Spiders’ offseason work has just begun

[dbackjon]

JOHN O'CONNOR TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: April 14, 2009

What's Duke doing right now?" Chris Stewart these days might ask the 75 football players for whom he's responsible.

The University Richmond's next season kicks off vs. the Blue Devils on Sept. 5. If you're under the impression that it's early -- way early -- for the Spiders to be training for that opener, you're way retro. Stewart leads UR's football strength-and-conditioning program, which is very much engaged, as is spring training for Richmond's basketball players.

Hoops season at UR ended March 25 for the men, the following day for the women. Richmond's spring football game was played April 4. These Spiders, it can be argued, are now in the most important and physically demanding stretch of their years.

"I want my offseason training to be harder than their practice, and the coaches want their practice to be harder than the game," Stewart said. "So when [Spiders] go to the game, they've been there before."

Welcome to the "offseason," which often has clear goals, just as the season does. The Richmond men's basketball team was outrebounded in 16 of 18 games vs. Atlantic 10 Conference competition during 2008-09, and was outscored in the second halves in 14 of them.

"We're looking to try to put some mass on these kids," said Jay DeMayo, strength-and-conditioning coach for Spiders basketball.

Richmond football returns 18 of 24 starters (including kickers) from a 2008 team that won the Football Championship Subdivision title. There was only one scholarship senior (starting center Jarhon Giddings) on the men's basketball team that went 20-16. The women's basketball team had only two seniors on a 24-10 team.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports ... 11/255742/

[Mountaineer]

Perhaps it's just me, but this has been one hell of a boring offseason. Is it because the Spiders and all ten of their fans aren't providing us with any excitement?

I remember the Hens and Dukes being the topic of conversations all year after their titles. I won't even get started on the past three years as it related to ASU. (LSU thread anyone?)

Could you imagine Villanova winning. Or Georgetown.



ZzzzZzzzzZzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[dbackjon]

Yeah, it has been boring. NO spider smack

[clenz]

Perhaps it's just me, but this has been one hell of a boring offseason. Is it because the Spiders and all ten of their fans aren't providing us with any excitement?

I remember the Hens and Dukes being the topic of conversations all year after their titles. I won't even get started on the past three years as it related to ASU. (LSU thread anyone?)

Could you imagine Villanova winning. Or Georgetown.



ZzzzZzzzzZzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Think about the bullshit that would be running rampant had ASU, NDSU, or a different CAA team had won it.

[Mountaineer]

Think about all of the fabulous topics and excitement that would be running rampant had ASU, NDSU, or a different CAA team had won it.

Much better.