The Simpson College men’s football team is now in spring, which is the offseason due to no games happening. The team is currently doing off-season lifting and practicing for the regular season in the fall. 

Sophomore defensive lineman, Laronte “LT” Lewis gave his thoughts on how the offseason has been going.

“Pretty good so far. Stacking days and getting 1% better every day. We have our highs and lows, but we need to continue to remain consistent on our high days,” he said. 

This last season Simpson College and former head coach Matt Jeter parted ways after he spent seven years with the team. This resulted in the hiring of a new head coach Reed Hoskins. 

Lewis expressed his appreciation for the new coaching staff and the impact they are having on the team.

“I definitely have a lot of respect for them because while we’re up at 6:25 AM on the field for our runs they are right outside with us watching and giving pointers,” Lewis said. 

Sophomore defensive lineman Jaxon Carlson expressed a similar liking to the coaches and the style they were implementing.

“The new coaching staff is amazing, and they bring energy every day. The coaching styles are definitely different so far but it’s a good style we got going,” Carlson said. 

“Different coaches mean different terminology and different techniques,” Lewis said. “It takes a minute to shake the old habits and bring in the new. That’s what this spring is for, to get the installments and the basics, so come fall, it’s a refresher.” 

With the offseason also comes new lifting that is catered specifically to improving rather than the lifting that takes place during football season, which is designed not to wear your body down.

“The reason off-season lifting is harder is because that is the only practicing that we really do and that is the time to get stronger and faster,” Carlson said. “In-season, we’re beating up our bodies a little more, so we have to have lifts pulled back a little bit, so our bodies are hopefully a little fresher,” 

“Off-season lifting is only bad when it comes to the first two weeks of it all, once your body gets acclimated, it evens out. Getting up in the morning is the hardest part but once you get going, it becomes easier,” Lewis said. 

The team will continue to work in the offseason to their goals with hopes of becoming a winning program under new head coach Reed Hoskins. The team has plans for at least one scrimmage this spring as well.

“Win games, point blank, we want to flip the script and build a winning culture in our program. My goal individually is to help the team however I can,” Carlson said.