He had finished first for three straight years in the one-mile run that opens fall practice.

He returned for fall practice, made the squad and wept the day the team picture was taken with him wearing jersey No. 72.

It has been a start that some of the players quietly envisioned when fall practice began.

He had open heart surgery during the offseason, but was back by the start of fall practice.

"And we were just starting a week of fall practice."

It's a heck of way to start off fall practice.

Otherwise they would have had to wait until mid-August, when fall practice begins.

The first official fall practice will open on Tuesday, August 11.

I didn't have to motivate this team during fall practice.

"I hadn't been making those plays in fall practice," Battle said.