Beckman Pleased with Rockets' First Day of Practice
8/7/2009 1:00:00 AM | Football
Toledo, OH - The Rockets opened their 2009 training camp on Thursday with a pair of practices under beautiful sunny skies and temperatures in the 70's and low 80's. First-year head coach Tim Beckman liked what he saw.
"We're excited about the way the kids are working," said Beckman. "We're looking for effort, accountability and attitude. The effort and the attitude today was good."
Beckman split his team into a morning and afternoon group in order to give his players more personal attention.
"We're just going to do it for the first two days," said Beckman, who said he got the idea from Florida head coach Urban Meyer, whom Beckman served under at Bowling Green in 2001 and 2002 . "It enables the freshmen not to get lost. It gives them a chance to practice more and be with the coaches more."
Beckman said his anticipation about the first day of practice caused him a restless night of sleep. That and the fact that he was sleeping in a dormitory with the players.
"The mattress was a little different than I'm used to at home but that's okay," said Beckman, who will stay in the dorms until the fall semester begins on Aug. 24. "It's something we felt was necessary to be with the kids. We talk about family; right now I'm with my football family."
