Just a little fun...

Okay, I've made it seem that during the off season the coaching staff does not take time to have a little fun. Well, we do take time out of our schedule to have some fun. It's not all business...

Coach Nichols took time to go play some golf at the Jefferson Christian golf tournament in Birmingham early this summer. Unfortunately for him he brought along Chad Franklin, Eric Howell, and Chuck Knapp. Nichols was heard saying that he needed to hire coaches that had a better golf game. Jefferson Christian put on a great tournament and a great time was had by all.

I guess I might have been wrong about graduate assistants. It looks like they do have a few brief moments of fun from time to time. Heath Strippling and Cam Clark got pulled out of the crowd at the Montgomery Biscuit's game to perform their rendition of YMCA by the Village People. I don't know but it looks like they enjoyed it way to much.

The life of a G.A.

As you can imagine there are a lot of things to do to keep a college football program up and running. Take it from me, there is a LOT to do. In an effort for college programs to run smoothly a position has been created to do all the things that have to be done at all hours of the day and night. That position is called a graduate assistant. These are the guys that do the jobs from coaching to doing bed checks. Every college program has them. Even Jim Nichols and Eric Howell started off at Auburn as GA's. Our team could not run without them. So, let me introduce our to you.

Blake Boren has been with the program since the start. This man has done just about everything for this team. He has coached running backs and receivers. He is best known for drinking all the Monsters in our office.

Heath Stripling is one of our new guys. He is helping out with running backs and ALL of the filming. He's known as Coach Strip by the players, but he's known for a lot more by the coaches. He is our on staff Geek Squad...literaly.

We have more GA's and their info is coming soon, so stay tuned.

Off season? There is no such thing!

Everyone always wants to know what goes on during the "off season". Well, I'm here to tell you that there is NO off season. I can't talk about any other teams, but I can tell you that the Faulkner football staff goes year round. School has been out for about two weeks now, so let me give you a run down of what we have been up to.

The past two weeks have been spent on the road for every coach on staff. Not only have we been out looking for final few pieces of our 2008 squad, but we have already begun hitting the upcoming seniors (2009) class very heavily. This is no easy task when you consider just how many schools are out there. So this is how we did it.

Gregg Baker hit 21 schools in Southwest Alabama.
Cam Clark hit 20 schools in Georgia.
Eric Howell hit 19 schools in Southeast Alabama.
Chuck Knapp hit 18 schools in North Florida.
Chad Franklin hit 18 schools in North Alabama
Dean Briggs is hitting 18 schools in Mississippi...right now.
I would also like to say that Coach Baker came back into town just long enough to top off his tanks and has headed back out to hit the Nashville area.

That is over 115+ schools in two weeks visited by our coaching staff. From Nashville to Panama City, we have been getting our name out there. We also know that there are schools that we have not visited, don't worry, we are on those in the next few weeks.

Now that some of us are back from the road, we are hard at work breaking down film and preparing for Samford...it will be here before you know it.

Now, to answer your question...there is no off season for Faulkner football. Jim Nichols and his staff knows that we have been giving a giant task of building a program. Not just any program, but a program that will make Faulkner University proud for years to come. This is no easy job and we remind ourselves daily on just how important this is. Continue to pray for this University and this program. Thank you for your support.

GO EAGLES!

Blue and White Game

Faulkner's inaugural spring game featured a little bit of everything on Saturday at the Cramton Bowl -- some offensive fireworks, some defensive dominance and lots of loose footballs.
The defense, or the Blue team, held the offense (White team) from scoring through the first nine series. The Blue team forced seven turnovers and came away with six sacks during the 142-play scrimmage.
Defensive lineman Ryan Nixon led the charge with two sacks and a fumble recovery. Another defensive lineman, Brett Edwards, added seven tackles and two more sacks. Nixon said the defense had been licking its chops since finding out the quarterbacks were live, meaning they could get hit.
"I thought (the defensive linemen) played the best we played all spring," Nixon said. "It felt good to hit (the quarterbacks). I ran over there to touch them and they didn't blow it did, so I figured I'd just lay them out."
Cornerback Dominique Johnson also turned in a strong performance, coming up with an interception and three tackles for loss.
Despite poor field position for a good portion of the afternoon, Faulkner head coach Jim Nichols was pleased with his defense's performance.
"The defense is going to be strong next year," Nichols said."We've got a lot of redshirts, a lot of young guys. We've got some good leaders over there. Our D-linemen were a lot better than (a scrimmage) last Thursday. They got a lot of pressure on the quarterback."
Philip Moore and T.J. Jacobs are still competing for the starting quarterback spot, but neither was impressive early.
In fact, it took a near-disaster to ignite the offense.
On a second-and-18, Jacobs had to chase a high snap down 15 yards behind from where he lined up in the shotgun formation. Once Jacobs picked up the loose ball, he scrambled right before firing a pass to Daniel Ross. Ross caught the pass near the 35-yard line, broke a tackle and then dashed 65 yards for the game's first score. Fumbles became a theme Saturday.















