CHADRON, Neb. -- April 21, 2016 -- The Chadron State College football team will conclude its spring practices by playing its spring game at Elliott Field on Saturday, rather than the practice fields as originally slated. Head Coach Jay Long said the Eagles will take the field at 10 a.m. and begin the game at about 11. The public is welcome to attend free of charge.

Long said he's been pleased with the spring drills.

After winter weather forced the practices slated for last Friday and Saturday to be called off, the Eagles had their final major scrimmage of the spring Tuesday afternoon. The coach said it went well with both the offense and the defense making some big plays.

One of the impressive facets of the spring is the fact that 44 of the 46 underclassmen who earned letters last year are still on the roster.  The roster also includes about 35 players who redshirted last season.

"We've had outstanding participation, the effort has been good and the younger players have really learned this spring," Long said.  "It's been fun to watch their growth. A lot of them will be able to help us this fall."