March 30, 2005

Boca Raton, FL - The Florida Atlantic football team kicked off 2005 with its first spring practice on a sunny afternoon Wednesday at the Boca Raton practice facility. The day saw competition for several spots begin to take shape and also marked the debut of two new assistant coaches, Dale Williams (Offensive Line) and David Sterna (Running Backs).

"It was a lot like 2002 out there," head coach Howard Schnellenberger said, referring to the team's second season of competition. "They practiced really hard, but there was an obvious lack of know-how. We got a good start on [the season] though."

Practices start Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 3:30, with scrimmages taking place Saturdays. The team will practice in pads for the first time this Saturday. For Saturday scrimmage times, call the Sports Information office Friday at (561)297-3163.

Notable: Practice ended with 7-on-7's, where quarterback frontrunner Danny Embick had his first pass intercepted and run back for a touchdown by returning safety Christian Amaya. Embick rebounded with a completion on his next throw. Tight end Dantson Dareus made a few great grabs with a long post completion for a touchdown in the middle of the session.

Injuries: Cornerback Willie Hughley, running back Aaron Sanchez, and offensive lineman George Guffey were all limited due to past injuries, but no new injuries were reported during the practice Wednesday.