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News Nuggets, 08.08.06
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Pirates shifting to full-gear practice mode

East Carolina completed its final tune-up before engaging in full gear work with a three-hour practice in shorts and shoulder pads at the Cliff Moore Practice Facility on Monday afternoon, according to a release from the ECU athletic media relations department.

Beginning Tuesday, the Pirates will don full pads for each of their traditional workout sessions, which includes the preseason camp's first of two official two-a-day practices scheduled for Wednesday.

"I'm excited about taking one more step," head coach Skip Holtz said. "The upperclassmen have done a great job of working together and I've been pleased with the tempo that we've established up to this point. It's not like we're going into a live scrimmage mode by any means Wednesday but it's another measuring stick. The talent remains in place but we still have a long way to go for us to become a good football team."

Somewhat similar to Sunday's workout, ECU conducted a live 30-minute scrimmage-like team session at the end of practice which matched all levels of the Pirates' depth chart. Senior quarterback James Pinkney found junior running back Chris Johnson and senior wide receiver Aundrae Allison on a pair of 55-yard TD strikes to lead the offense while redshirt freshman linebacker Jeremy Chambliss netted a late interception off a deflection for the defense.

As has been the case each night, the East Carolina coaching staff conducted two hours of team, special teams and position meetings after Monday's workout before dismissing the squad for a 9:00 p.m. dinner at Todd Dining Hall.

The team's practice today is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in preparation for the Sept. 2 opener at Navy, which is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff.

ROSTER ADDITIONS

Holtz announced two additions to the Pirates' 105-man preseason camp roster. They are freshman offensive lineman Travis Bastin of Newport and East Carteret High School and place kicker Nathan Przestrzelski from Black Mountain Charles D. Owen High.

INJURY NOTES

In addition to defensive end Shauntae Hunt, who is out with a knee ailment and center Fred Hicks, who is also recovering from minor knee surgery, two other members of ECU's preseason roster have been sidelined with injuries and subsequently have missed the opening four days of camp. Defensive lineman Matt Newman and signee Doug Polochak, an offensive lineman, are both scheduled to continue rehabilitation work on respective shoulder injuries until they join the program in earnest on the first day of classes Aug. 23.

RE-POSITIONING

Several players have been involved in position changes. True freshman Chris Atkins has moved from linebacker to defensive end while sophomore transfer Wayne Hunter has switched from quarterback to wide receiver. Signee Melvin Patterson, a three-year, two-way (wide receiver/safety) standout at Santa Fe High School in Alachua, FL, has opened camp as a member of the Pirates' defensive backfield.

Wide receiver Derehl Staton made a uniform number switch from 46 to 84.

Hattiesburg pro takes over USM golf program

Jerry Weeks, director of golf at the Hattiesburg Country Club for the last 25 years, has been named men's golf coach at Southern Mississippi, according to a release on the Conference USA website.

Weeks, a quarter century member of the PGA of America, has played in the Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic five times, the Club's Professionals Championship, a 10-time member of the Mississippi Cup and participated in the Gulf States section match play championship.

A two-time winner of the Horton Smith Award for the Gulf States PGA section, Weeks also garnered the Professional of the Year by the Mississippi PGA in 1984 and for the Southeast Region presented by Golf Industry Magazine in 1991.

Weeks was nominated in 1990 as overseeing one of the "Best 100 Golf Operations in the United States" by Golf Shop Operations Magazine and was a previous winner of the Gulf State s Section "Merchandiser of the Year" for private clubs.

He was selected as submitting one of the "Top Ten Golf Tips of All Time" by Golf Magazine and served as a past panelist for Golf Digest course rating along with being a rules official for numerous tournaments for the Gulf States PGA. He also had eight of his former assistants go on to become head golf professionals throughout the United States.

Sooners turn to Thompson to fill QB void

USA Today has reported that Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops named senior Paul Thompson his starting quarterback after incumbent Rhett Bomar was kicked off the team for receiving excessive compensation for a summer job at a local car dealership.

The Sooners begin the season No. 5 in the USA TODAY Coaches' Poll, though ballots were cast before Bomar and offensive lineman J.D. Quinn were dismissed.

Bomar set a school freshman record last year with 2,018 passing yards. Thompson, a fifth-year senior who lost the job to Bomar last season in the second game and converted to receiver, was a backup quarterback in 2002 and 2003.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from other sources. Copyright 2006 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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