First Two-A-Day Marks Camp Ramp Up

The second week of preseason camp started with a twist.

The Boston College football team hit Shea Field bright and early on Monday morning, making its way out to the practice field for a 7 a.m. start.

But it wasn't because of high heat and humidity, or even because the team has an event later in the day.

Instead, Monday marked the first of three scheduled two-a-day sessions for the team this preseason.

While the Eagles are allowed to schedule several double sessions given their practice schedule, head coach Steve Addazio prefers to keep that number low – this year just two full double sessions and one double that includes a walk-through as the second period.

"We don't run a lot of double sessions here," he said. "We have the ability to have far more than we take. I'm not huge into them. I like a couple, three of them."

The Northeast's weather pattern inevitably turns swampy in mid-August, with intense heat and humidity baking the region for a brief stretch. That's been no different during the last week since preseason camp started, and Addazio and his staff make sure to work the Eagles out in a smart fashion.

"When we do have doubles, we go full pads in the morning and spiders in the afternoon, not even shoulder pads," Addazio said. "I think we do a great job of keeping a safe atmosphere while we push."

Addazio likens the compressed preseason schedule to someone trying to over-pack for a trip … which is a bit ironic given the Eagles start the season in Ireland on Sept. 3, against Georgia Tech in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic (7:30 a.m. ET | ESPN2)

"What you're trying to accomplish is you're trying to get 10 pounds of work in a five-pound bag," he said. "You're trying to maximize yourself and while you're doing that, you're trying to make sure you're doing the best you can to take care of your players.

"Having said that, this is that time of year where it's supposed to get hard. Your legs are supposed to be tired, you're supposed to be banged up and you're supposed to be beat up. You're learning how to handle all of that right now. Training camp is not supposed to be when you feel terrific. You try to bring them into it, and then slowly bring them back before you open the season," Addazio said.

For their part, the Eagles recognize the thought that goes into the planning and execution of their few double sessions.

"The first practice is just like all the other practices," sophomore offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom said. "The coaches really take care of us. We go to the ice tubs, relax our bodies and have meetings. For the second practice, we're only in spiders today, we'll work more on technique stuff. But the first practice is just like every other practice."

Junior defensive back Gabriel McClary noted that he reminds the younger players that it's easier to get the hardest work out of the way early when you can.

"It's easier to do it now than in the game," McClary said. "Two-a-days stink, but it's better to work hard now than to lose. I put that out there for the freshmen to chew on."

Addazio added, "The goal of training camp is maximizing your teaching, maximizing your installation, maximizing that – and it's also training. Physical training. And pushing them into a zone that is hard. It's both, obviously within an atmosphere of safety. We're very, very conscious of it."

After today, there will be just two more double sessions on the calendar among the 15 days remaining until the Eagles depart for Dublin to open the 2016 season.

Boston College Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Chris Lindstrom

Gabriel McClary

Related Videos