INDIANAPOLIS -- The Butler football team began spring practice at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl on Tuesday morning in preparation for the spring game set for April 23.
"I am excited to get the guys on the grass working," Head Coach Mike Uremovich said. "The staff and I are excited to see what the guys can do on the field. I love this time of year, the talking is over. It's time to play ball. We need to see who wants to play football the Butler Way, physical, disciplined, and fast. I can't wait to get started."
The Bulldogs finished up winter conditioning and have been training hard to prepare for the spring.
Their goals for the off-season were to add size and to improve key performance indicators that allow the student-athletes to have physical tools to play at a high level, "Key performance indicators for the football program at Butler place a value on high-quality movement, explosive power, and achieving a baseline strength based on the position in which each student-athlete plays." Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach TJ Greenstone said.
"35 team records were broken, the most of any semester in the last four years by a Butler Football program, during the Spring testing period which was highlighted by running back, AJ Deinhart's impressive 355lb bench press at a bodyweight of 185lbs, and offensive lineman, Jack Turner's 560lb pause box squat. The team as a whole gained more than 200lbs of body weight over the 8 week period. Those that led the way include defensive lineman, Jake LaBarre (+14lbs), offensive linemen Bryan Bystol (+12lbs), Fabian Gonzalez (+13lbs), and wide receiver, Thomas Brown (+10lbs)."
The coaching staff is looking forward to seeing their hard work unfold on the field this spring and into the fall.
"The team has been training hard and learning the defense in the meeting room," Defensive Coordinator Jeff Knowles said. "It's time to see that work turned into effort on the field and find out who can play football."
"I am really excited to get to work with our guys this spring," Special Teams Coordinator Coach Joe Cheshire said. "The core of our special team's units will be built with the guys we will work with this spring. I am anticipating a very competitive spring with open competition for every position we have across the board in all of the special team's units. Coach Uremovich places huge importance on the special team's units and we are going to find out which of our players want to help this team win."
The Bulldog's spring game is set for Saturday, April 23 at 12 p.m.in the Butler Bowl. This will be the first time fans will see the team take the field under the new staff.
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