Wildcats' Joyer getting more done with less

WESLEY CHAPEL — Wesley Chapel lineman Kamran Joyer raced across a strip of sidewalk under the gaze of Wildcats assistant Brian Colding. The 40-yard sprint took 5.43 seconds, hand timed.

As he caught his breath and walked back toward a group of teammates during Monday morning's first preseason practice, it was clear there was less of Joyer to see. The USF commitment, who was around 325 in the spring, had dropped roughly 25 pounds. How did he shed so much weight?

"He listened, started eating better and ran every day and night," Wildcats assistant Abel Robinson said. "He didn't want to do a.m. (morning) runs in college."

Colding also adopted a conditioning program called the Hour of Power (60 minutes of continuous training) used by 46-year-old Detroit Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios.

"It's a circuit of seven exercises you do continuous from one station to the next," Colding said. "What it does is build strength but at the same time it works your cardio system. You're burning calories but putting on muscles."

Colding made a few tweaks to the program to gear it toward football and called his version Stronger Longer.

"Kamran didn't lose any strength," Colding said. "He lost excess fat. Now that he's trimmed down the guy can move better."

Bears foursome bound for Marietta

Former Central football standouts Chad Walker, Chase Walker, Jeff Wright and Heath Heroux will play in the fall at Division III Marietta (Ohio) College, Bears coach Cliff Lohrey confirmed.

Marietta returns 70 players from last season's 3-7 team. New coach Jeff Filkovski was quarterbacks coach at Cincinnati when it won the Conference USA title in 2002.

Wright, a two-way star for Lohrey, was a first-team defensive back on the Times' all-North Suncoast squad last season, when he returned four kicks or punts for touchdowns for the 6-4 Bears. Heroux was a second-team defensive back. Chase (quarterback) and Chad (receiver) Walker were Central's top passing tandem, earning all-North Suncoast honorable mention.

Tomlin returns

Most of 60 or so Wildcats who began fall practice Monday morning had no clue the 24-year-old spotting them on the bench press was Wesley Chapel's all-time leading rusher, Tyrone Tomlin. Tomlin, a 2002 college signee, was No. 1 in the Ironman when he left Wesley Chapel six years ago. Now he's sixth.

Tomlin has plenty to offer as a coach and a mentor. He helped Wesley Chapel to its first victory and an undefeated regular season in 2001. He ranks third all-time among Pasco County running backs with 3,507 rushing yards.

When Wildcats coach John Castelamare learned Tomlin had returned to Dade City, he asked him to join the coaching staff. Tomlin will work with the JV.

Tomlin returned home last spring after he used up his college eligibility. He plans to take a year off before returning to West Alabama to complete a bachelor's degree.

"It feels pretty good to come here and help Coach Cas," Tomlin said. "He did a lot for me back in the day so I want to give back a little bit."