College Football

The Citadel only looking forward

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:56 a.m. ET

(STATS) - The Citadel will hold its annual Blue-White spring game Friday night in Charleston, South Carolina, as it begins to wrap up spring practice.

Second-year coach Brent Thompson said the two-time defending Southern Conference champion Bulldogs, who will hold two additional practices next week, are only looking forward.

"This is a different football club, and we have to make sure we are moving on," Thompson said.

The Citadel has had a difficult offseason in which a handful of key players left the program, including two FCS All-Americans - cornerback Dee Delaney, who announced he plans to spend his final season as a graduate transfer at Miami (Fla.), and offensive lineman Isaiah Pinson, who is forsaking his final season of eligibility to pursue a pro career. In addition, slotback Reggie Williams and defensive linemen Kevin Graham and Travis Johnson departed.

But the Bulldogs have a winning foundation in place and key returning players, including quarterback Dominique Allen and safety Kailik Williams.