Grambling’s Fall 2009 camp fires: Blocking issues, Florida heat, backup quarterback

In this edition of TDR’s camp fires, we talk about how Grambling is preparing for the sweltering heat of Florida, an entertaining battle to back up quarterback Greg Dillon, yet another honor for one of the program’s former assistant coaches, and a familiar problem from early last season — protection up front …

This time last year, Grambling coaches were trying to diagnose which of two quarterbacks would emerge as the team’s leader. And why their running backs, a strength in the 2007 march to a SWAC divisional title, were suddenly struggling.

It came down to protection up front, as Grambling worked through an early-season rebuilding project on its offensive line.

As that unit progressed in 2008, so did the offense.

Fast forward one year, and the Tigers return all five starters – but consistency problems remain.

Rod Broadway and Co. have been focused on keeping Dillon in the pocket, further exposing fundamental problems in blocking.

“We’ve got to do a better job of protecting him,” Broadway told me. “We’re passing blocking and we’re getting pushed into the pocket. It’s hard throwing out of a well.”

Meanwhile, Cornelius Walker and Frank Warren haven’t been able to find another gear in the ground game.

“The running backs are going to have problems if we don’t block anybody,” Broadway said. “I don’t care who you have running the ball, if you are not blocking, it will be hard to get yards.”

PASSING LANE
One of the more surprising elements of these fall sessions has been the battle for back up quarterback – and, in particular, the quick emergence of newcomer Danny Reyes.

He appears to have supplanted second-year veteran Justin Higgins, a standout Rayville product who led the state of Louisiana in passing yards as a senior.

“He’s challenging Justin right now,” Broadway said. “Justin will have to respond. Reyes has done a good job of learning what we do.”

Two other walk ons have also joined the team since classes resumed.

DIGGING DOUG … AGAIN
Former Grambling assistant Doug Porter is leaving today for (another!) Hall of Fame induction ceremony — this time at Fort Valley State, the Georgia-based Division II program where he worked as a head coach and athletic administrator for 18 years.

Porter was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008, recognition for his work at Fort Valley (where he led the program from 1979-84) as well as stints at former Division I-AA programs Mississippi Valley (from 1961-65) and Howard University (from 1974-78). He was previously inducted into the Mississippi Valley hall, and then the Southwestern Athletic Conference hall.

At Fort Valley, Porter won six conference championships and made two NCAA playoff appearances on his way to seven league coach of the year honors.

“Fort Valley was a good fit for me,” Porter said. “We found that they had a strong group of followers, and they had established a good winning tradition. As with Grambling, I was happy to be a part of that.”

Porter was an offensive assistant to GSU legend Eddie Robinson between stops at Mississippi Valley and Howard. He mentored quarterbacks James “Shack” Harris, Matthew Reed and Doug Williams (pictured with Porter, at left) as Grambling won six SWAC titles in those eight years.

HEAT OF THE MOMENT
Broadway, who coached defensive linemen for six seasons at the University of Florida with Steve Spurrier, has unique insight into that state’s sweltering heat as Grambling prepares for its 2009 opener at Orlando.

You can’t beat it.

So, control what you can control.

“Our preparation has been about fundamentals and execution and technique,” Broadway said. “We’ll try to rotate guys and keep them fresh. Hopefully, we can coach our second-line guys to give somebody a rest. You can’t play that fast and that hard in that kind of heat for long.”

Grambling faces South Carolina State at 2 p.m. Sept. 6 in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge.

Broadway left the Gators’ staff for North Carolina after the 2000 season – leading NC-Central to a pair of league titles over a three-year head-coaching stint – and has been in Louisiana since 2007.

He’s never forgotten those summers with Spurrier.

“Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. will be hot; I understand that,” Broadway said. “Even at Florida, when we were practicing in that weather, our first ball games we would have more kids in the training room than in the locker room. It’s going to be brutal.”