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PITTSBURG —
Community involvement was the name of the game Saturday for the Pittsburg State football team — between the YMCA Football Clinic, Autograph Day at Meadowbrook Mall and Ladies Night at the Pitt (benefiting Via Christi Cancer Center and Angels Among Us), culminating in a scrimmage under the bright lights of Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.
The day started with the YMCA Football Clinic, where over 30 Pitt State players interacted with Pittsburg youth football players of all shapes, sizes and skill levels. Offensive line coach Steve Wells (Riverton High School graduate and former Pitt State player) oversaw the operation.
“Players enjoy it,” Wells said. “Like I said, they go out here and set up the drills and so forth and they let the kids hit the bag. It’s just a great opportunity for our players to get out and interact. Some of those guys have done it for a couple years and some of them are new players into our program. We try and stress the importance of getting out into the community and learning how to interact with people. That’s a big part of it.”
Redshirt freshman cornerback Dino Teague (East Central High School, Tulsa) may have enjoyed the experience most, as he often had a smile on his face and cheered on the young players in his station at every opportunity.
“I love the kids,” Teague said. “That’s who we do it for. It’s a blessing when you can give back to the community because we have a great community that comes out and supports us.
“I understand how it was to be young and looking up to these guys. When you’ve got somebody to look up to and drive off, it pushes you to the limit. I have mentors and people I look up to still being at the collegiate level. Whenever I have a chance to give back, I do because I know somebody did it for me.”
Pitt State featured players ranging from veterans Gus Toca, Nate Dreiling, Aaron Kolich, Briceton Wilson, Jason Spradling, Andrew Castaneda and John Brown to newcomers like Keeston Terry, Taye Irvin, Ramsey Hamilton, Darrack Harger, Mason Snow and Shaquille Jones.
“It’s a great opportunity for the young kids,” Wells said. “They’ve heard the names and they see (the players) on the football field but they’ve seen (the players) in their helmets and so forth. This is one opportunity to see the players up close without their uniforms and maybe they’re not scary. They get to make contact, see the faces and see the smiles of the players.”
Community involvement was the name of the game Saturday for the Pittsburg State football team — between the YMCA Football Clinic, Autograph Day at Meadowbrook Mall and Ladies Night at the Pitt (benefiting Via Christi Cancer Center and Angels Among Us), culminating in a scrimmage under the bright lights of Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.
The day started with the YMCA Football Clinic, where over 30 Pitt State players interacted with Pittsburg youth football players of all shapes, sizes and skill levels. Offensive line coach Steve Wells (Riverton High School graduate and former Pitt State player) oversaw the operation.
“Players enjoy it,” Wells said. “Like I said, they go out here and set up the drills and so forth and they let the kids hit the bag. It’s just a great opportunity for our players to get out and interact. Some of those guys have done it for a couple years and some of them are new players into our program. We try and stress the importance of getting out into the community and learning how to interact with people. That’s a big part of it.”
Redshirt freshman cornerback Dino Teague (East Central High School, Tulsa) may have enjoyed the experience most, as he often had a smile on his face and cheered on the young players in his station at every opportunity.
“I love the kids,” Teague said. “That’s who we do it for. It’s a blessing when you can give back to the community because we have a great community that comes out and supports us.
“I understand how it was to be young and looking up to these guys. When you’ve got somebody to look up to and drive off, it pushes you to the limit. I have mentors and people I look up to still being at the collegiate level. Whenever I have a chance to give back, I do because I know somebody did it for me.”
Pitt State featured players ranging from veterans Gus Toca, Nate Dreiling, Aaron Kolich, Briceton Wilson, Jason Spradling, Andrew Castaneda and John Brown to newcomers like Keeston Terry, Taye Irvin, Ramsey Hamilton, Darrack Harger, Mason Snow and Shaquille Jones.
“It’s a great opportunity for the young kids,” Wells said. “They’ve heard the names and they see (the players) on the football field but they’ve seen (the players) in their helmets and so forth. This is one opportunity to see the players up close without their uniforms and maybe they’re not scary. They get to make contact, see the faces and see the smiles of the players.”
