Game week finally here for Faulkner
Faulkner head coach Jim Nichols had to wonder at times if this week would ever arrive. For nearly a year and a half he's been in the mode of building his program, starting in June of 2006 with one assistant coach and no office space. Now, almost 16 months later, it's game week.
Finally.
"At times it's been tough, waiting for the real thing to get here,'' Nichols admitted. "Now that it's finally here, I'm having to pinch myself. It's neat to hear people say 'good luck this weekend.' It make you realize that we actually have a game to play. It's kind of surreal.''
The Eagles play their inaugural football game Saturday at Pikeville (Ky.) at 12:30 p.m. The game can be heard on WLWI-AM1440.
As gameday creeps closer, Nichols admits the nerves are starting to show.
"To be honest I think there's no more nerves left for me,'' he joked. "I want everyone to be nervous. If you're not nervous something is wrong. Right now our main goal is to get there safely, and get everyone off the bus. There's no doubt that we're all excited. We've gone from wondering if it would ever get here to being just a few days away. You can sense an urgency at practice among our players. There seems to be that extra level of intensity and concentration. I do think we're ready.''
Faulkner practiced in full pads Tuesday and will again on Wednesday. Thursday's workout will be a light one, in only shoulder pads and helmets. After a 6 a.m. breakfast Friday morning, the 140 Faulkner players will board three buses and head to Kentucky. Nichols said he expects to arrive in Pikeville around 7 p.m. Friday night, at which point his team will have a short walk-through at the hotel. A large contingent of Faulkner faculty, staff, students and fans are expected to make the 10-hour trip to Pikeville.
"This is obviously an exciting week for Faulkner University,'' Faulkner president Billy D. Hilyer said. "I think we're all a bit anxious to see our team's first performance. I know Jim, his staff and our players have been working extremely hard. I know a lot of us will be traveling to Pikeville for the game, and I know everyone will represent the University well.''