After a long offseason, the Princeton football team is padded up and ready to go.

Less than two weeks until the start of the season, coach Ervin Chandler and the Panthers are excited about holding their first two-a-day practices this week.

Chandler said he’s ready to lead Princeton to a strong start.

“We had a really first good day here in the pads,” Chandler said. “It was awesome to get out there and hear the kids hitting each other. We’ve been practicing all week, but we’ve had limited contact, so the kids have gotten a little anxious. It’s good to get those pads on and to show how physical this team will be.”

The returning athletes first hit the field Aug. 9, participating in a week of light contact practices. While not in full pads, senior Gavin Champ said he was glad to see a hard, physically demanding set of practices to help the team prepare for the season.

“It feels very hectic right now,” Champ said. “It’s probably some of the hardest workouts I’ve ever had in going through these practices with the new coaches. I’m very excited for the season because we just got a lot of move-ins, and a bunch of dogs that are ready to go and just change the perception for Princeton.”

For the full story, see the August 19 issue or subscribe online.

By Jackson King * [email protected]