Practice Notebook: Full Pads

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The August heat met the Southern Miss football team as they donned full pads for the first time on Tuesday afternoon. As temperatures reached the mid-90's in the afternoon sun the Golden Eagles got down to work.

The heat didn't dampen the enthusiasm from the players or coaches. After practice head coach Larry Fedora and select players spoke with the media.

"We don't pay much attention to it," Fedora said of the heat. "We had a great practice today," he continued. "The guys really got after it. It was fun to see them flying around hitting people."

Star running back Damion Fletcher agreed with Fedora's assessment of the practice.

"It may feel hot to some people," Fletcher said. "We're used to it, we've been running in it all summer."

Defensive leader Gerald McRath was also excited from what he saw from the team in the season's first workout in full pads.

"Great competition out there today," McRath said. "I think we picked the tempo up even more today. It's like everybody is a true freshman, we're starting from scratch, everyone wants to show what they can do."

Southern Miss will return to the practice field tomorrow for the sixth practice of fall camp and the second day in full pads.

BGN Extra:

Fedora announced that running back Tory Harrison has been reinstated to the team. Harrison was suspended in the spring after an arrest in Hattiesburg. Fedora announced that Harrison was not convicted of any crime, but would have to work his way back up the ranks. Harrison will not be on athletic scholarship and will be considered a walk-on. He will wear No. 36 for fall practices.

"He's a guy worth giving a second chance because of the kind of person he is," Fedora said.

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