KEARNEY – The UNK Football team begin their 2023 Fall Camp on Monday morning, wrapping their first practice of the season at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium. Quarterback TJ Davis and Head Coach Ryan Held spoke with KGFW Sports Reporter Alex Hammeke at the conclusion of practice:
LOPER FOOTBALL MONDAY PRACTICE COMMENTS – TJ DAVIS & RYAN HELD:
DAVIS – NOT DONE WITH KEARNEY; PLAYING FOR CHAMPIONSHIP:
UNK Quarterback TJ Davis received his undergraduate degree from UNK in May, but elected to return for another season for the Lopers in 2023. The former Harlon Hill runner-up said he has unfinished business…
UNK finished 2022 8-3 but did not qualify for the postseason after falling to the three teams in the MIAA who earned playoff bids – Pittsburg State, Northwest Missouri State, and Emporia State.
DAVIS – BUILDING GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH NEW HEAD COACH:
TJ Davis is one of the few returning pieces for UNK Football this season. His new head coach Ryan Held arrived at the start of the new year in January, and Davis added after the Lopers first fall practice that their communication continues to build…
Davis also added he’s excited to see the expanded passing game continue to evolve in Held’s new offensive scheme.
DAVIS – LOPER PASS GAME FURTHER AHEAD THAN LAST YEAR:
UNK Quarterback TJ Davis sounded off on the further advancement of the Loper Football passing game after Monday’s opening fall practice…
Davis – routinely known for his stellar running ability – looks to open up the aerial attack for the Lopers this season after UNK has finished in the bottom three of passing yards each of his seasons in the MIAA.
HELD – COMPETING EXPECTATIONS IN MIAA:
First year UNK Football Head Coach Ryan Held spoke to the media after the first practice of the fall camp on Monday and said his team is continuing to compete against the conference’s expectations…
UNK went 8-3 last season and was picked tied for fifth in the preseason coaches poll as well as sixth in the conference media poll.
HELD – FIRST PRACTICE WAS DISCIPLINED, DETAILED, TOUGH:
First year Loper Football Head Coach Ryan Held was satisfied with his team’s first performance at Monday’s opening fall camp practice…
Held’s DDT mantra continues to showcase throughout the Loper Football program as the team looks to improve on their preseason selection of fifth place by the MIAA Coaches poll.
HELD – TEAM SPEED HAS IMPROVED SINCE SPRING:
Ryan Held – first year UNK Football head coach – was happy to see some improvements from his Lopers in the opening practice of the 2023 season Monday morning…
Held added new pieces to replace lost talent in the transfer portal and graduation, as UNK returns the lowest number of starters from 2022 in the MIAA.
