haskellathletics.com catches up with coach Snyder as he prepares his team for spring ball

LAWRENCE, Kan.--As the Haskell football team returns from spring break, another return of sorts awaits. The start of spring football practice is just a week away and already head coach Jimmy Snyder is talking about his team's hard work during this past off-season.

Coach Snyder's squad will take to the practice fields beginning on Thursday, April 5, with nearly two weeks of hard work and preparation to follow. Starting on the fifth and lasting until Monday, April 16, the Indian football team will practice for an hour and 45 minutes, each week day, starting at about 4 p.m.Saturday practices will be slated for early afternoon on campus. Spring ball concludes on the 16th, with a final practice in full pads, which fans can come and watch for free.

That final practice will take place at 4:30pm on the 'Adobe Flats' between Haskell Stadium and the Coffin Sports Complex. Below is an interview with Coach Snyder about the upcoming spring slate and what he expects out of his team heading into fall ball.

(Haskell Athletics): What are you most excited about, heading into the first practice of the spring?
(Coach Snyder): "I am most excited about addressing some issues we have had within our offense and our defense last year. We have been working hard in the off-season, so I am looking forward to going out and executing some of it."

How has the offensive improved since the season ended last fall?
"We have two new offensive lineman in Van Gray and Bryson Barney, who are really going to help us. They are going to add some much needed support to our offensive line."

Will there be any noticeable changes to the defense that HINU fans might be able to see?
"We are changing the philosophy of our defense because we want to simplify things in terms of our schemes. That way our kids can get better at the fundamentals and free their minds to play ball. We also want them to be more aggressive, so they won't have to think as much and they can just play."

What role will special teams play come this spring and fall?
"We have recruited really hard to improve our kicking game and we have a couple of kickers who are coming in that can really boot it. We are excited about that because kicking was a real sore spot for us last year."

How important are the Haskell fans to your team's efforts during the 2012 campaign?
"It is very important because it's always a great feeling to know people are pulling for you. I know it really means a lot to our guys and they feel when we are supported, so keep it up because when we do turn a corner with this football program, it will be very rewarding for our fans."

What will your emotions be on April 5, when spring practice starts and all that hard work during the off-season will be put to the test?
"It's always more nerve racking for me, but I am more excited for our boys because they have been lifting hard and have met the objectives of our program. Those objectives have been to get bigger, faster and stronger and they have taken that to heart and have done it. A lot of guys have put on good weight and a lot of guys have remade themselves, so now it's time to go out, put some pads on and kind of really evaluate where we are at."

Log onto haskellathletics.com throughout the spring for updates on the Haskell football team.