MIAMI (March 22, 2016) – The FIU football team wrapped up Day Four of spring practice Tuesday morning from Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
 
Following a 10-day break due to Spring Break, the Panthers resumed practice with their second day in pads. 
 
FIUSports.com caught up with Head Coach Ron Turner and running back Alex Gardner after practice.

Head Coach Ron Turner

Coming off of Spring Break Today's energy was really, really good. You know, you never know what it's going to be like after spring break, how much they did during spring break and working out and all that. We finished up three practices over a week ago, then we came back today. Day number four was better than the previous three. So, that's a good sign. We had a light workout yesterday and the guys looked like there wasn't a drop-off.  Today was a very good practice. Definitely our best one to date.   Second Day in Pads I was pleased with the effort today. I told them this after practice that I thought they did a really good job of being physical, competing really, really hard and making each other better. Our team was also being smart. We weren't tackling, we weren't going to the ground. We weren't doing any off that. Sometimes guys get carried away, do a cheap shot or some other stuff but I didn't see any of that today.   Expectations for this Week As I told them, each day we just got to get better. (Day) Four is better than three, five has got to be better than four. We will be out here with pads on Thursday and need to be a little bit better than today. We've got a lot of things we can clean up. I told the team we can all get better. I've got some things I can coach better.  The team's got some things they could do better and whatever you got to work on, work on; come out here and just be a little bit better.

Running Back Alex Gardner

The Team's Energy Today Today's energy was really, really good. You never know what it's going to be like after spring break.  I believe the energy and focus is there and we can improve a lot more, but it's there. I know we are trying to change this program and get it to the top.   On Entering his Junior Year It feels great, I understand everything. I can play smooth and don't have to worry about everything. The game has slowed down a lot for me, so it's good.   On this Year's Running Back Corps We're a dominant group. I believe we're going to be the best group on the team. That's what we're striving for, to be the best. We got a heck of a backfield. Napoleon Maxwell is coming back from his injury, Anthony Jones is in the backfield permanent now, and myself. Couple that with the new additions here this spring, it's a good mixture.   On having Multiple Options in the Backfield It's going to be great. Everybody's going to be fresh. It's going to be easier for one of us to try and break that big play. I think it's going to help us tremendously because of fresh legs.

Remaining FIU Football Spring Practice Schedule
Thursday, March 24             9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Friday, March 25                  6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29              9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, March 31             9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 2                  9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, April 5                  9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, April 7                 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 9                  9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, April 12                9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, April 14               9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Friday, April 15                 (7:00 p.m. – Spring Game)
 
#####
 
The 2016 FIU football season will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 1, when the Panthers host the Indiana Hoosiers.

FIU's 2016 schedule is highlighted with games against Miami Beach Bowl and 2016 C-USA champion WKU, R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl champion Louisiana Tech, St. Petersburg Bowl champion Marshall, Popeyes Bahama Bowl participant Middle Tennessee, and New Era Pinstripe Bowl participant Indiana. In addition, the Panthers will face Maryland, Massachusetts, UCF, Florida Atlantic, UTEP, Charlotte and Old Dominion. 
 
For FIU football ticket information, contact the University Credit Union Box Office at 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263).
 
For the latest information on Panthers football, follow us on Twitter, @FIUFootball, and check out Pete Pelegrin's in-depth coverage of FIU Athletics on his official blog, The Prowl, at www.FIUSports.com.

 
#####

About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $8.9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.