SATURDAY, CHARLOTTE, NC (WLOS) – The Carolina Panthers may not have won their first game of the season under new head coach Dave Canales, but everything is still going well in the Queen City. Especially for a Panther from Asheville.
With the Panthers’ first preseason game under their belt, Asheville High’s Eku Leota showed why his practice game translates well to the field. Eku met with the media after practice on Saturday and talked about how he’s preparing for the regular season, including adjusting from the wet conditions in New England on Thursday to the heat of home practice.
“Now that I’ve been in the system for a year, I can communicate better and just play faster. Plus, the coaches can train me and come out here and correct my mistakes. It’s good to be out here in this weather to prepare for the 1 p.m. games.”
Head coach Dave Canales says Eku’s drive is as strong as ever.
“He showed us again what he is – he’s consistent, he’s consistent from what I’ve seen on film. He’s a high-effort guy, his pass rushing, his physical running game. You know, special teams, really giving it his all. So he really showed me what it looks like in person, just to see what kind of effort he shows and who he is as a guy.”
Canales is excited about every phase of his first year in Charlotte and continues to talk about the first practice after the first few game reps.
“Two days after the last game, today I had a good opportunity to work in the heat. Often things don’t go perfectly. Can we refocus given the weather problems and other things like that?”
