After winter without much winter, the Montana State University-Northern football team will get back to work on Wednesday afternoon.
The Lights are set to begin spring drills on Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. at the MSU-Northern practice fields.
Northern is coming off a 5-5 2011 season which saw the Lights finish third alone in the Frontier Conference. MSU-N returns several all-conference performers from the 2011 squad, including First-team All-Conference quarterback Derek Lear, as well as fellow first-teamer’s Stephen Silva at running back and Kyle Johnston at wide receiver. In all, the Lights return eight starters on offense, as well as seven starters on defense. On the defensive side of the ball, the Lights do have to replace a pair of standouts in Frontier Defensive Player of the Year Will Andrews and the school’s all-time leading tackler, linebacker Landry See.
The schedule for spring ball includes 4:15 p.m. practices on Wednesday and Friday, as well as an 11 a.m. practice on Saturday. The Lights will hold a limited scrimmage at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, then work out again at 4:15 p.m. Next Monday.
Northern will also practice at 4:15 p.m. on March 26, 28 and 30, as well as April 2, 4, 9, 11 and 13. There is also a 6 p.m. practice scheduled for April. 1.
MSU-N’s first full scrimmage of the spring will take place on March 31 at 11 .am. The annual Northern Spring Game is slated for April 14, most likely at Blue Pony Stadium in Havre.
For more on the Lights, and spring football, see Tuesday’s Havre Daily News.
