Returning to campus on August 5, the Kentucky State Thorobreds football capped off their first week of camp on a high note, impressing fans and alumni during their “First Look” practice on Saturday.
This year, the Thorobreds squad has expanded, adding depth across multiple positions. Head coach Huggins highlighted the improvements made in the offseason, emphasizing the increase in athleticism and talent. “We wanted more athletes and to get more athletic on the perimeter and inside while getting more talent in the building. And so, this year we have a good group of young guys and some solid transfers at certain positions that enhanced our program. You can tell the difference in the speed, physicality, and just the way we played differently than last year,” Huggins said.
The first week of camp brought plenty of positives, with a focus on camaraderie among the group. Huggins shared his biggest takeaway so far: “I would say the camaraderie. We’ve talked about that so much here as a staff. We got so many new guys, and you could have thought that the guys were here together all summer, but they weren’t. The kids aren’t selfish; they’re very selfless. They all want each other to be great. Right now, they’re competitive, but they also know that competition creates a good team atmosphere that helps you win games. That part for us has been great.”
As they head into week two of camp, Huggins emphasized the importance of building depth, experience, and understanding. “Just building depth, experience, and overall, just to get them a general understanding of what we do and how we do things. I’m teaching our guys about values and things that are not just going to help them on the football field but off the field as well. So you have to understand and determine who the appropriate person to communicate with. No different than when they’re on the field, how they need to communicate the coverage of the play and who they need to communicate with. That’s one of the biggest things that’s important for us to just continue this,” Huggins said.
The Thorobreds will kick off their 2024 campaign at home on Aug. 31 at 3:00 p.m. against CIAA champions Virginia Union.
