Bulldogs, Cumbie looking for improved spring intent

Sonny Cumbie’s message could be heard halfway across the practice field.

As the Bulldogs wrapped up their 10th spring practice Tuesday, the field goal unit came out for a two-minute final session of kicks to close the morning out.

But Cumbie’s mind wasn’t on his field goal unit’s results. He could see some players knew the clock was their friend, and the morning practice would be over in a matter of seconds.

It wasn’t going to fly, not if the Bulldogs want to be different than their 3-9 showing last season.

“If the success of this team means a great deal to you, you’re gonna be paying attention and you’re gonna be watching and you’re going to hope he makes it just like you will at the end of a half, end of a game,” Cumbie said, explaining why he called out players as practice concluded.

Tech staff and players know they can’t spend this spring coasting by.

There’s too much work to be done if the the Bulldogs want to become a threat again in Conference USA.

Dakota White, a three-year starter on the offensive line for Tech, said as much after practice to the media. Among technique fixes and constant energy, White said his own approach to practice and reps has been a major flip from last offseason to now.

“Me personally, I just feel like my attitude, just me having the want-to everyday,” White said. “I had to make a decision for myself that I wanted to get it, so it’s time to do it.”

White watched last year as the Bulldogs battled injuries and admitted lapses in effort that cost the team chances when it counted.

Now, the hope is this spring can be a reminder and reset for returners like White, and wide receiver Julien Lewis.

Lewis, a redshirt sophomore, got his shot last season and met it head on with career highs in receptions (18) and yards (187) after appearing in one game the previous two seasons.

He’s not willing to compromise and revert to where he was. He views this spring as his chance to keep improving and picking up where he left off last season.

“Being that last year I kind of got my feet wet with some playing time for the first time, this time around I’m really trying to go with this one,” Lewis said. “Resetting, getting my back in my playbook, catching extra passes.”

Lewis, along with White, Cecil Singleton, Carson Bruno, and others were named directly by Cumbie after practice as examples of players taking messaging to heart and wanting to come out to practice each day and work, not check the time.

For the second-year head coach, demanding true intent from the Bulldogs has been the mission throughout spring, and with four practices left before the spring game April 22, Cumbie feels things are moving in the right direction.

But if there’s a chance to get better, he won’t back down from making sure his team is coming out ready to work, not just being present.

“You don’t want to confuse activity with results,” Cumbie said. “Do you just go out for two hours and walk around or do you have a purpose of getting better? And it’s really on us as coaches to set the expectation of what we want to improve on and how we want to do it and why. I think they do understand how close we were last year in some games but also how far off we were in a lot of areas, and I think we’ve closed a gap in some areas.”