ASU Hornets Fighting the Dog Days of Summer

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Just like every football team that is hitting the field during the dog days of summer, Alabama State University's football Hornets are fighting the heat and humidity and with the Hornets practicing on a turf surface at each practice that heat usually reaches triple digits.

"It is what we say, we have to find comfort in our discomfort," Head Coach Reggie Barlow said.  "I wish I could say it's not like this everywhere else but it is.  It's hot everywhere and you signed up for this game and if you say you want to be a football player here is what it is.  You have to find a way to fight through it and the one's (players) that are encouraging themselves and their teammates are the ones that are going to get through it.

"It's hot and it's tough, but you have to eat.  You have to stay hydrated and you just have to continue to get better."

While practicing in the heat is what each team needs to help them get into shape, sometimes that same heat does enough damage that players are unable to build up the tolerance and to get in better shape without getting sick.  That calls for the coaching staffs to think outside the box and so some different drills to help get into shape.

"Obviously we are not where we need to be at," Barlow said.  "We started out doing four plays in a row and getting them off, and now we are doing six plays in a row so that will help condition them even more and then we will step it up next week and take it up to eight plays.  Hopefully over the next five to eight days this will help the guys get into better shape and we will be able to hit the ground running when the games begin."

ASU has changed their practice plans for the next couple of days as they will only practice once on Wednesday at 7 p.m. while taking Thursday off.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION