Wednesday marked the first day in full pads for Northwestern's Wildcats, and predictably, the morning practice was spirited and fast-paced. The weather was perfect for pads - temperatures in the upper 60s with overcast skies.

After having to tell his team to "turn down" their aggressiveness earlier in the week, Head Coach Randy Walker let the 'Cats loose today.

"The first day in pads is always exciting," said Walker. "We were flying around and excited to be out here, which you expect. But the key to the day is 'how do we respond in the afternoon?' We want to make sure today's second practice is just as good as our first one."

The Wildcats conducted an afternoon session in shoulder pads and shorts, a theme that will continue throughout two-a-days.

The morning session featured the typical 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills as well as the always entertaining "board drill," which matches an offensive and defensive player in a battle of blocking. "The drill not only measures one's blocking skills, but also their toughness," said Walker.

During the 11-on-11 session, there were several offensive and defensive highlights: redshirt freshman Jonathan Fields (Sweeny, Texas/Sweeny) caught a 52-yard touchdown pass; redshirt freshman Jeff Backes (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) scrambled 50-plus yards on a third-and-three play, only to be caught inches from the goal line by speedy linebacker and roommate Braden Jones (Harrisburg, Ill./Harrisburg); and former running back and now safety Torri Stuckey (Robbins, Ill./D.D. Eisenhower) provided one of the day's biggest hits when he leveled Backes on a running play.

True freshman Cory Dious (Atlanta, Ga./Mays) also recorded two interceptions during the morning practice session.

Nusports.com also asked a pair of upperclassmen for their thoughts on today's session and preseason camp in general:

Junior tight end Eric Worley:
Are you happy with where the offense is at this point in camp?
Yes. I think considering that we have only been in camp for a few days, I'm very happy with what we're doing. There are a lot of different sets, a lot of different things to throw at a defense. We basically turned the page in the offense from last year.

Is it nice to finally have a practice in full pads?
It is. You don't have to worry about going too hard. There's nothing to hold back for. It is nice to go full pads, especially after a long off-season. It's really what we do. We want to play football.

Do you enjoy coming to Kenosha as a team for practices?
I think it alleviates a lot of the distractions that you have back home. We do definitely bond together because basically that's what carries you all through this type of thing. It's just us and no outside world is up here. I think it's a positive.

Senior linebacker Pat Durr:
How did it feel to be in full pads for the first time?
This is what football is all about. It's tough and you've got to be disciplined when you go half pads (helmets and shoulder pads). You want to keep guys off the ground. You don't want your big players hurt. Today was a great feeling. It felt like we were playing a game out there. That's what camp should be about. It should be competitive, and that's what it is.

How important is the board drill, both offensively and defensively?
Coach Walker really stresses that drill. That's football-getting your hands inside and moving your feet. Some guys are good at it and some guys are really bad. Out on the field that's the biggest thing-you get your hands in and you beat your man one-on-one. Coach Walker loves that drill so we'll be doing it as long as he's here.

Are you trying to be an active leader being a senior on a young defensive group?
I'm not going to say too much unless I need to. The most important thing I feel a leader should do is speak with his pads, and that's what I'm going to try to do. We have a lot of young guys, we have a lot of speed. This new scheme is awesome for us. It's completely different from the past. The biggest thing is that we come together as a defense and we gel. Once we do that, I think the sky is the limit.

CAMP NOTES: Sophomore Trai Essex (Fort Wayne, Ind./Paul Harding) is being moved to offensive tackle, partly due to the injury problems that have hit the Wildcats' offensive line ... Head Coach Randy Walker said that no players would be held out Saturday's 1 p.m. scrimmage. "Repetitions are important for everyone on our football team right now. Perhaps as we get closer to Aug. 31, some players may see a reduction in reps." ... When asked about his freshmen class, Walker said the Wildcats have some "legitimately, impressive young players." Don't be surprised to see a few true freshmen on the travel roster at Air Force.

UP NEXT: The Wildcats hold just one practice on Thursday, an 8:40 a.m. session at UW-Parkside.