Football To Open Preseason Camp Monday
ALBANY, N.Y. – Coming off a share of the Northeast Conference title, head coach Bob Ford and the University at Albany football squad will open preseason camp Monday, August 5th, in preparation of the program’s inaugural season in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Across a three-week period, the Great Danes will hold 22 practice sessions, including three intrasquad scrimmages. Week one will feature five morning practices, starting with just helmets for two days, progressing to uppers on Wednesday and Thursday, and ending with a full pads practice on Friday and a scrimmage on Saturday from 9-11:00 a.m.
The Danes will advance to double sessions in week two on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with morning practice on Tuesday and Thursday. The squad will again contend against one another in a full pads scrimmage on Saturday.
Week three will be similar to week two schedule-wise, but will feature an evening scrimmage on Friday at 6:30 p.m. UAlbany opens its 2013 campaign the following Saturday, August 31st, at Duquesne.
“We want to be competitive. I want us to be competitive in every game we play this year,” said Coach Ford. “Can we win them all? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean we can’t compete and walk off the field with our heads up high and with those teams saying ‘Boy they’re a tough bunch of kids that played very, very hard.’
“The second thing I want is for us to be competitive when we go to the practice field,” added Ford on his preseason camp mentality. “I want you [the players] to know there’s someone breathing behind you and he’s breathing hard and he’s closing on you. And if you have that feeling and you’re a competitor you’re going to compete in practice. That’s something we want to generate.”
Ford, who enters his 44th season at UAlbany and 41st varsity season, ranks first among active NCAA Division I college football head coaches, accumulating 264 career victories. In 2012, Ford piloted UAlbany to its sixth NEC title with a 9-2 overall record and 7-1 league mark. The Great Danes ranked as high as No. 18 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the Sports Network Top-25, and tied the program’s Division I record for wins in a season.
Taking the Danes from the club level in 1970 through the ranks to Division I in 1999, Ford, the “Architect of UAlbany Football,” will not only lead the squad into a new conference this fall, but also into a brand new home – Bob Ford Field.
The pristine 8,500 seat stadium features a turf field, state-of-the-art video board and sound system, luxury suites, as well as chair-back, bench, and grass berm seating options. Season and single game tickets are on sale now. Click here to explore ticketing options.
Below is the squad’s training camp schedule. Times are subject to change due to weather. Practices will take place on the grass fields next to the new stadium, and are open to the public.
Week One
Mon., Aug. 5th – 9-11 a.m. (Helmets)
Tues., Aug. 6th – 8-10:15 a.m. (Helmets)
Wed., Aug. 7th – 8-10:15 a.m. (Uppers)
Thurs., Aug. 8th – 8-10:15 a.m. (Uppers)
Fri., Aug. 9th – 9:15-11:15 a.m. (Full Pads)
Sat., Aug. 10th – Scrimmage 9-11 a.m. (Full Pads)
Week Two
Mon., Aug. 12th – 9-11 a.m. & 3-5 p.m.
Tues., Aug. 13th – 9-11 a.m. / Media Day Luncheon 12 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 14th – 9-11 a.m. & 3-5 p.m.
Thurs., Aug. 15th – 9-11 a.m.
Fri., Aug. 16th – 9-11 a.m. & 3-5 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 17th – Scrimmage 9-11 a.m.
Week Three
Mon., Aug. 19th – 9-11 a.m. & 3-5 p.m.
Tues., Aug. 20th – 9-11 a.m.
Wed., Aug. 21st – 9-11 a.m. & 3-5 p.m.
Thurs., Aug. 22nd – 9-11 a.m.
Fri., Aug. 23rd – Scrimmage 6:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 24th – 3-4:30 p.m.
