HAWKS SELECT TEAM CAPTAINS FOR FOOTBALL

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Four Huntingdon seniors were announced as team captains on Thursday.

Receiver Cody Pearcy, defensive back Keith Anthony, linebacker Kirk Johnson and offensive lineman Eric Stroud were chosen by their teammates to serve as captains this season.

"As far as I'm concerned, being voted a team captain by your teammates is the highest honor a football player can receive," Huntingdon head coach Mike Turk said. "These four guys are all leaders, good players and guys that have been here and paid their dues. I'm proud of them and happy for them."

Stroud said it's an incredible feeling to be selected by his teammates.

 "I know it's something I'm proud to be able to tell my family about," said Stroud, who started every game as a junior. "Keith, Cody and Kirk are each deserving of this. Keith was a captain last year and is a standout player on defense, Kirk is a hard-nosed player that means a lot to this program and we learned last year what could happen when we threw the ball to Pearcy. With the changes we had at quarterback, he was a big factor in the level of success we had."

The announcement of captains highlighted the eighth day of preseason practice and the second two-a-day session of the season. Stroud said he likes what he sees in this team.

"In my four years here, I've never seen this level of intensity," Stroud said. "In the past, we might have had it for a day here or a day there, but not like this. Our level of emotion has been way up. Today, the offense and defense were like two rams butting heads. At the end of the day we didn't know which group had a better day of practice. That's how it should be. We should challenge each other every practice."

For the competition portion of Thursday's practice, the Hawks worked on a third-and-long situation. The defense won the drill. Turk said the competition period, which was added on Wednesday, has gone well both days. The offense won a goal line competition on Wednesday.

"We're still making mistakes but we're practicing with good intensity on both sides of the ball," Turk said. "We've got people flying around and making plays on offense and defense. We still have a lot to improve on, but the bottom line is we're doing everything with the right attitude."

The Hawks return to W. James Samford Stadium today for a scrimmage at 3:30 p.m.