Shaw football ranked in the top 40?  After just one season in NCAA play?  Not a surprise.  You remember last year when everyone was saying how surprising Shaw football was.  No surprise.  And now the national respect that Shaw football is receiving in just its second season is no fluke and no surprise. 

I went out to practice today.  You know, EVERYONE on the team has shaved their head?  EVERYONE.  I asked Shawn Woodard what did it mean?  "A new beginning," he said.  That's the one thing about this team: it is a TEAM.  

The team worked on kickoff coverage and kickoff return drills today.  I talked to Shawn a bit on Sunday and I told him that teams probably will not throw to his side that much now after leading the nation in interceptions with 13 last year.  Much how teams did Rashan Mathis of Bethune-Cookman, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a couple of years back.  "That means I'll have to tackle now," he said jokingly. During kickoff coverage, he lined up on the near side and ran down the field when the ball was kicked.  When he came back, I said, "You'll really have to tackle now."  "I'm the safety valve," he responded.

"Cali," a new kicker on the team kicked the ball off extremely well.  He would kick it to about the five or 10 yardline.  On one of the kickoffs, Damon Harrison took the kick, ran a little up the field, waited for his blocking to setup, saw a hole and turned on the blazers and went untouched up the field.  That is why he was the main deep threat last year because of his tremendous speed.  Punter William Sanders kicked off a bit as well and kicked it just as well.  

We are only 11 days away from the start of football season.  Everything is just happening so fast.  It seems like their is never enough time in the day to get everything done.  But we will get there.