By game's end, there were 14 loose balls, including six errant snaps.
With Faulkner transitioning to Auburn's new offense, the centers are still adjusting to snapping in the shotgun formation on every play. Starting center Caleb Bagley has also missed the entire spring with an injury.
After the initial touchdown, Jacobs enjoyed a decent first half. He completed two more first-half touchdown passes -- on back-to-back snaps.
Jacobs' second touchdown came when he hit Jurrell Williams on a quick screen. He broke a tackle and wrestled another defender for 10 yards on his way to a 23-yard touchdown. On the next play, Jacobs pump-faked the same play. The pump caught Faulkner's entire secondary off-guard and Jacobs lofted a pass down the sideline to a wide open receiver and coasted to a 40-yard score.
Jacobs finished the day 14-of-30 passing for 192 yards and the three scores. However, he was also intercepted twice and sacked for a safety.
Moore didn't lead his first scoring drive until the following drive. Moore's first touchdown came when he kept on an option-read and scampered for an easy 8-yard rushing touchdown.
Moore threw for two touchdowns in the second half and finished the game completing 19-of-32 passes for 180 yards.
"I think the guys really wanted to perform," Nichols said. "They're both trying to compete for the job. In the second half, they both played really well."
Faulkner's new fast-paced offense didn't appear attractive early, but Nixon said the tempo wore on the defense in the second half.
It showed. The Blue team missed several tackles after the halftime break.
"It's tiring," Nixon said. "They're at full-speed every play."
The slow offensive start didn't concern Nichols. Playing in a new offense in front of approximately 600 fans, Nichols even said he thought several players were nervous. Still, the second-year coach came away thinking his offense had progressed significantly.
"This is our 14th practice as far as putting this offense in," Nichols said. "We know it's going to take time. We had a scrimmage last Thursday and we're 10 times better than we were last Thursday."























































Luke Brietzke-Advertiser

Rigors of football don't faze Faulkner's Chinoski

Frank Chinoski saw Faulkner's football facilities when the program had just started. As the first

Faulkner football player, he visited head coach Jim Nichols at the coach's first office -- a single-wide trailer.

The original Faulkner facilities were neither attractive nor impressive. Then again, they were hardly the worst Chinoski had seen.
Chinoski, who enters his sophomore year as the starting strong safety, enlisted in the Marines during his senior year -- 10 days after Sept. 11, 2001. Chinoski previously considered joining the Air Force, but "9-11 (ticked) me off pretty good, so I decided to join the Marine Corps."
Since then, he has served in Iraq for six months and spent a double-shift in Afghanistan, staying for just a few days shy of a year. Chinoski, who was a sergeant in the Marines, was already in Kuwait when the war started.
"I saw Iraq before those people had any freedom," Chinoski said. "They had to really work to have anything at all."
It was going to take a lot more than an unimpressive trailer to keep him from playing football. After Chinoski's four years with the Marines, he started working construction for his stepfather, Joe Prokop. When Prokop heard rumors about Faulkner starting a football program, he encouraged Chinoski to take a look.
That's when Chinoski paid Nichols a visit.
Chinoski told Nichols that he played in high school and played in a base league at Camp Lajeune (N.C.) where he made the all-base team.
Nichols was relieved to have someone interested in his program so early and told Chinoski he would be happy to have him on the team. Two days later, Chinoski was enrolled full-time at Faulkner University.
Chinoski joined the football team because he wanted to play defense and hit people. Ask him his preference between coming up with a big turnover or delivering a crushing blow over the middle, he'll tell you he wants the hit -- every time. In fact, Chinoski moved from free safety to strong safety because he enjoys helping out in run support.
When Philip Moore suffered an injury and had to sit out the season, the coaches asked Chinoski to give quarterback a shot.
Chinoski moved to quarterback, where he played in high school, and split snaps with Chad Kilgore for the first half of the 2007 season.
"I came in to play defense -- I wanted to play defense," Chinoski said. "I had played some quarterback, but didn't know if I could play at this level."
It didn't take long to get an answer.
Chinoski threw a 30-yard touchdown pass on Faulkner's first-ever possession. That turned out to be Chinoski's only touchdown pass in five games as a quarterback, but he did throw for 324 yards in limited action.
Finally, the week of the Huntingdon game, Chinoski was allowed to move back to safety on a full-time basis.
Chinoski said opposing offenses knew he had just switched from quarterback and picked on him last year. He's determined to not allow a repeat this season.
"Being able to spend a whole year at safety, I won't get picked on when I get in," Chinoski said. "I'm comfortable with it now and I don't have any doubts I can play and be effective."
Chinoski is only a sophomore, but at 24, he isn't a normal sophomore. In fact, he's one of the team's greatest leaders.
When teammates start complaining during sprints, Nichols said, Chinoski has even coined an unusual phrase: "It could be worse. We could be in Iraq."
"They think we've got it tough here and they don't know half of it," Nichols said. "That's why, when Frank says something, I think everyone listens."
Faulkner wraps up its spring at 10 a.m. today spring game at the Cramton Bowl.

