Mailbag question: Practice times and workouts

I am wondering according to NCAA rules, when can the team as a whole start practicing? Are there rules that say how many days they can practice, etc...? Can they start this summer, or must they wait until fall?

Sorry for sounding like a moron. but if it helps, I am sending that school a lot of out of state tuition (my son) and we leave Florida every year for one month of football Saturdays at the "BIG HOUSE" so I need to at least understand this game :-)

I read your column daily (for 2 years now) trying to understand everything ... love the column!

Thanks in advance,

Brenda

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Thanks for the question and comments.

There is never a dumb question especially if you're wanting to learn.

Also, do not worry about some of the comments / e-mails we get. There are many people out there who would rather ridicule us and this blog. We are happy to answer your question and frankly this is one reason why we do this blog--to share what we see and hear in addition to the knowledge we have of Michigan football.

Spring football consists of fifteen practices; eight in full pads, and seven without pads.

Players can gather informally without the football coaches and work out as much as they like. An example of that is the 7 on 7 drills. These types of practices are usually lead by the upper classmen. Linemen will gather and work out together as well.

In August, teams are allowed a limited number of padded practices before the first game, and a limited number of double sessions.

There are also 15 bowl game preparation practices (of course you have to be invited to a bowl game to have these bowl practices) and last year that would have been very beneficial to a young team like Michigan that was also in the process of learning a whole new offensive system. Practices are where the coaches love to be, and where they see the kids improve the most.

The exception to these practice limitations is that players can have football contact with "voluntary" Strength and Conditioning workouts.

As Coach Barwis has said many times, "Breathing is voluntary, but I do not see you stop breathing". Coach Rod's comments about voluntary workouts echo this: "Playing time is voluntary as well especially if you do not go through the workouts". Coach Rod and Coach Barwis are in solid agreement about this and the kids know it. Barwis not only works with the players during his workout sessions, he also gives Coach Rod reports on the progress of the players, and this might help determine where a kid might start in the early part of the practices--how he participated and performed during the off-season.

The best thing for the Michigan program is Mike Barwis and we've said that a bunch of times. When Coach Rod was hired, his first--and best--move was bringing in Mike Barwis and it will always be that way. This is not a knock on any of the assistant coaches Michigan has now or will have in the future, but strength and conditioning is something that the Michigan program has been lacking (and lagging behind other top programs) for sometime. The effects of Barwis are not only felt by the football program, but the entire athletic department.

The most important aspect of Mike Barwis and his staff is they hold athletes and themselves accountable. They will be there and work the kids hard. They have to show up or the kids will not be in this program very long. There is no more just "signing in," going back in the corner to smoke, eat pizza and tell jokes for two hours and then leaving. You work or you go home ... Period.

He has changed the philosophy of the entire Michigan football program from the way they train, to how they train and when they train. He is the man in charge when the coaches have no contact with the kids. In fact, Coach Barwis spends more time with the players then the coaches because he works with them throughout the year.

They have a winter conditioning program along with a summer conditioning program, and they differ slightly. The summer program, besides the added heat, features a lot more running to get in top physical shape. They also have the conditioning sessions when practicing as well, but that is more about maintaining and gaining just a little bit, while the off-season is hammered hard on getting the most out of them because they do not have practices to worry about.

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Written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine