Sophomore guard Josh LeRibeus returned to the field Monday, saying he had some personal issues to address over the summer, did so, and now he is focused solely on the upcoming season.
LeRibeus said he spent the summer working out on his own and with a trainer, and feels stronger after doing more heavy lifting than he did the previous summer. He said he also got extensive cardio work, thanks to his brother, who is a personal trainer.
"My brother is about half my size, and we played about three games of racquetball every day," LeRibeus said. "He kind of wiped the floor with me, but it was a great workout every day."
LeRibeus said he was flattered when he learned that head coach June Jones called him "one of the best players on our football team" on his first day back on the field, adding that he planned to earn that title through his play in 2009. To do so, he said he has to get "back into football shape." He looks a little leaner than he did the last couple of years at this time, but said he expects it to take more than a week of working in football-related drills to get back in game shape.