Aug. 14, 2005

Charleston, SC - First-year coach Kevin Higgins' Citadel Bulldogs practiced under overcast skies Sunday afternoon at Willson Field and concentrated on goal line sets as well as various offensive screens and movements.

Prior to Sunday's practice, Higgins announced the addition to the roster of two transfers - Kinta Palmer, a graduate of Penn State University, and Mark Wigal, a Duke University graduate. Both are wideouts, with Wigal being penned for a slot position.

According to Assistant Athletics Director/Compliance & Academic Services Danny Lewis, both student-athletes are enrolled in The Citadel's College of Graduate and Professional Studies, and both have registered for the required nine credit hours this fall.

Both participated in Sunday's practice.

"Kinta practiced for the first time today and we are anxious to see how quickly he picks up the schemes and adapts to the new situation," Higgins said. "Wigal has good feet and excellent hands and he, too, will have a short period of time to comprehend fully our scheme."

Under Higgins, the former head coach at Lehigh and a four-year assistant with the NFL's Detroit Lions where he coached quarterbacks for three years and receivers for one, the Bulldogs are installing the spread option offense. In this powerful offense, wideouts are critical to its success in terms of receiving and blocking. Higgins praised both student-athletes in stating that they "have the intelligence and athleticism to quickly learn the schemes."

Palmer, who is 6-4 and weighs 197 pounds, hails from nearby Moncks Corner where he was a Shrine Bowl pick from Berkeley High. He played in four games for Coach Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions and had one 4-yard reception in Penn State's 37-13 win over Central Florida.

Of note, Palmer was recruited to Penn State by then assistant coach Kenny Carter, a 1990 Citadel graduate who is now an assistant coach on Bobby Johnson's staff at Vanderbilt. Palmer is a first-cousin of Citadel centerfielder Trent Weathers, and is also related to Courtney Brown and Rodney Kinlaw. Wigal, who stands 5-9 and weighs 182 pounds, played for Coach Ted Roof at Duke where he saw action in all 11 games last year. A native of Elkins, WV, Wigal hauled in five receptions for a total of 52 yards.

Sunday was the last one-practice-per-day for a while as two-a-days begin Monday at 8 a.m. and at 3 p.m. Both are slated to be held at Willson Field on campus.

The Bulldogs begin the season on Saturday, September 3, when Charleston Southern visits Johnson Hagood Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.