FERRIS STATE OPENS 2002 SPRING PRACTICE

All practices are open to the public and fans are encouraged to attend. The Bulldogs are under the direction of head coach Jeff Pierce, who will be entering his eighth season at the helm this fall and presently boasts the best winning percentage (.628) in the program's 92-year history. FSU returns 14 starters from a season ago, including eight on offense and six on defense.

Ferris State, which has already completed its initial two non-pad drills of the 15 spring practices allotted by the NCAA, will hold 13 practices in pads over the next four-week period. The Bulldogs will conduct practices on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday each week this month from 3:30-5:30 p.m. (ET) on the FSU South Campus practice fields.

Ferris will also hold two scrimmages on consecutive Saturdays (April 13 and 20) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (EDT) on the South Campus practice fields before wrapping up spring drills Friday, April 26, with its annual spring game set for a 6 p.m. (EDT) opening kickoff at Top Taggart Field. The two scrimmages are tentatively slated for the grass practice fields but could be moved to Top Taggart Field depending upon field and weather conditions. A pre-game open house reception, sponsored by the FSU Gridiron Club, will be held from 5-6 p.m. (EDT) at the Wheeler Pavilion with refreshments to be served. Following the conclusion of the spring game, the second annual FSU Gridiron Club post-game tailgate party will take place at the Elks' Club in Big Rapids beginning at 9 p.m. (EDT). Specifics of each event will be advertised prior to the receptions, which are open to the public.

For Ferris State, spring practice is an integral part in the program's preparation for the upcoming fall season.

"This gives us an opportunity to really evaluate our personnel," said Pierce. "We let all of the guys compete to decide who's the best player at each position. We're also able to evaluate schemes, experiment with new ideas on both sides of the football and work in improving areas of deficiency."

Ferris State concluded the 2001 campaign with a 7-4 overall record, which included a third-place 7-3 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) mark. The Bulldogs open the 2002 season with back-to-back home evening contests at Top Taggart Field, entertaining Hillsdale in non-conference play Saturday, Sept. 7, before taking on NCAA Division II 2001 national championship runner-up Grand Valley State Saturday, Sept. 14, in the GLIAC opener. Both outings are scheduled for 7 p.m. (EDT) starting times.