CLU Practice Undamped by Uncertainty : Shoup Informs Team of His Dismissal Before a Typical First Workout

It is probably the beginning of the end for Cal Lutheran football Coach Bob Shoup, but there were no apocalyptic overtones when Shoup put his squad through the first practice of the season.

Practicing under a battleship-gray sky at Mount Clef Stadium on Friday morning, the Kingsmen gave no indication that their coach had been fired.

Shoup was told Aug. 8 that this season, his 28th at Cal Lutheran, will be his last as the head football coach if school administrators get their way. He explained the situation to his players in a team meeting after they reported Thursday night.

“I gave a very brief summary of where we are so they don’t feel like it’s a big cloud hanging over the season,” Shoup said. “I told them not to get too concerned over things they don’t have control over.”

Although word of Shoup’s dismissal had spread through the team grapevine, the coach noted that many of the players had still not heard the news before they arrived for fall practice.

“Most of these guys had never even seen each other,” said Shoup, who welcomed more than 30 newcomers to the team. “I think I had more of my former players who were concerned about what’s going on.”

Shoup has built a 182-81-6 record at Cal Lutheran, but he said he didn’t give a “win-one-for-the-Gipper” speech.

“I basically outlined everything so if they hear a rumor or pick up something then they can judge for themselves,” Shoup said. “I feel right now that I owe it to them and they owe it to themselves to avoid getting caught up in a confusing issue.”

A squad of 69 players took part in the morning workout, and 11 more were waiting to take physicals. A handful of players are still trying to iron out academic difficulties, and Shoup said he expects the roster to eventually fill out to about 65 players.

“He let us know he’s not giving up on us,” said Rich Toll, a senior defensive lineman. “How the whole team feels is that we’re going to play our season and let the off-the-field antics work themselves out.”

Shoup betrayed little concern over his coaching future and seemed more worried about preparing the Kingsmen for their opener at Sonoma State on Sept. 9.

“They should outlaw first days of practice,” Shoup said after watching his team stumble and pant their way through two hours of drills, conditioning and physical testing.

Now playing under Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rules, the Kingsmen were not allowed to hold spring practice, and their fall workout schedule has been abbreviated as well.

“I would like to have another four days of padded practice,” Shoup said.

Highly touted freshman Eric Weeden, a running back from Ft. Worth, Tex., was a no-show, and several other players missed practice for a variety of personal reasons.

Under SCIAC rules, the Kingsmen were not allowed to practice with pads, but several players nonetheless appeared well-padded by a summer of home cooking.

“It was really mixed,” Shoup said of his team’s conditioning. “Right now we’ve got about a third who are in great shape and a third who are in terrible shape.”