JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – At Jacksonville University a little rain won’t stop the show. After a tough 55-7 opening week loss to Liberty the Dolphins were back on the practice field Tuesday morning.
Liberty, an FCS level program, was a tough draw for the Dolphins but there should be a more even playing field during their home opener against Edward Waters this weekend.
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“We’re excited to play and we can certainly play better,” said Jacksonville coach Ian Shields. “Typically football teams show a lot of growth between week one and week two. That’s a great time for growth and to make some substantial gains. We need to bounce back from a tough loss against Liberty and rebound in the Jacksonville Classic against Edward Waters.
One of the bright spots during Saturday’s game was running back Ulysses Bryant, who gained 115 yards of total offense in the loss. While preparing for the Tigers, Bryant and the rest of his teammates are focusing on the small details.
“We have to key in on our assignments,” said Bryant. “We have to know where to go and how to get there. Also we have to lean on other guy and trust that they’re going to do their job. It’s way more than just running out here.”
Against Liberty the Dolphins were out-gained in total offense 569-299. They also lost the turnover battle 4-1. Saturday against EWC will only be Shields’ second game as head coach of Jacksonville. He knows that it will take time to mold this team in his image.
“We’re a young team and need to learn how to practice and develop those habits in practice so they show up on Saturday afternoons,” said Shields. “They’ve got to be ready when the game is a little faster and the scoreboard lights are on and everybody is yelling at you.”