FAIRMONT —
And so it begins.
Fairmont State’s 2010 football season gets under way this week when the Falcons report for fall camp.
Move in day for FSU’s players is Tuesday. On Wednesday the squad will go through screenings with athletic trainer Bob Cable and NCAA compliance meetings with associate athletic director and compliance coordinator Ray Bonnett before reporting for a team meeting at 7 p.m.
On Thursday morning the team will under go physical testing with strength coach John Marano before taking the field for its first practice Thursday afternoon from 3-5 p.m.
“We’re all pretty excited that we’re finally getting this thing under way,” said FSU fourth-year coach Mike Lopez. “The NCAA pushed us back a week this year. Usually we’re in camp by now, but with us not starting the season until Sept. 2 we had to delay camp a week.
“The nice thing that did, though, was give our staff an extra week to prepare and get ready, but we’ve really only got about 11 days of camp before school starts so we’ve got to be teaching, preparing our kids and taking full advantage of every minute we’re in camp.”
Lopez says he’s pleased for the most part with the work his players put in during the offseason. A large number of upperclassmen and true freshman were in Fairmont for much of the summer working out together at different times.
“We feel like our summer program with the guys committing to lifting and running here on their own was good,” said Lopez. “I think it was the best summer we’ve had since I’ve been the head coach.
“We had a lot of freshmen come in and commit over half of their summers to being here and working out and I think that’s a good sign. I’m really excited about this freshman class. Our upperclassmen welcomed them and worked with a lot of them this summer and I think that’s going to lead to good things for us.”
FSU finished last fall with a disappointing 3-8 overall record and a 3-5 West Virginia Conference mark. The Falcons ended up sixth in the nine-team league in 2009.
Offensive woes have plagued FSU the last several seasons, but with the addition of new offensive coordinator Bryan Fisher this spring and the signing of former Fairmont Senior High School standout quarterback Logan Moore, Lopez feels like this fall the Falcons will be a tougher team to defend.
“I’ve always said the first key to having a successful program is having good leadership and with our upperclassmen I think we have that,” said Lopez. “We have a bunch of seniors and juniors who I honestly believe are tried of not being successful. They want to turn things around and they want to win.
“The biggest offseason change we experienced within our program without question was the addition of Bryan Fisher. We saw in the spring he’s legit. He’s an excellent football coach. He’s demanding, but he knows what’s required for us to be successful on offense and he’s going to demand that from his players.
“I can’t make any big predictions, but I think in 2010 we’re going to be a much different and much better football team on offense.”
On Monday the West Virginia Conference is scheduled to release its annual preseason coaches’ poll.
The Falcons will open the 2010 season Thursday, Sept. 2 on the road against Clarion (Pa.) University in 6 p.m. game at Memorial Stadium.
Duane Cochrane
FSU reports for fall camp this week
- Duane Cochrane
-
-
Falling short: SLIDESHOW
For Fairmont State’s men’s basketball team, the story this season has been an all-too familiar one.
-
Lady Falcons top State, extend streak: SLIDESHOW
Kaitlin Snyder and Hailey Garrett combined for 43 points to help lead Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons to their third consecutive victory, 87-78, here Monday evening over visiting West Virginia State at the Joe Retton Arena.
-
Lady Falcons halt UPJ’s winning ways: PHOTOS
One of the hottest teams in the West Virginia Conference paid a visit to the Joe Retton Arena on Wednesday evening and received a rude welcoming from Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons.
Pitt-Johnstown, winners of three in a row and eight of its last 10, got thoroughly dominated for 32 of the game’s 40 minutes as FSU halted the Lady Mountain Cats’ winning ways with an 88-66 victory. -
UPJ wins thriller over Falcons, 92-87
It was an electric atmosphere here Wednesday evening at the Joe Retton Arena.
Unfortunately, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team ran out of juice in the waning minutes and fell, 92-87, to visiting Pitt-Johnstown. -
Glenville completes season sweep of Falcons
Glenville State can make a living playing Fairmont State this season in men’s basketball.
That’s because half of the lowly Pioneers’ four victories this season have come at the expense of the Falcons.
Thursday evening here at the Jesse R. Lilly Gymnasium, Glenville State completed the regular-season sweep of Fairmont State, rolling to an impressive 80-59 victory over the floundering Falcons. -
Streaking Lady Pioneers hold off late FSU rally
Glenville State, the second-place team in the West Virginia Conference, shook off a horrid shooting performance in the first half, caught fire from the field in the final 20 minutes and rolled to a 92-78 victory over visiting Fairmont State here Thursday evening at the Jesse R. Lilly Gymnasium.
-
Garrett, Lohr lead Lady Falcons past A-B: PHOTOS
Fairmont State possesses two of the more talented true freshmen in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season in Hailey Garrett and Emily Lohr.
Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena that duo combined for 36 points and nine rebounds to help lead FSU to 66-56 victory over visiting Alderson-Broaddus. -
Battlers top Fairmont State for 13th straight win
Despite heroic efforts from its dynamic duo of Steve Custis and Isaac Thornton, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team couldn’t derail red-hot Alderson-Broaddus here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena.
The streaking Battlers posted an 81-70 victory over the Falcons for their 13th straight win. -
FSU gets much-needed win over Rams
Chris Thompson was perfect.
Steve Custis and Isaac Thornton were their usual selfs and Mike Hurd stepped up big time off the bench.
As a result, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak and got a much-needed, 80-66, victory over visiting Shepherd University Wednesday evening here at the Joe Retton Arena. -
Lady Pioneers hold off late FSU rally: PHOTOS
Glenville State senior guard Beth Deren buried a trio of 3-point field goals in a span of less than a minute late in the second half to help the Lady Pioneers hold off a fierce Fairmont State rally and record an 88-80 victory here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena.
- More Duane Cochrane Headlines
-
