Chris Lang's article on Stephen Sene
Posted: August 9th, 2006, 9:32 am
http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Sate ... th=!sports
LU lineman looking for strong senior season
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
August 8, 2006
Stephen Sene made a promise to Liberty's athletic training staff well before the Flames hit the field for their first practice last Thursday.
Those body cramps he got last summer on the first day, those weren't happening again. No way.
That's how out of shape the offensive lineman was when he showed up to camp last summer. Instead of working out with his new teammates in Lynchburg, the former South Carolina lineman instead stayed home in Columbia to prepare for the season.
Then on the first day of camp, he cramped up, an ominous sign of what was to come later in the year. Counted on as an impact transfer, Sene never found a groove and slumped with the rest of the offensive line as the Flames finished 1-10.
"I was carrying a little bit of weight that I really didn't like," Sene said. "I think that really took a toll."
Last week, Flames coach Danny Rocco mentioned Sene's name out of the blue, talking about how impressed he with the 6-foot-6, 320-pounder's offseason conditioning.
To wit, Sene looks leaner and quicker in 2006. He stayed in Lynchburg for most of the summer to work out with his teammates and Flames strength coach Bill Gillespie.
After a disappointing junior season, Sene is practicing like someone who has a massive point to prove in the fall.
"Considering it's my last year, I just wanted to come back in the best shape that I could," Sene said. "I'm trying to work as hard as I can to have a good season."