday due to early morning thunder showers. Bronco Field is actually two full-length football fields and it gives the offense and defense more than enough space to work separately throughout each period before joining, usually on the front field, for team periods.
"There is definitely more space over here," commented Tim Hiller after practice. "We also don't play many games on grass, that is another difference but it is a good place to work on individual aspects of the game and allows us to work more closely with Coach (Ryan) Cubit."
Early in Tuesday's practice the quarterbacks worked with the Bronco tight ends. The interesting note is not the number of routes that the QB's and TE's worked on together but the number of times each quarterback worked with the tight ends on the same route. The group would work four to five throws on five yard outs, then move to the other end of the field to work on more outs from the opposite direction.
Once that drill was done, they would work on in routes and crossing routes. Again, making four to five attempts each time. At the end of the drill, they would do it all again. All the time there are two things at work. Ryan Cubit is talking with his guys about footwork, what they are looking for and what to anticipate. Meanwhile, Jake Moreland is working with his guys on what to do with defenders in running the routes and where to be on cuts.
The horn sounds and equipment manager is heard on his bullhorn from one end of Bronco Field to the other, signaling the end of the period. Next up for the QB's is more throwing but this time with the wide receivers. These routes are deeper but still just as important.
Later in the practice most of the signal callers come to the front field to work again with receivers, this time to give the defensive backs one-on-one work outs. The first ball of the session was thrown by Drew Burdi. He laid it out perfectly to Jordan White, who hauled it in with a toe tap along the sideline. Robert Arnheim, Dennis Reedy, Alex Jagels and true freshman Alex Carder also work in with this group.
A year ago Arnheim was in Carder's place, a rookie learning the ropes but that experience, according to Arnheim helped him last year and continues to do so early this preseason.
"You come in as a freshman and you feel like you are under fire but getting young guys in on the team action is so helpful. It is all about getting experience. For me, things are getting better. I feel more comfortable and things have slowed down but there is always work to be done and that is why we are out here."
Practice isn't all about throwing for the quarterbacks. They also work with the offensive and defensive lines on block assignments and pass protection. This drill is more deliberate but that is its intention.
"This is such an important part of practice," commented Hiller. "You are able to look at the protections, read the defense and work on your calls."
The day ends with a team period where Hiller began with three-straight completions to Branden Ledbetter for seven yards, to White for a first down and to Matt Stevens for close to another set of downs.
"Overall things went well today but I need to continue to work on mechanics and carry that from the first pass of practice to the last snap," said Hiller.