Tampa, August 7, 2018 – The ‘Puzzle’ of assigned positions is being conducted slowly but surely with some new faces in the secondary and leaders returning healthy on offense, the Bulls are certainly capable of devising another successful season with playoffs in reach- they just need to pick up the pace but no need to worry, the spring isn’t too far gone. Here are some shared thoughts from the team about practice intensity and development of their respected positions. 

 “I just didn’t like our effort today; we didn’t come out with the energy we had the last couple of days, you can’t take days off- we are limited with our practices before the game, so today was just a wasted day for us. Some guys looked pretty good but overall as a team, we didn’t get done what we needed to today, the leaders need to step up but we need to coach harder too,” Head Coach Charlie Strong said firmly about the practice day.

“From a defensive side, you need to see guys come out here and play with better fundamentals, on offense we need to see who our playmakers are going to be; running backs need to b more consistent and so do our Quarterbacks. We were just so bad on special teams, need to get that corrected so we break that down in segments. One thing that has been good is the way they’ve been kicking the ball; having a good offseason with that.

If you’re going to be a good football team, you have to be good up front with the offensive and defensive line and that’s where it starts at so they have to set the tone to be able to run the football- these are the two positions that we HAVE to physical in to control the game,” Coach Strong goes on to state.

“I feel pretty good, I feel like I’m 100 percent- I’m all gas no brakes right now and this is my last ride so I got to make it my best ride. From spring till now I’ve put on 20 pounds, something my conditioning coach, Coach Roberts said I just needed some more muscle on myself and it hasn’t affected my speed at all, I’m not so easy to get shoved around like I was last camp,” 6’3” 205-pound Senior leader and WR #81 Ryeshene Bronson exclaimed. 

Bronson added some needed weight to strengthen his body overall after nursing and finally recovering from a dislocated shoulder that was operated on; he sustained the injury in practice before the 2017 season started, sidelining him for the entire year but this season he’s set to assume his leadership role with increased targets along with whom will most likely be the featured pass-catcher for the Bulls, 6’3” 207-pound Junior WR #3 Darnell Salomon. In 2017, Darnell racked up 32 receptions for 512 yards, tallying 5 scores and a long catch of 83 in 11 games played as a sophomore. 

Altogether, great things are expected to come with this newly structured core of wide receivers, bonding with their QB’s, filling in gaps lost to graduation and formulating the game plan to charge through their American Conference rivals with the help of some more firm coaching out of HC Charlie Strong and staff as they up the tempo to prep for the 2018 showcase.

Vaughan Sixbury, BCP Contributor