Saturday's spring game is for the fans
Posted by BKoch at 4/21/2009 1:31 PM EDT on Cincinnati.com
Saturday’s spring game, which starts at 7 p.m. at Nippert Stadium, will be more of a show for the fans than an evaluation tool for the coaching staff.
“Most of our work gets done prior to the spring game,” Brian Kelly said. “If you’re using the spring game to evaluate then you probably didn’t do a good job leading up to it. We want to have fun with the game. We want to make sure it’s fan friendly, it’s exciting for them and it moves quickly.”
Unlike last year, when the spring game was played as a regular game, the coaching staff is setting up a point system that Kelly says will favor the defense.
“It should be a fun event,” Kelly said. “It should be something where you come in and enjoy watching the game. We don’t want it to be coaches out on the field. We want it to be a fun, fast game.”
Kelly said he’s pleased with the progress his team has made as spring practice comes to a conclusion this week.
“We’ve done a very good job implementing a system of defense that I think fits the personnel that we have,” Kelly said. “I think we’ve got very good depth in certain areas, in particular on the defensive line. We feel much better about where we are at the cornerback position."
Based on what they've done the past few weeks, Kelly said the shift of Marcus Waugh (linebacker), Demetrius Jones (linebacker) and Marcus Barnett (cornerback) are permament. All three players played offense last year and all three will enter fall practice as either defensive starters or part of the two-deep roster.
“On the offensive side of the ball, we feel our offensive line is better and our ability to run the ball is better," Kelly said. "We’ve got five running backs that are in play right now in Goebel, Ramsey, Williams, Pead and Johnson.”
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Saturday's spring game is for the fans
