Aug. 4, 2000
After a disappointing 4-7 record in 1999, the Missouri Tigers' football team is ready to prove it was just a fluke. And the summer workout program is one way to gear the players towards a season that include the likes of non-conference opponents Clemson and Michigan State.
The program runs from about May 29 through August 2 and is completely voluntary. Still, more then 98 players, 90 percent of the team showed up during the summer to lift weights and run and work on their agility. It may not be the most exciting part of football, but according to strength coach Don Sommer it's an extreme importance in gearing up for the upcoming season.
"Our big focus in the summertime is being in shape, being in condition to play the whole game. We're not going to neglect the strength aspect because we try to physically dominate everyone we play, but we have to be ready to play 60 minutes, or even five quarters if there is an overtime."
Sommer, entering his 12th season at MU has a job that is more then weights and measures, so don't let the muscles fool you. Most of the players rarely see their families unless it's for winter break. He feels that in order to win, you not only have to strengthen the body, but the heart and mind as well.
"It's a multi-faceted position. It's more then just lifting weights. We see these kids more then their own families see them."
During the summer, players workout Monday through Friday, with an off day on Wednesday. A typical day consists of an hour of running and an hour of lifting. But some players like defensive ends Justin Smith and Daryl Whittington work out as much as four hours a day. But rest assured, those who do work out the usual two hours aren't getting off easy.
Senior defensive tackle Danny McCamy, originally a walkon, feels that without the summer workout program the team wouldn't get any better.
"It plays an important role because if other schools are working out, and we don't have the summer program we're staying the same and everyone else is getting better."
The pain and grunt work is well worth it. Sommer said his biggest pet peeve is seeing players bent or kneeled over on the field. So he has a motto, "pay me now, or pay me later, but you'll pay either way."
So instead of worrying about football and conditioning during the year, if the players can motivate themselves to come in and work out, they don't need to concentrate on just their conditioning during the season. It's still an important factor during the season, but they have a chance to focus on what's more important during the fall, and that's their next opponent.
"If you're already in shape your listening skills are going to be better and you're going to pay more attention to detail," says Sommer.
The players know they don't have to be here. But McCamy feels that even if the players were pushed to come in, that doesn't mean they'll do what they're supposed to do.
"You can motivate your fellow teammates, but for the most part it's got to come within."
The workouts are more then just weights. It's about commitment and determination. And it can be difficult to sometimes motivate a top college football team, but through the summer workout program it gives the players something to look forward to.
Junior quarterback Jim Dougherty feels that the motivational aspect could be the most important part of the workouts.
"We were a couple of plays away from being 6-5 and maybe going to a bowl game. It just matters how hard you work. That's the thing about motivation too, we were real close [to a bowl game], but weren't quite there."
The Tigers are eager to put on the pads and begin hitting again. It's not that they don't remember last year, they just choose to not dwell on it. And that's what makes a great football team even more dangerous.
"Through the program we've been able to erase the bad taste in our mouth and to make sure it doesn't happen again," comments Dougherty.
The workouts are hard, some days are harder then others, and the workouts get harder as the summer progresses. But at the same time players are getting themselves in shape and midway through the summer most players find that although the workouts don't get any easier, it's a lot easier to participate in them.
"What's exciting is the commitment of these kids," says Sommer. "They don't have to be here. They want to be good, they want to put forth the effort. And as they progress it's like watching your own kid grow up.
When asked to describe his role with the team, coach Sommer ran across words such as "motivator, teacher, psychologist, friend, father figure and disciplinarian." And it's through these six different areas that the team grows together into a family. And as a team they can take much bigger strides into the next season and make last season nothing but a memory.
And that is hard to do. The Tigers have a rich football history and it's always a disappointment when the team doesn't live up to expectations. But it takes a team to pull together and nullify any discouragement from prior seasons.
The players feel they are behind one of the best coaching staffs in the country. And when your players have not only pride and respect for themselves, but respect for the men leading them onto the field, that can be the difference between a bowl birth and an early trip home.
Summer workouts are now over, but the commitment isn't. Some players pay no attention to dates and will continue to workout until they feel they're in the best possible shape come September 2nd.
The freshmen report on August 5 and then the Tigers head to camp in Mexico, Missouri the week of August 14. Summer workouts are now behind them. The players seem to be physically ready and mentally prepared.
This team is bigger, faster and stronger and they are hungry to win. They want a bowl game. And with the help and dedication of the revised coaching staff and offense, it all seems much more reachable.