By T. Scott Boatright

After Grambling State’s first preseason practice of the year, coach Mickey Joseph said his only mission for his team before the start of the regular season is to continue to improve day by day.

And after Saturday’s team scrimmage at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium, Joseph must have felt his mission up to that point had been accomplished.

“I thought we were better in all three phases of the game, but we have to go back and look at the video,” Joseph said. “We have to look at individual players and missed assignments and all that. The coaches will evaluate it and I’ll get the grades and then I’ll know more.”

GSU’s first practice game of the preseason featured referees, and Joseph believes his team needs that now.

“Last year we had the most penalties in the country,” Joseph said. “So we want to make sure we have referees at our practice games so we can try to reduce those. That’s part of the training we do with our team.”

“That’s why we had the referees here and told them to call it close. We told them if they think they see it, to call it and then the coach can see it on film and explain it to the players. So that’s a very important thing.”

The G-Men shined on both sides of the ball, and the offense did a solid job of moving the ball and finding gold.

“The offense often looks good in the first practice game,” Joseph said. “Because after a while they’ve seen the same coverage and the same front for six or seven days and they’re happy with what they see.”

“So next week will probably be a turning point because the defense will probably step up and turn it up. But I was impressed with the offense. I knew what (offensive coordinator Eric) Dooley can do with that offense. And I know what (defensive coordinator) Rollins can do with the defense.”

Former Ruston High School running back K’Travion Hargrove, who came from Memphis by way of Mississippi State, appears to have found a home again in Lincoln Parish, handling much of the running work at the start of the practice game before making way for the rest of the Tigers’ running back corps.

“I like what Bull can do,” Joseph said. “I know what Bull can do, so now I’m really looking to see the other backs and see what they can do. Bull is a kid who runs 20 to 25 times a game. He’s a great kid. He’s a great person and we’re glad to have him back home. He’s going to play a big role for us on offense.”

Joseph said the focus in further training will be on his defense.

“We have to get better in the run game as far as the A gap,” Joseph said. “We have to pressure more. And these guys understand that. They know they have to know the personnel and when certain backs come in, they’re going to face the run. So we have to have gap integrity.”

“And that’s exactly what we didn’t have today – the gap integrity. But we’re getting better. They go through this every day, so I’m absolutely confident they’re going to get this fixed.”

Joseph said he was pleased with his defense’s opportunistic play, which resulted in numerous turnovers.

“We talk about turnovers,” Joseph said. “We talk about knocking the ball away and making interceptions and stuff like that, so I was happy to see that today.”