Spring football practice ends; 'team will be in good shape'

The Rams football team is officially done with spring practice and wide receiver Coach Duane Taylor said he is pleased.

"The team is looking good and coming together. Of course we lost a couple All-American guys, but we feel like we're going to be strong for next year," he said.

One of the All-Americans lost from last year's team is senior quarterback Kameron Smith. As far as replacing him goes, Taylor said he is confident that the team will be in good shape at the position.

"[Quarterbacks] Anthony Carrothers [redshirt junior] had a good spring, as well as DeShean Townsend [redshirt junior]. E.J. Abrams-Ward [new signee, redshirt senior] is a freakishly good athlete, and he played pretty well in the spring," Taylor said. 

"Right now, we just don't know. If those guys keep progressing as they have been, we should be good. If not, we'll just have to look at a different option. But it's going to be an open competition once camp starts."

Along with the prospective quarterbacks that played well, there were several other standouts at spring practice that will help alleviate the loss of key players.

"One person in particular, Maurice Lewis [junior running back], had a great spring," Taylor said.

"He was our starting tailback last year, and he's just getting better."

Other players Taylor said he has been pleased with are Jarvis Morgan, a junior wide receiver and defensive transfers D.J Bunn and T.J. Ross. Bunn is a cornerback transferring from UNC-Chapel Hill and Ross is a linebacker transferring from Marshall. 

The Rams are counting on players they already have in-house but are also recruiting in order to stay atop the CIAA and compete for the national championship.

"We go after the best athletes out there that are available to us. We have a good core of guys coming back, and they have to step up. Now is their time to show what they can do on the field, and they have to go out there and perform."

With all of the experienced talent already on the roster and new players coming in, Taylor said the outlook for the team looking ahead to the 2013-2014 season is bright.

"Our goal is to go 1-0 every week, add them up at the end of the season, and hopefully finish 15-0 with a national championship."