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ATHENS, Ohio— Fall camp is underway and the 2023 season is right around the corner for the Bobcats. Special teams coordinator and linebackers coach Nate Faanes is looking forward to developing the younger athletes in his position group.
What is something you are most excited about this season?
Faanes: It's my favorite time of year right now because you're going into fall camp and building the team up, guys are competing and flying around. It's the start of the build, the start of the climb, so it's my favorite part of the year. I'm excited to see the guys start rolling again. It's been a while.
What do you hope to do with your position group throughout fall camp?
Faanes: I think whenever you're talking spring ball or fall camp, I think one of the big points of emphasis is always building depth and creating competition. We've got a pretty good mix, whether it's the linebackers or specialists, of older guys that have played and younger guys that are still finding their way and figuring it out.
Is there any way you create that competition?
Faanes: For special teams, we do certain drills that are 'OK, this is a competition drill. Here's the matchup' and guys are competing. It's pretty fun to watch.
Reflecting back on last season, what is something you learned that you want to apply to this season?
Faanes: Every year, I am proud of the guys that fight through adversity. You go throughout a football season, whether it's injuries or whatever it is, there's always going to be some sort of adversity, and guys learn from that part of it. (They) find ways to get better and find ways to win. Watching their growth has been pretty fun and that's something I've learned. (They) keep climbing the mountain, and that's the biggest takeaway. The path is never what you think it's going to be.
What is something you are excited about this season?
Faanes: I've been here since 2016. Two of the older guys — Bryce (Houston) and Keye (Thompson) — have been here almost as long as I have. They're unbelievable players and great people. Just watching their growth, I'm excited to watch them and everybody in that room fly around.
Do you have any favorite moments with Bryce and Keye?
Faanes: I like to go back and pull up film from when they were freshmen just to show them how far they've come and how different things have gotten from that time period. I think for both of them, it was 2019 when they first broke in and started seeing results on the field. They were getting reps and building confidence, and I think that's my favorite memory.
What's a goal you have for the special teams this season?
Faanes: No. 1, there are six very capable people in that room right now. I think throughout fall camp, and depending on the season, we obviously want to be at our best by the end of fall camp, but again, it's about the competition part early on because there are six guys that are pretty talented. It's a good mix of some older guys and some younger guys, but it's about building your confidence through fall camp. We're going to have a true freshman kicker, so how do you build their confidence transitioning into the college game? I think that is the goal for some of the younger guys, to have different speeds. Kicking a field goal in high school is different than kicking a field goal in college.
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