Contributed
(August 19, 2010)

Faulkner head coach Gregg Baker put his team through a two-hour workout in helmets and shoulder pads Wednesday afternoon, as the Eagles began competing for spots on the depth chart.

“You really can’t make determinations until you start getting a little contact,” said Baker following the first workout in partial pads. “The guys are really starting to compete. Today we had a lot of one-on-one drills with defensive backs and receivers, and we had a good look at some 11-and-11 things to.”

The Eagles will practice in full gear Thursday and Friday, preparing for its first scrimmage Saturday morning at 8 at John Mark Stallings Field on the Faulkner campus. The scrimmage is open to the public.

“All of us are really having fun,” Baker said. “This is the most spirited group I’ve been around here. It’s been unreal. We’ve asked a lot out of them, and they haven’t backed down.”

Baker said that the depth chart will begin coming together over the next three days, culminating with a workable rotation for Monday’s practice. The Eagles play LaGrange College in a scrimmage game in LaGrange, Ga., at 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 28.

“This team came back for fall practice in the best shape of any of our previous teams,” Baker added. “That was extremely obvious in our testing the first couple of days.”

Faulkner opens its season Sept. 11 at Cramton Bowl against Birmingham Southern College. The game kicks off at 11 a.m.