Terry — a transfer from the University of Kansas (fourth-leading tackler last season) — helped lead all players through a closing cheer, preceded by a few words from senior defensive end Toca.
“I just want to thank you guys,” Toca said. “On behalf of the football team, thank you for coming out and we had a lot of fun. At 1 today, we are doing our Autograph Day and we want everybody to come out and support us. Focus in school and on Saturday, come out and support the Gorillas.”
Autograph Day
Pitt State players signed autographs for nearly two hours for a steady procession of fans.
Brandon Williams made it through every Pitt State player first, emerging with more John Hancocks than the Declaration of Independence.
“I’m a diehard fan and I try to make it here every year,” Williams said. “I brought my wife (Tasha) and my daughter (Autumn) with me today and made this a family deal.”
Williams said that he’s attended Autograph Day every year since 1995 . . . except for one.
“I missed one year and that was last year,” Williams said. “Yeah, the one year I should have been here and I got sidetracked and blew it off.”
Chas Smith, a Pittsburg native and St. Mary’s Colgan graduate, enters his fourth season in a Pitt State uniform. Smith played in all 11 games during his true freshman season of 2009, recording 13 tackles and one pass breakup.
“It’s always good to give back to the community,” Smith said. “It’s kind of fun, just in being from here, it’s fun’s to see. I used to go it as a little kid and it’s fun seeing it now being part of it. It’s a great experience.”
Smith enjoyed a solid sophomore year with 99 tackles and four pass breakups and started his junior year with 30 tackles and four interceptions before a knee injury against Fort Hays State ended his promising season.
“I’m dealing with a little hamstring problem but I’m being cautious on it,” Smith said. “I’ll be ready for Game 1, hopefully.”
Pitt State wore its new jerseys for Autograph Day.
Ladies Night at the Pitt
About 130 women attended Ladies Night at the Pitt in Grubbs Hall and out at Carnie Smith Stadium, a record number for the third annual event.
“As a head coach, when you win you get way, way too much credit and when you lose, you take too much blame,” Pitt State head coach Tim Beck said. “That’s just part of it. Our coaches’ wives do not get a lot of credit because I know a lot of you understand what the coaching world is about but it’s not very much fun to not hang out and see your family on Sundays throughout the fall. They have to give up a lot, so we really appreciate all our wives.”
Beck named coaches’ wives Gena Beck, Susie Wiemers, Tracy Rampy, Jenny Hellwig, Sunny Pierce, Megan Roth, Natalie Cullen, Karen Garman, Kindyl Wells and Mary Naccarato and the crowd gave each one a sizable ovation.
Beck and defensive coordinator David Wiemers both reflected on the crowd noise made during the Delta State game last season.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever felt Carnie Smith Stadium,” Wiemers said.
Offensive coordinator Steve Rampy spoke last and went through a discussion of the passing game. He showed pictures of legendary college football coaches Bear Bryant, Woody Hayes and Bud Wilkinson.
Rampy juxtaposed a famous Hayes quote with his own.
Hayes: “There are three things that can happen when you pass and two of them ain’t good.”
Rampy: “There are many great things that can happen when you throw the ball — one of them is getting the ball to JB (John Brown). We’ve got to limit the bad things and be balanced.”
Rampy added that Bryant, Hayes and Wilkinson never coached Brown and showed a highlight reel of Brown last season.
Rampy identified the No. 1 rule of the passing game: PROTECT THE QUARTERBACK. Pitt State quarterback Anthony Abenoja and Rampy have been together at Blue Valley High School and Pitt State.
“He and I are often confused as twins,” Rampy said of he and the QB.
Abenoja, John Brown, Andrew Castaneda and Nate Dreiling modeled uniforms.
Fall Scrimmage
The day ended under the bright lights with Pitt State giving its offense, defense and special teams reps. Anthony Abenoja connected with John Brown and Andrew Castaneda on a couple of deep balls, Briceton Wilson broke free on a touchdown run and Solomon Watkins made a couple nice moves.
Pitt State opens its season Aug. 30 against Northeastern State (Okla).
