WINSTON-SALEM, NC – While the majority of college students are making preparations for their final two weeks of summer vacation, the Winston-Salem State University football team is already hard at work preparing for their season-opener versus the North Carolina A&T State University Aggies as the Rams officially opened fall training camp on Friday afternoon.

 

“We are finally back to work.  After a long summer preparing for this day, we are now back on the field and these young men are getting back into the swing of things” WSSU head football coach Kermit Blount said.

 

Friday marked the first practice for the Rams who will spend five single-session practices in shorts and helmets before strapping on the pads for double-sessions on Thursday, August 14.

 

Despite being only the first practice of the season for the Rams, the action is rapidly heating up as position battles have already begun, foremost amongst them being the competition at quarterback. 

 

Replacing four-year starter Monte Purvis who graduated in May, will likely come down to a four man race with Tienne Jefferson, a 6-1, 210-pound redshirt freshman from Washington, D.C. looking to be the frontrunner to start behind center.

 

Also in the race for the starting quarterback job is Jarrett Dunston, a 6-3, 220-pound junior from Raleigh, N.C. who transferred to WSSU from Temple University in the spring of 2007.  Dunston possesses the strongest arm of all the quarterback contenders and has the added benefit of seeing game action in four contests last season, including one start, in relief of Monte Purvis.  Brian Wynn, a 6-6, 200-pound sophomore from Greensboro, N.C. is in the mix despite having no game experience, as are junior Justin Sherrod and sophomore Omar Kizzie, both of whom lined up at wide receiver last season. 

 

The wild card in the quarterback race may very well be true freshman Branden Williams, a 6-1, 190-pound quarterback from Seale, Ala. Williams, who possesses a strong arm and may be as mobile as Purvis was, passed for 3,000 yards and ran for more than 2,000 yards in high school en route to scoring a combined 45 career touchdowns.

 

While the quarterback battle heats up, it is difficult to measure how things will play themselves out after only one practice.

 

“These young men came in here Wednesday and then yesterday [Thursday] they participated in our pre-season condition test, and now we are getting down to business today.  It is difficult to gauge where we stand after only one day, but it is evident that our guys really worked hard in the offseason in the weight room and in their conditioning because these guys came in ready to get after it.  We are going to build up to our double-sessions next week while at the same time ensuring that these young men are ready for both the rigors of football and their work in the classroom” Blount added.

The Rams return to the field for their second practice of the year on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.  Practice is open to the public and is the opportune time for local media to conduct in-person interviews either before or after the Rams practice.  To arrange an interview, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143.  For additional information on WSSU football, follow the Rams on the Internet at WSSURams.com.

 

 

The original story was published here: http://wssurams.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080808aaa.html

Tags: black college football, branden williams, brian wynn, hbcu football, jarrett dunston, justin sherrod, kermit blount, meac, monte purvis, omar kizzie, tienne jefferson, winston-salem state, winston-salem state rams