"I don't want my players to be like other students. I want special people," Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant-circa 1960's
"Normal people can not do what you are being asked to do out here," Coach Rob Ambrose-2009
If day 1 of practice brought a new level of intensity to the Towson Football program, day 3 brought reality. Ambrose taught his players the level of intensity where he expects them to perform, and he did not feel it had been met. The way he ran a camp was very reminiscent of a legendary Bear Bryant camp.
Ambrose has raised the bar on his players in every way. Every drill is timed and the team runs on a very strict schedule during practice.
Day 3 was the first practice in shells, shoulder pads and shorts, which meant A LOT more contact. This meant receivers and db's ran at each other faster, and harder. Linebackers and running backs were popping each other every snap. Things got down and dirty in the trenches, as offensive and defensive lines ran one-on-one's most of practice.
These drills were the definition of intensity, especially after a fight broke out Armen Melikian and Tim Farley that turned into a melee between the players of both units. After they got the brawl out of their systems, the coaches yelled to break things up, and everybody got back into their squads as if nothing happened!
After a 2 hour and 40 minute practice from hell, Coach Ambrose ended things the only way you could end the most difficult practice possible: 100-yard sprints. 14 of them at that...running just over 3/4 of a mile at top speed to END the day. While the players breathed heavily and were in obvious pain, they knew what that practice meant.
"We really needed it," wide receiver Casey Ceagles said.
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