Hawks take the field for first preseason practice

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon football team opened preseason practice in shorts and helmets on Wednesday morning.

The two-time defending USA South Athletic Conference champions are coming off a 9-2 season and a second straight NCAA playoff appearance. With the loss of 28 seniors from 2016, the Hawks begin preseason practice looking to fill several key positions in preparation for the season.

Huntingdon opens the season at home against Guilford College on Sept. 2 at 1 p.m.

Head Coach Mike Turk on the first day: "As coaches, we almost always remember where we left off last season instead of where we started. We certainly have a lot of learning to do and a long way to go as coaches and as players."

Turk on having to replace 28 seniors: "We graduated quite a few and we're going to have to develop some consistency and depth. We have some guys who have played for us that we know we can count on. But we are also going to have to count on some new guys and we need them to develop. Across the board, we need to improve at every position. That's why we're out here, to get better each day. If we can find a way to improve at something every day, we have a chance to do some good things."

Turk on expectations entering the season: "The bar for this program has been set very high. The standard has been set. Each year, a team will either raise that standard or lower that standard. Our challenge is to make sure we're being positive influences on the standard that has been set and try to raise the bar."

Next Practice: The Hawks return to the field at 9 a.m. on Thursday for practice in shorts and helmets. Practices are open to the public.