Football 8/20/2011 12:37:00 PM UND Athletics Media Relations

UND Drive: That's a wrap

The UND Drive Blog will provide an inside look at the 2011 Fighting Sioux fall camp that began on Wednesday, Aug. 3. Before UND can begin its first official drive of the season vs. Drake on Sept. 1, the team will spend 29 days on a different kind of a drive as the Sioux will work hard to reach the common goal of being the best-prepared team at the Alerus Center on the evening of Sept. 1 against the Bulldogs and each subsequent game that follows.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Sun-up 'til sun-down football will come to an end today for the Fighting Sioux football team as the squad concluded its final practice of fall camp earlier this morning.

The coaches will take advantage of their final day to immerse the players in football-related matters well into the evening, however, as this afternoon they will watch film together, the players will lift weights, then close out fall camp with position meetings after dinner.

With the number of bumps and bruises starting to pile up, the team opted for a scaled-down practice on Saturday in place of what had planned to be a live session with 60 or 70 plays.

"We have had to segment our live sessions a little more this week with being nicked up, especially on the defensive side," UND head coach Chris Mussman said. "We slowed the tempo down today and will give them tomorrow off to help guys get healthy. But, we'll have most everybody back for Monday's practice and that is important."

Monday is also the first day of classes on the UND campus and Mussman said the most important thing he wants to see from his team is maturity. "It is always interesting to see how guys, especially the young ones, adjust to being in a classroom all day before hitting the practice field," he said. "I like this group though and I think they'll come out focused and ready to get work done like we have during fall camp."

The emphasis during the shortened-practice on Saturday was special teams, while the first and second units also got some timing work in for end-of-game situations.

"We slowed the tempo down today, but we got some things done and that was good to see," Mussman added. "You have to come out ready to practice in any situation and our guys have done that. They know that whatever practice it is, it needs to be their best yet."

News and Notes
-WDAZ and the Grand Forks Herald were both represented at practice and both entities spoke with head coach Chris Mussman along with quarterbacks Brent Goska (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) and Joey Bradley (Issaqua, Wash.). The two young men have been impressive with the way they have handled the media attention.
-The placekickers were put in pressure situations midway through the practice and both Zeb Miller (Ankeny, Iowa) and Tanner Naastad (Grand Forks, N.D.) converted what would have been game-winning kicks. Miller connected from 45 and 41 yards out, while Naastad made one from 35 yards out.

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Players Mentioned

#9 Brent Goska: QB; 6' 4"; Freshman

#11 Zeb Miller: K; 6' 1"; Freshman

#58 Tanner Naastad: K; 6' 0"; Freshman

#6 Joey Bradley: QB; 6' 1"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#9 Brent Goska
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: QB

#11 Zeb Miller
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: K

#58 Tanner Naastad
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: K

#6 Joey Bradley
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: QB