UAlbany Football Week One Roundup

ALBANY, N.Y. – After winning six Northeast Conference championships in a 14-year tenure, including back-to-back titles in 2011-12, a new era of University at Albany football began this week with the start of training camp.

The 2013 Great Danes put on helmets, purple and gold jerseys, and shorts and walked together to the practice fields early Monday morning for the first official practice of the Colonial Athletic Association era. On the practice fields adjacent to the squad’s brand new home, Bob Ford Field, UAlbany began with the fundamentals with limited contact on days one and two and progressed to uppers on Wednesday and Thursday.

After four days of blue sky, Friday featured some drizzling rain, but the excitement surrounding the first practice with full pads outweighed the weather.

The Danes will play the season’s first offense versus defense intrasquad scrimmage Saturday on the practice field at 9:00 a.m.  All are welcome to attend.

In addition to practice, team meetings, position meetings, lifting sessions, and walk-throughs this week, the squad also took time to speak with the media following the first practice of the season and had their official headshots taken Tuesday afternoon.  

UAlbany opens its 2013 campaign on the road at Duquesne August 31st and then travels to Colgate Sept. 7th. The Great Danes welcome Rhode Island to Bob Ford Field for the stadium’s inaugural game and first CAA clash Sept. 14^th at 7:00 p.m.

The pristine 8,500 seat stadium features a turf field, state-of-the-art video board and sound system, luxury suites, as well as chair-back, bench, and grass berm seating options. Season and single game tickets are on sale now. Click here to explore ticketing options.

IN THE NEWS

“Ford up for latest challenge”  – Pete Iorizzo, Times Union

“Fiacchi off on the right foot” – Pete Iorizzo, Times Union

“UAlbany football ready to start anew in CAA” – Andrew Santillo, Troy Record

“UAlbany stadium, from dream to dream park” – Andrew Santillo, Community News/The Saratogian

“UAlbany football practice begins” – Daily Gazette photo gallery

“Great Danes start preparing for CAA” – Rob Jonas, Spotlight News

“UAlbany begins preseason football camp” – NewsCenter10 video

“Great Danes open camp” – CBS6 video

“Football first practice of 2013” – UAlbany Athletics video

QUOTES FROM TRAINING CAMP

“Some people might think that my position, that I have a lock on it, but if you approach it like that, you’ll lose it. You have to approach every day like it’s a competition.” – junior quarterback Will Fiacchi on his starting role.

“Will had a great season last year. He throws the ball very well. He’s mechanically sound. He’s a good leader. He protects the football, understands the gameplan.” – Coach Ford on Will Fiacchi.

“There are three ways to win in college football. You can out-recruit your opponents. That’s what we did in the NEC, but we’re not going to out-recruit most teams in the CAA. The second way to win is to out-coach your opponent. And the third thing you can do is out-develop your players. Those are things we’ve got to do.” – Coach Ford on his coaching philosophy.

“We still have the same goals and the same expectations.” — senior offensive lineman Kadeem Williams on entering the program’s first season in the CAA.

“We expect to be competitive and be tough on the field, and make teams respect us.” – freshman Ryan Griffin.