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The Mississippi College football team will open 2016 spring practice on Monday (March 21st) at 4:00 p.m. at Robinson-Hale Stadium.
The Choctaws will go through 15 days of practice that will include two scrimmages and the annual Blue and Gold Spring Football Game, which will take place on Saturday, April 16th at noon.
“We are obviously very excited to get back on the field next week,” said head coach John Bland. “Not only will be focusing on learning and skill development, but we will be implementing new schemes on both sides of the ball.”
With an extremely young team in 2015 that saw 22 freshman get significant playing time, the four weeks of off-season work with be extremely important in the development of the program.
“Our freshman last season will not be your typical sophomores when we open the 2016 season,” said Bland. “Normally, you don’t want to have to rely so heavily on young guys, especially in the best Division II conference (Gulf South) in the country.
“Those guys will have experience that most second-year players around the country don’t get. This will be their first collegiate spring practice, and we are looking for these guys to take a huge step forward. Even Fred McAfee, who is arguably the best player in school history, red-shirted as a freshman.”
On the offensive side of the ball, MC will return quarterback Walker Meadows (Opelika, Ala.), who earned two starts under center last season, and running backs Colt Freeman (Olive Branch, Miss.) and Moregan Sharp (Helena, Ala.). Freeman was named the NCCAA Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts against Delta State, while Sharp showed his ability to be a featured back as the season progressed.
The Choctaws also will have a veteran offensive line on the field as all five starters return in seniors Nick Luckey, Daivon Milan, Sean Rogers and Jamaal White and junior Ronny Smith.
While the rookies from last season will take a huge step forward, MC also returns two top playmakers in seniors Josh Dixon and Marcel Newson. Dixon will move into the spot vacated by Chris Ingram, while Newson comes back after leading the team with nine touchdowns in 2015.
On the defensive side of the ball, MC returns their top four leading tacklers with the top two being freshman, R.J. Arnold(Hoover, Ala.) and Mike Hall (Boynton Beach, Fla.). Reggie Bennett will come back for his senior season after starting all but one game over his first three years.
The young linebacker corps that includes Arnold and Hall, also brings back freshman Josh Schweiger (New Orleans, La.) and Krishun Cash (Shreveport, La.). Two more players that will benefit from the extra practice will be rookie cornersKeith Harison and Rondaius Johnson.
The 2016 season opens on Saturday, September 3rd when MC hosts Point University at 2:00 p.m. in Robinson-Hale Stadium.
| DATE | PRACTICE | TIME |
| Monday, March 21st | No Contact, Helmets | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Tuesday, March 22nd | No Contact, Helmets | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Thursday, March 24th | Non-Tackle, Shells | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Friday, March 25th | Tackle, Full Pads | 5:00-7:00 am |
| Tuesday, March 29th | Tackle, Full Pads | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Wednesday, March 30th | Non-Tackle, Shells | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Thursday, March 31st | Scrimmage, Tackle | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Monday, April 4th | Tackle, Full Pads | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Wednesday, April 6th | Tackle, Full Pads | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Friday, April 8th | Non-Tackle, Shells | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Saturday, April 9th | Scrimmage, Tackle | 9:00-11:00 am |
| Monday, April 11th | Non-Tackle, Shells | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Wednesday, April 13th | Tackle, Full Pads | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Friday, April 15th | No Contact, Helmets | 4:00-6:00 pm |
| Saturday, April 16th | Spring Game | 12:00-2:00 pm |
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