-Luke Brietzke Special to the Advertiser

Eagles resurrect Thom's football career

When Sean Thom transferred from North Dakota State to Okaloosa-Walton Community College after his sophomore year, he thought his college football days were over.
Thom had redshirted on the football team at North Dakota State, but he focused primarily on baseball. After problems arose between Thom and the baseball coach, he decided it was time for a change.
That change led him closer to home and, Thom thought, closer to Division I baseball.
"I honestly didn't think I would play football again," Thom said. "Okaloosa-Walton is a real big baseball school. Going in, I thought I would play fall, spring and then coach (Keith) Griffin is usually good about getting players to the next level. I thought I would get into Division I baseball."
Shoulder trouble derailed the second baseman-turned-linebacker's baseball career. That's when he decided to give football another chance.
When Faulkner offered Thom the opportunity to play football again, he jumped at the chance. While Thom hadn't played a football game in two years, he said it didn't take any length of time to get back into the game.
His stats prove that assertion. Thom finished as Faulkner's leading tackler last season. "Sean's one of those guys that you'll see a big hit on the field and you know it's Sean,"
Faulkner coach Jim Nichols said. "You can pretty much bet on it. He knows the defense and he knows where the ball is going to go."
More importantly, Nichols said Thom's so smart that it's like having a second coach on the field. Despite having transferred colleges twice, Thom is a 4.0 student who has never earned anything lower than an 'A' in his academic career.
"It's just one of those things in my family," Thom said. "My dad graduated at the top of his class at Troy and went into the military. They always drilled into me getting my education."
Nichols' thought about Thom acting as a coach on the field is also accurate. When Thom, who will be a redshirt junior, finishes his college career, he hopes to join a major Division I program as a graduate assistant.
One day, Thom hopes to be a Division I coach. As for now, Thom is focused on trying to help Faulkner improve on its 1-9 inaugural season last year. He said the attitude within the program would help the Eagles with a quick turnaround.
"I think we're a lot more confident," Thom said. "Last year, coming into spring, we couldn't really have spring practice and no one knew the coaches or other players too well. Now we've developed friendships and bonds."
And now, at his third college, Thom seems to have found his home.Luke BrietzkeSpecial to the Advertiser
When Sean Thom transferred from North Dakota State to Okaloosa-Walton Community College after his sophomore year, he thought his college football days were over.
Thom had redshirted on the football team at North Dakota State, but he focused primarily on baseball. After problems arose between Thom and the baseball coach, he decided it was time for a change.
That change led him closer to home and, Thom thought, closer to Division I baseball.
"I honestly didn't think I would play football again," Thom said. "Okaloosa-Walton is a real big baseball school. Going in, I thought I would play fall, spring and then coach (Keith) Griffin is usually good about getting players to the next level. I thought I would get into Division I baseball."
Shoulder trouble derailed the second baseman-turned-linebacker's baseball career. That's when he decided to give football another chance.
When Faulkner offered Thom the opportunity to play football again, he jumped at the chance. While Thom hadn't played a football game in two years, he said it didn't take any length of time to get back into the game.
His stats prove that assertion. Thom finished as Faulkner's leading tackler last season. "Sean's one of those guys that you'll see a big hit on the field and you know it's Sean,"
Faulkner coach Jim Nichols said. "You can pretty much bet on it. He knows the defense and he knows where the ball is going to go."
More importantly, Nichols said Thom's so smart that it's like having a second coach on the field. Despite having transferred colleges twice, Thom is a 4.0 student who has never earned anything lower than an 'A' in his academic career.
"It's just one of those things in my family," Thom said. "My dad graduated at the top of his class at Troy and went into the military. They always drilled into me getting my education."
Nichols' thought about Thom acting as a coach on the field is also accurate. When Thom, who will be a redshirt junior, finishes his college career, he hopes to join a major Division I program as a graduate assistant.
One day, Thom hopes to be a Division I coach. As for now, Thom is focused on trying to help Faulkner improve on its 1-9 inaugural season last year. He said the attitude within the program would help the Eagles with a quick turnaround.
"I think we're a lot more confident," Thom said. "Last year, coming into spring, we couldn't really have spring practice and no one knew the coaches or other players too well. Now we've developed friendships and bonds."
And now, at his third college, Thom seems to have found his home.

