For head coach Jeremy Pruitt the start of bowl practice has been back to the ABC’s of football. And for the former teacher, teaching ball brings a smile to his face.

“We spent the first five days just focusing on us. We’ll go back to camp practice or spring practice and go through our initial five-day install and get back to basics and give everybody lots of opportunities. We won’t get started working on our opponent until the sixth practice, the first five days we’ve really got to focus on us,” Pruitt said.

“Every practice is important. Nobody is guaranteed anything but that day. Football is such a developmental game, nobody can afford to take a day off. If you took the average of when everybody’s career ends, it is probably 22, maybe even less than that. If you get an opportunity to play beyond that, which there will be some that do, it is a short period, so you better take advantage of every opportunity that you have.”

According to the players young and old, the fundamental work has been a welcomed site after three months of living in game prep.

“It’s been huge,” linebacker Henry To’o To’o said. “It’s kind of human nature for someone to fall away from what they were built upon. Having these few days to work on those has been huge. My first steps, jumping back into the zone, this time period is huge for me.”

Freshman Eric Gray set a freshman record for yards in a single game against Vanderbilt. The Memphis native admits he wouldn’t have mind playing the next week to stay in a groove. He has used this week on the practice field to knock off any rust and to work on the things that limited his playing time throughout the season.

“It’s really just getting back to the speed of the game again. Learning that holes close quicker. Getting my steps right as far as making people miss at this level,” Gray said of his fundamental focus this week.

The fundamental work is not just big for the young players on this team. It’s also important for the veterans. Nigel Warrior is playing his best football. He creates the coaching staff for regaining his confidence and his understanding of the defense. Warrior said this week has been key for him to tighten everything up.

“It’s really important,” Warrior said. “Fundamentals are always important. Your fundamentals are going to always work because that’s your foundation. It’s real important. I work on them everyday and try not to take a rep off.”

“Having more practices, having more reps, and having another game, having those reps helps you for next year and not everyone is getting them. We didn’t get them last year.

“For me this work helps you for the next level. It’s just more work and more film for you to study.”

There’s no question this team got better throughout the season. They didn’t just get better because of game plans and schemes. This team’s success winning 6 of their last 7 was a result of their fundamental improvements as individuals, positions groups and as a team.

Improvement Pruitt has continued to try and build on this week with camp style practices before game planning for Indiana.