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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Army nose tackle Mike Gann said he understands the importance of proper time management and believes it makes football less stressful.
WEST POINT, N.Y. » Army’s football players are asked to be all they can be.
They just need to finish before 7 p.m.
"I want to get them out of here at a reasonable time," said head coach Rich Ellerson, whose Black Knights play host to Hawaii on Saturday.
By his 7 p.m. curfew, the players will have completed practice, meetings, showers and dinner. No overtime is allowed for the players.
"It’s funny," nose tackle Mike Gann said. "I try to spend as much time as possible up here (at the athletic complex). I’ve done that my whole career. To have a coach kick us out of the stadium is funny."
Ellerson, whose football career includes stints as a UH player and coach, has tried to emphasize time management since being hired at the military academy in 2009.
"He wants you to come in, get your work done, and get out," quarterback Trent Steelman said. "He wants you to focus on your academics."
On Sundays, the players have a favorite hangout.
"The whole team is in the library," said cornerback Antuan Aaron, an engineering major. "We spend the whole day doing homework. It’s the exact opposite of any other college. At other places, Friday and Saturday nights are party times. For us, it’s getting our work done."
It has been said the Black Knights like to paint the town beige. Few wander off a campus that has all of the essentials of a town: Fast-food restaurants, stores, gas stations, post office. It is estimated the campus regularly has a population of 10,000.
During free nights, fullback Jared Hassin said: "I like to go up to my room and do homework and maybe watch a movie."
Ellerson said: "Our belief is that on the busiest night, on the most demanding night, they’re in bed by 11. Getting rest is very important."
Gann said the strict schedule should prove to be beneficial.
"It’s going to make more time for football at the end," Gann said. "If we can get our academics done, that’s less to worry about. We’re not going to be stressed in practice or on a daily basis. Teaching us time management is really important."
Ellerson said the coaches evaluate videos of the previous game on Sundays. There are no practices on Mondays.
On Tuesdays, the players will learn their specific assignments for the coming game. Yesterday, there were to-watch lists of UH’s strategies posted on the walls of the indoor practice facility.
While the majority of the Black Knights warmed up, several defensive players were outside receiving tutoring from Ellerson.
"As a team, we didn’t look at any Hawaii stuff last week or the preseason," Gann said. "This week we’re all geared to Hawaii. We don’t even know who we’re playing next week. Our focus is really on one team at a time."
Aaron said: "It’s like cramming for an exam."
Did the Black Knights check out last week’s nationally televised game between UH and Southern California
"I didn’t see much of it," Steelman said. The telecast "came on around here at 11. The big thing here is to get some sleep."