-Luke Brietzke
Special to the Advertiser

Nichols' Eagles excited about new offense!

Jim Nichols is an Auburn guy. Faulkner's football coach, who spent three years as a graduate assistant on the Plains, used the Tigers as a template while building the Eagles from scratch in 2006. He used the same terms, held players to the same code of conduct, mimicked Tommy Tuberville's practice schedules and based the school's new fieldhouse on designs he saw at Auburn.
Now Nichols is hoping the Tigers' new offense can help his team.
Faulkner is in the midst of installing the same aggressive passing scheme Tony Franklin brought to the Plains in December.
"We needed something that would make us less predictable and, you know, that's exactly what they're doing at Auburn," Nichols said. "When times got tough, we didn't know how to win. We couldn't score points at the end. We have a lot of skill guys and I wanted a way to get the ball in their hands more often."
Faulkner finished 1-9 during its first season in 2007. The team's offense averaged eight points though the first four games, though increased familiarity helped the team double that rate during its final six games.
That wasn't enough.
Nichols, who learned the scheme during a January consultation with Franklin in Nashville, Tenn., thought his backs and wideouts represented untapped potential last season. He also believes his new quarterbacks, Philip Moore and T.J. Jacobs, provide broad skill sets that will frustrate defenses.
"This is going to make us much more productive because we have speed on the outside that is above most other teams," said Moore, a former standout at Edgewood Academy. "Speed is our biggest strength. I've been surprised by how quickly it's come along for us. We're only a few weeks in and it works. I thought it would take a while."
Franklin's offense emphasizes quick passes to receivers and, ideally, uses the quarterback as a featured running-game element. Nichols isn't prepared to phase out his tailbacks just yet.
The Eagles took the ideas gleaned from Franklin and matched them with running-game plans borrowed from West Virginia. The Mountaineers use a spread scheme, yet found ways to make their tailback an every-down threat.
"The thing about this offense is that you can get away from running the ball if you're not careful," Nichols said. "We want to run at least 40 percent of the time. We like running the ball. That's something I feel strongly about. We're going to attack teams on the ground no matter what."
Everyone at Faulkner talks about the speed.
Power seems almost taboo.
That's because the Eagles didn't have much in 2007. Players arrived on campus just before spring drills and many weren't following workout routines. A summer of sparsely attended voluntary workouts did little to help players gain strength.
That's changing.
The coaching staff managed offseason weight training for the first time this winter. Nichols said a significant number of players will stick around this summer to forward progress made in the weight room.
"We were big like everybody else, but they were stronger. It was easy to see," Nichols said. "Having an offseason to get these kids in shape and help them build their bodies for what they do in the fall is key. It makes a big difference."
Faulkner players say they're starting to feel like college players now. The program spent approximately $350,000 to build the Lee Family Fieldhouse, which includes coaches' offices, a training room, an equipment area and a spacious locker room modeled after -- you guessed it -- Auburn's digs at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Nichols' top priority is to build a synthetic-turf field adjacent to the field house. Preliminary grade work has begun, though the dirt will remain bare until the Eagles raise $500,000.
Nichols hopes construction can begin in earnest this summer.
The team currently practices at Alabama Christian Academy and plays games in Cramton Bowl. The team will hold its first Blue-White spring game there Saturday at 10 a.m.
"You can look around and see that football is coming along," said Jacobs, one of the team's top two quarterbacks. "Once we start winning, it'll all come together. We just have to keep getting better."