AMHERST — It hasn’t happened often, but Tuesday marked a rare occasion for the UMass football team. The start of spring practice actually felt like spring.
UMass coach Mark Whipple said his team practicing well in good weather was a pleasant surprise.
“They looked good, good attitude,” Whipple said. “Sometimes when the weather is good they don’t practice great. But they did today. They were excited to be here. I think they were tired of winter conditioning.”
Sophomore linebacker Shane Huber echoed his coach.
“It’s been a good offseason, but I know everyone is excited to put their helmets back on, get out there, run around and start doing some more football-specific stuff,” Huber said. “It’s fun. The coaches are fired up the players are fired up.”
Junior John Robinson-Woodgett was eager to get going.
“It’s the favorite day of the year, the first day of spring ball,” he said.
FULL-TIME FULLBACK — Robinson-Woodgett, who was a reserve linebacker who occasionally played fullback last year, has moved to offense permanently.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “Me and Marquis (Young, UMass’ likely starter at tailback) have a good relationship. I’m happy to be there. There’s things I’m still learning. The terminology is a little different. I played offense before. I’m just getting used to it all over again.”
Robinson-Woodgett is hoping to become a receiving threat out of the backfield.
“I’m an athlete. I like to think I can do it all,” he said. “When the ball gets thrown my way I’m going to catch it.”
The Springfield native roomed last year with Rodney Mills, who was an effective receiver at fullback during his final season. He’s picked his brain on playing the position.
“I asked him about certain things and how to break out my routes,” Robinson-Woodgett said.
SPRING GAME — The Minutemen will have their spring game at night for the third straight year.
The Minutemen will play on April 15. Start time and events around the game will be announced at a later date.
HEALTH — Whipple said the team was taking a cautious approach with players coming off injuries.
Whipple said offensive lineman Tyshon Henderson, safety Khary Bailey-Smith, running back Sekai Lindsay and offensive lineman Lukas Kolter, who are all returning from injury, will do some work, but be limited.
“Having the summer (workouts) helps,” Whipple said. We’re not going to jeopardize somebody.”
EARLY STANDOUT — Whipple said without watching practice tape a few players caught his attention.
“Teddy Lowery is a guy that we brought in that looked like he had a good day,” Whipple said. “He can lift weights. He’s strong. He moved and looked like he’s been there before. That’s what we’re looking for the first day.”
Whipple said Lowery, a junior transfer from Tyler Junior College in Texas, would play the same linebacker/safety hybrid role that Joey Colton and Zeke Edmonds filled last year.
Patrick Amara, a junior transfer from Pittsburgh who’ll sit out the 2016 season, offensive lineman Jack Driscoll and defensive lineman D’Shan Harley, who both redshirted in the fall, also drew praise.
OFFENSIVE LINE COACH TBA — UMass expects to announce its new offensive line coach shortly. The position opened when Shane Waldron took a job with the Washington Redskins as an offensive quality control coach.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage