Taylor sees quality from FAMU at football practice

University of Florida transfer wide receiver T.J. Lawrence reported to the Rattlers football camp Thursday, and was introduced to the team by Coach Joe Taylor. The redshirt sophomore Lawrence is expected to play both WR and centerfielder on the Rattlers baseball team.

Dropped balls and other mistakes were so few by the first and second offensive units that Florida A&M coach Joe Taylor seemed almost amazed by what he saw on a muggy, soggy Thursday afternoon.

"This is just quality work," Taylor said, following the Rattlers' second day of workout. "People get a chance to just learn. Even on the sidelines, we tell them these are mental reps (and) if you're not in, you still look at the play (and) look at your position; look at what's going on so when you get there you know."

Backup quarterbacks Eddie Battle and Austin Trainor took all of the snaps during the walkthrough drills, while starter Martin Ukpai was given the first week of practice off to recover from a medical condition. He's been attending team meetings and will return to practice Monday when the Rattlers suit up in pads.

At the pace that the offense ran through plays without many flaws, next Saturday's first scrimmage could be a better gauge. Taylor said he was especially impressed Thursday with the interaction between players on the offensive line to make sure that plays were executed.

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Pulley now tests FAMU's Battle

Eddie Battle, named FAMU's starting quarterback during the spring, isn't panicking. He's just getting better. His teammates are seeing it as do the coaching staff — especially since Curtis Pulley's emergence as a Rattler. Given the background of the former University of Kentucky player, he could force a battle for the starting job or at least make the quarterback situation more interesting for coach Joe Taylor.

Pulley has been in camp just three days now, but already Taylor said he's seen an improvement in Battle's performance. Battle said it's just his competitive nature. "I know nothing is guaranteed," he said Friday. "It's kind of keeping me on my toes. It's not that coach (Taylor) didn't have faith in me. I know the guys behind me are pretty young. It would have been a kind of challenge if I were to go down. He wants to prepare for anything."

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QB Battle selling FAMU on his skill

NORFOLK, Va. — The Green team had a commanding lead over the Orange squad in FAMU's annual spring game when Eddie Battle erased whatever uncertainty coach Joe Taylor might have had about his starting quarterback. Battle had his team in the red zone with just a few yards to go for a first down. He couldn't find an open receiver after setting up for a pass on a second-down play.

He pulled back and scampered for just enough yards to get a first down. Taylor was sold. "Those are the kinds of little things that you look for in your quarterback," Taylor said. "You always have to be in a thinking mode, and a thinking mode means you can't get too excited and you can't get too low.

"He is a good decision maker — he knows when to put it up and pull it down."

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