Coach takes charge

It was just after 9:30 a.m. when Greg McMackin strolled onto the field for his first practice of fall camp.

And with that, the switch went on.

McMackin, whose vocal cords had gotten plenty of work while appearing at various speaking engagements over the summer, turned up the volume in putting the Warriors through a sweltering 2-hour workout to open fall camp.

"It's really great to get in the football aspect," McMackin said. "I have a different demeanor when I'm out here, obviously this is business. I had a great time visiting with a lot of people the last five or six months, but this is business. We're getting ready to go to battle. We have a lot of work to do."

The offense and defense stayed on separate ends of the field with McMackin observing the various position groups, taking particular interest in the quarterbacks and receivers where the Warriors are replacing record-setting seniors off last year's Western Athletic Conference champions.

McMackin said the units will come together for 7-on-7 drills starting tomorrow.

"Balls were thrown good, guys were catching the football. I think we're ahead of where we thought we'd be," he said.

One element missing from opening day was the dreaded 220s conditioning test, a staple of opening day under June Jones. Instead, the Warriors can expect more regular doses of running as they prepare for the Aug. 30 opener at Florida.

"It was very effective running," junior quarterback Inoke Funaki said. "From what I heard it seems like we're going to be running like that throughout camp, not just the 220 test and then kind of ease off. It's good, even though I complained during the running. I know it's good for us."