Greenville Lions start spring practice today
May 3, 2011

By David Claybourn
Herald-Banner Sports Editor

Last fall the Greenville Lions started the football season with 40 varsity players but got down to 27 for the finale because of injuries and defections.

The Lions are looking for bigger numbers and better success on the playing field during the 2011 season. They'll lay the groundwork for that campaign starting today with the first of 18 spring training practices.

"The numbers are way up," said Chawn Cooper, who is starting his second season as head coach of the Lions. "We're five or six deep at every position."

Cooper is expecting 93 or 94 players from grades nine through 11 for today's first workout at 4 p.m.

"We expect to pick up five or seven more," said Cooper. "We expect to be around 100."

Cooper said the competition at each position should help improve the Lions, who were 0-10 last season.

The Lions are also switching to new offenses and defenses. They're moving from a multiple-I to a spread offense that will operate at a fast tempo.

"Everything we'll do will be no-huddle," said Cooper.

The defense is switching from an odd-front to an event-front and has a new defensive coordinator in George Sellers. Sellers was promoted to coordinator after Darren Hyland resigned back in January.

Not only will the Lions have new looks on offense and defense but they've increased in size while working in the offseason.

"We're bigger and stronger," said Cooper, whose team will don full pads for today's workout. "We're strong and ready to hit. Hopefully, the new size and the muscle will keep down the injuries."

Eleven Lions were sidelined with concussions last season, the most of any team Cooper has been associated with.

The Lions will work four days this week and five the following week. They'll wrap up spring work with a Red-White game on May 21.