FINAL FOOTBALL PRESEASON SCRIMMAGE SET FOR THIS FRIDAY

Bulldogs Kickoff Their 2006 Season Sept. 2 at Kentucky State

The 2006 Ferris State University football team will conduct its final fall preseason scrimmage this Friday (Aug. 25) at FSU's Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Mich.

The scrimmage, which starts at 5 p.m. (EDT), represents the final open practice of Ferris State's preseason camp as the Bulldogs begin preparations next week for their Sept. 2 season opener at Kentucky State. The public is welcome to attend.

The first half of the game-type scrimmage will consist of normal clock time while running clock time will be utilized in the second half.

The coaching staff has been pleased with the amount of work put forth by the players since preseason drills started Aug. 11.

"We've made a lot of progress this fall," said head coach Jeff Pierce, who enters his 12th season at Ferris State this fall and is the program's all-time winningest coach. "The guys have been committed and stayed focused on our goals for the upcoming season. There's no question in my mind that we're much improved from a year ago.

"I'm happy our guys have gained a firm understanding of what we are trying to accomplish. They're confidence level continues to grow and performing with confidence is so critical in a team's success," added Pierce.

Following last season's 3-8-0 campaign, Pierce and his staff analyzed a number of areas within the program and made some necessary improvements.

"We adjusted and modified our systems to get our players in their comfort zone which hopefully will make them more productive," said Pierce. "We also placed a lot of emphasis on conditioning and this summer we had a significant number staying here (at Ferris State) and working out on a daily basis. As a result, the guys came into fall camp ready to play which is a big plus."

Another important aspect which excites Pierce is being able to maintain continuity within the Bulldog coaching staff. "I'm fortunate to have a quality staff of hard-working individuals," Pierce said. "There's good chemistry among them and they all realize were in this together."