Northern football begins spring ball

The Montana State University-Northern football team began its spring ball with a few practices and several days of lifting last week. While the Lights were also busy with recruiting players in order to build the program, MSU-N head coach Jerome Souers was able to see his players show well to start spring ball.

"We see outstanding progress in the first three days," Souers said.

With a small roster of 35 players, the Lights mostly focused on individual drills. It was a light practice with players only wearing helmets and soft gear. Through their first week, the Lights worked on the simple parts of the game such as foot work, working on the sled, basic strike technique, blocking, throwing and catching. Souers believes the Lights cannot progress until they get the fundamentals in line.

"We've been spending an inordinate amount of time on fundamentals," Souers said. "We're literally getting our ABCs down pat."

In between the practice days, the Lights have been lifting in order to improve their strength and conditioning. Souers believes the Lights need to catch up on what was lost during the transition period of the program. Normally there would be four practices a week during spring ball, but Souers and his staff cut it down to three practices to accommodate for more time in the weight room.

While he has liked what he has seen from his team so far, it is too early for a specific player to emerge from the rest of the pack. But Souers has been running drills for his players to drive that competitive spirit and to see what they are made of.

"We do competition drills to watch the guys compete. (To see) who's willing, who's capable and how they handle success and how they handle failure," Souers said. "It's an ongoing process and in the sport of football, you constantly have to deal with both (success and failure)."

While Souers and his staff have been hard at work getting the Lights ready for the fall season, Souers has also been on the recruiting trail. This past weekend, Souers spoke with 12 players from Montana in hopes they will join the program and build the roster.

But for the players currently on the roster, Souers is focused on developing their skills which he believes has been coming along nicely early this spring.

"On Saturday, they were very sore and tired but that might have been the best day's work we put in since we've been here," Souers said. "I'm really proud of the way the young men have responded to the direction we're taking and how we're approaching this and we'll be taking it a day at a time and a week at a time."

Souers has also been impressed by the character of his players so far as they try to build a culture and turn around the MSU-N football program.

"The best surprise has been the group's response. Their growth as a family and as a small community in the way that we approach things," Souers said. "It's been a pleasure working with these guys and we're just getting started."