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FAYETTE, Mo. - Jody Ford's first Spring Practice session as head coach is in the books after directing Tuesday's fast-paced, three-hour workout.

Eighty student athletes, including 16 returning starters and 43 letterwinners from 2012, pushed through the intense workout at Davis Field.

Ford lauded the team's hustle, focus and desire to improve after the practice, saying the session was a sign of the team's improvement that began with offseason weight lifting and conditioning.

The Eagles, dressed out in limited gear, pushed hard throughout the workout, which featured more than an hour of position drills and individual instruction, and several periods aimed at introducing and developing schemes.

The Green and Black will return for their second spring practice Thursday afternoon, then take Saturday and Sunday off.

New Faces at Quarterback
Two quarterbacks - redshirt junior Kaleb Borghardt and redshirt sophomore Jacob Jackson - shared snaps during much of the practice.

The Eagles must replace four-year starter and record-setting signal caller Bryant Jackson. Both players looked comfortable running new offensive coordinator John Haines' spread attack.

Borghardt appeared in three games in 2012, including two starts, before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Jackson played in four games during the 2012 campaign.

Coon back in the mix at RB
Senior running back Maurice Coon returns to the field for Central Methodist after a year's absence. The Lakeland, Fla., native has played in 17 career games for the Eagles in two seasons (2010-11).

Swan Among Five Working at New Positions
Former starting cornerback Mitchell Swan is just one of five Eagles to work at a new position during the spring. The senior has moved to wide receiver along with former running back DeMarcus Jackson and quarterback Kris Porter. Jackson will be a senior, while Denton enters his sophomore season.

Sophomore Jeremiah Jackson, a former cornerback, moved to running back. Junior Skyler Jameson changed from quarterback to safety.

D. Jackson double dipping
In addition to practicing on the gridiron this spring, DeMarcus Jackson is also competing for the Central Methodist men's track team. Jackson earned All-America honors at the NAIA Men's Indoor Track & Field National Championships in the beginning of March after placing third in the finals of the event. The Dallas, Texas, native posted a school-record time of 6.76 seconds in the National Championship semifinals.

Former Players Watching from the Sideline
Several former Eagle standouts were in attendance Tuesday to watch the practice. Trevor Robinson and Tom Walker were on hand among others.