First-year University of the Incarnate Word football coach Larry Kennan isn't the excitable type, but his anticipation for the start of spring training was palpable late Monday afternoon.
Ditto for UTSA coach Larry Coker, whose Roadrunners also were scheduled to begin spring drills Tuesday.
"I'm really looking forward to getting started because I'm anxious and excited to see how much we've improved," Coker said.
Weather permitting, UTSA was scheduled to begin its first spring workout Tuesday morning at Farris Stadium.
"If the weather is bad, we won't practice," Coker said.
Both UTSA and UIW are allowed 15 spring workouts under NCAA rules.
For Kennan, the Cardinals' first workout of the spring Tuesday afternoon will mark another milestone in his return to coaching since he resigned as executive director of the NFL Coaches Association last December to succeed Mike Santiago.
Kennan, 67, hasn't coached with a team since 1997 when he was offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots.
"I haven't been this excited for a long time," Kennan said. "I told the team that I was going to have patience with them because they were learning a new defense and a new offense, and I wanted them to have patience with me because I haven't been through a practice like this in a long time and I was going to be like a little kid. I can hardly wait until tomorrow afternoon."
UIW will practice at Benson Stadium, on the school's campus, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 3 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. The Cards' workouts are open to the public,
UTSA will end spring training with its spring game at 2 p.m. April 15 at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners finished 4-6 in their inaugural season last year, and set NCAA start-up program records for opening-game attendance (56,743) and average season attendance (35,521.
UTSA kicks off its 2012 season at South Alabama on Thursday, Aug. 30. The Roadrunners competed in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA, last year, and will move into the Western Athletic Conference this season. The WAC is in the Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A.
UIW has competed in NCAA Division II in its first three seasons, but will begin making the transition to the FCS this year. The Cards went 2-8 overall and 2-6 in the Lone Star Conference last year.
UIW's annual Red-Black spring game is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 14 at Benson Stadium.
Spring training notes: Charlie Reeve has joined UTSA's staff as tight ends coach, replacing Kevin Brown, who was promoted to offensive coordinator after Travis Bush resigned to become running backs coach at the University of Houston. A former assistant coach at Texas State, Reeve coached the wide receivers at Odessa Permian last year. "We're glad to have him," Coker said of Reeve. "He'll do a great job for us." . . . The coaching staff at UIW also has gone through some changes this offseason. Brian Gamble, who coached the defensive line the past three seasons, is now the Cards' defensive coordinator. Former defensive coordinator Todd Ivicic was moved to running backs coach.
