University of Houston Athletics
Football Holds Pro Day; Prepares For Spring Scrimmage Saturday
3/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 23, 2007
HOUSTON - The past and present was on display for the University of Houston football team Friday as the Cougars held their annual pro day for the team's departing seniors and the current squad prepared for the opening scrimmage of the 2007 spring campaign.
Representatives from all 32 NFL teams were on hand in Yeoman Field House as Kevin Kolb and 11 other Cougars auditioned for the scouts.
The players were tested in several areas ranging from jumping to speed to agility to strength. They also were put through position-specific drills by some of the scouts in attendance.
Also participating in the pro day were Ricky Barela, Jackie Battle, Biren Ealy, Willie Gaston, Will Gulley, Rodney Hannah, Wade Koehl, Marquay Love, Vincent Marshall, Roy Otis and Roshawn Pope.
"I think they all competed hard and I think that's what you have to do in a situation like this," head coach Art Briles said. "I think it is a great atmosphere for the University of Houston football program. We have every NFL scout here from the league and we have a huge following of fans and current players here getting to see this atmosphere and understanding this is a reality not just a hope and a dream. It can happen if they take care of their business in the classroom and on the field. It's a great event for the University of Houston."
Kolb participated in throwing drills only, having completed the other tests at the recent NFL Combine in Indianapolis. During Kolb's session, conducted by former NFL quarterback and coach Jerry Rhome, the 2006 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year made a variety of throws to a number of different receivers.
"You don't get a chance to show your arm off enough in the things prior to this," Kolb said. "In the senior bowl you are in a game setting and they (the scouts) don't get a chance to see you one-on-one and at the combine you only get 14 to 20 throws so I wanted to just get in a rhythm and show them I have all the tools to make it to the next level."
Battle put together a strong overall performance, impressing many of the scouts on hand.
"Overall it went pretty good," Battle said. "People had questions about my speed, I proved that. People had questions about my hands, I think I proved that. (There were) questions about my quickness and I think I proved that. I think I accomplished a lot today."
The NFL draft is scheduled for April 28-29 in New York, N.Y.
Following the pro day workout, the current Cougars hit the practice field for a couple of hours to prepare for their first scrimmage of the spring. On the heels of a spirited workout yesterday, the team focused on technique and offensive and defensive sets today prior to the 90-minute scrimmage tomorrow.
"Our Tuesday and Thursday practices are usually pretty long and intense," Briles said. "Our Friday practice will be scaled back a little bit. We will go out today for about an hour and half and just refine some things and make sure our energy is still good and we will go back tomorrow and have a good heated scrimmage.
"We have a lot of energy on the field, which I think we have to have. Energy to me is attitude, effort and enthusiasm and I think we have developed that through consequences on the football field and success on the field. What we have to do is maintain that energy because you have to play at a high rate of speed and a high mental process along the way."
Saturday's scrimmage begins at 10:30 a.m. CST on the football practice fields and will be open to the public.
