TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The first training camp for Indiana State under new head coach Curt Mallory is underway, as the Sycamores held their first full practice of the fall this morning at Memorial Stadium.
 
The Sycamores are in helmets-only for the first two days, and in helmets and shoulder pads for the following two before going live in full pads on Saturday. However, the energy level carried straight over from spring practices into today's camp opener.
 
"We knew we would come out there with some energy, but we've got to follow up tomorrow's practice with the same type of energy," Mallory said. "We've got some things we have to clean up, which is normal for your first day."
 
Helping keep the momentum going from the spring was a regiment of player-only practices throughout the summer, led by the Sycamore seniors to try and gain an edge for the 2017 season.
 
"We've got a good group of seniors, and they've done a good job this summer of running those practices and really leading this team, and it's showing," Mallory said. "They're having fun, they're playing with energy, and they're just a lot of fun to be around, and we look forward to getting better each and every day."
 
Indiana State is coming off a 4-7 season in 2016 and a 5-6 season in 2015 after going 8-6 in 2014, earning ISU's first trip to the FCS Playoffs since 1984 (and its first win in the playoffs since 1983).
 
Mallory, who was named head coach on Jan. 23, inherited a Sycamore team that returns 37 total letterwinners (17 offense, 17 defense, three special teams), and 11 total starters (five offense, four defense, two special teams).
 
Mallory and staff will be looking at several areas for potential position battles throughout camp, including at quarterback. During the spring, four quarterbacks – redshirt senior Aaron Young, redshirt junior Isaac Harker, redshirt freshman Zach Larkin and redshirt freshman Cade Sparks – each earned equal reps.
 
"We've got to make some decisions, and we're going to put these guys in positions to prove themselves," Mallory said.


 
One area the Sycamores don't have to worry about will be running back, where ISU is extremely deep. Chief among them is redshirt senior LeMonte Booker, who returns after missing the 2016 season due to an injury sustained in spring practice that season.
 
The Sycamores were picked to finish 10th in the very competitive Missouri Valley Football Conference, but Booker sees that as a motivating factor for Indiana State this training camp heading into the season opener under the lights vs. Eastern Illinois at home on Aug. 31.
 
"There's a fire," Booker said. "Especially looking at the preseason rankings and – I don't really care about them – but the fact that we were ranked and we're going to be underdogs in every game has brought us a lot closer, and we're really looking forward to it."
 
Stay tuned to GoSycamores.com – as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages – for extensive coverage and position previews this season, including video content courtesy of Luke Martin.