Week One: 5 questions

The Salem CC football team just completed its first week of on-field practice, coaches still learning players’ capabilities, but seeing signs of Mighty Oaks becoming a team; coach Jay Accorsi gives a quick assessment after Thursday’s practice

RIVERVIEW SPORTS NEWS: Today marks one week outside with the team. What have you learned?

COACH JAY ACCORSI: I think they’ve been very resilient; it’s been very hot. We didn’t really train them. We didn’t really give a big summer program. We only had six or seven of these players in the spring. So, where we are now, I’m pleasantly surprised.

I think we’re in decent shape. I think we’ve got some really good players. And I think we’re starting to form a little bit of a team.

RSN: The early schedule had today listed as the first day in full pads, but that was pushed back a day. For a program just getting started, what does missing a day and getting behind schedule do to you?

JA: Training camp, it is what it is in football. It’s hard. There are a lot of days. We missed the Saturday because of the storms, but what are you going to do? We don’t have an indoor facility. It is what it is. I thought the players handled it really well.

Does it put you behind in any way? Just a day, really, that’s why today we were in uppers and tomorrow we’ll be in full, because you have to follow the acclimization period, which we are. I think we’re doing enough work that we’re doing all right and we’re on track and schedule for the first week.

RSN: What will you be looking for from Friday’s first day in full pads. Are you looking to see how guys take contact or is there something specific in mind?

JA: It’ll just be practicing hard again, making sure everybody’s doing what they need to do. You don’t really do a lot of full tackle any more, really, from the pros all the way down to college. We’ll be a little bit more physical, but we’re not going to go crazy and do a lot. We’re not going live periods, we’re not going all out, like we’ve got to transition to get there.

With a young program and a young, inexperienced team, we’ve got to go slow; push it, but we’ve got to go slow and be smart.

RSN: Is there anything shaping up in terms of position battles, depth charts?

JA: I think we’re starting to identify players and what they can do. I think the offensive line, that’s the group that needs a lot of timing, footwork, work together, and I think it’s coming along. Same thing with the offense, too. It’s about timing, plays. We’re putting a lot of different players in there, we’re putting a lot of different people, a lot of pieces, just to try to learn to see what these players can do. I think that’s a hard thing, but I think we’re getting there.

RSN: Are you looking forward to Friday’s first day in full pads?

FRESHMAN OL JACOB HAND (PENNSVILLE): The way I look at it, as an offensive lineman, once we’re in shoulder pads we’re in full go because the legs don’t really much to us. It means more in the sense of protecting others. As being a lineman, being able to protect people all my life, it’s more serious in the fact I have to worry about other people and seriously hone in on what I’m doing and what the ppeople next to me are doing just to make sure people aren’t getting hurt and to make sure everybody is ready for Hudson Valley.

FRESHMAN ROBERT DALY (SCHALICK): It’s going to be awesome. That full-pad feeling, there’s nothing like it. This is just a lead up to it. It really gets that game experience once you get to hit.

As told to Al Muskewitz

Top photo: Salem CC quarterbacks (from left) Aidan Hill, Cameron Wright and Malakhai McKenzie work out under the watchful eye of offensive coordinator Chris Crowley Thursday