NASHVILLE -- Jake Locker is back on the field with the Tennessee Titans -- a couple of weeks ahead of the schedule doctors estimated for his return from an injured right foot. DeAngelo Williams Jersey . The quarterback said Tuesday that he pushed hard to give himself every chance to learn a new offence before the season starts. "With it being a new system, I want to run plays behind centre as often and as much as I can before we take our first snap of the season," Locker said. "And I want the guy son the team to know it means something to me. Im not just taking a break because I can. Im going to do everything I can to be on the field, and hopefully it helps create a culture that were all going to work that way." Locker took part in his first team drills Tuesday since suffering a Lisfranc injury to his right foot Nov. 10, which cost him the final seven games of the season. He has missed 14 of his first 32 starts and now is busy learning a third offence in four seasons with a coaching change. Locker had to watch the voluntary three-day minicamp in April, and his personal target had been being on the field for this final stage of the off-season. He said he felt really good moving around. Locker expects to deal with some stiffness and soreness now that hes finally back on the field for the organized team activities. He is experimenting with different shoes right now to find the right fit. "Barring any setbacks, I hope to keep moving forward," Locker said. This is a crucial season for Locker. The 10th overall draft pick in 2010 is heading into the final season of his rookie contract after the Titans decided not to pick up his fifth-year option. New coach Ken Whisenhunt and general manager Ruston Webster both have endorsed Locker as their starter repeatedly, but the pressure now is on the quarterback to stay on the field and win. Locker was good when he was on the field in 2013, completing a career-best 60.7 per cent of his passes. He also had twice as many touchdowns (eight) as interceptions (four). But he was only started seven games, winning four. The Titans have tried to protect themselves by bringing in veteran Charlie Whitehurst, who knows Whisenhunts offence very well, to back up Locker. They also drafted Zach Mettenberger of LSU in the sixth round. Whisenhunt said its a credit to Locker for working hard and now they must see him continue that progress off the first day. "A good assessment the first day is how they handle the terminology going into the huddle, and he did a nice job with that," Whisenhunt said. "Hes been working at it a couple of weeks now, but just the way hes been studying, the way hes working out I really like that. Theres no substitute for getting the work on the field. But even seeing some of the drills today youre seeing him make progress (with) his footwork, some of his progressions so Im excited about that." Tight end Delanie Walker said Locker was putting the ball on target. "Its always good to see your starting quarterback out there running the offence for us, especially in team and seven-on-seven," Walker said. "But it didnt surprise me. Thats Jake. Hes a fighter. Hes going to be out there. Hes going compete. Hes a leader, and that shows leadership. Its good to have Jake out there throwing the ball to us just to get the timing down." Cam Newton Panthers Jersey . NHL hockey is returning to the Manitoba capital. The True North Sports and Entertainment group announced on Tuesday that they have completed a deal to purchase the Atlanta Thrashers and move them to Winnipeg in time for the 2011-12 season. Greg Olsen Jersey . Forte was injured on a run deep in Chicago territory midway through the first quarter, when Kansas Citys Derrick Johnson hit him in the knee.VILLANOVA, Pa. -- Patrick Farrell missed his first free throw, and was off on his second. With only 19 seconds left in the game, the pressure was on for Farrell to make the third. The Villanova fans stood and cheered, and his teammates were stoked, yelling from the bench at the sophomore forward that the final one would be good. Farrell practiced his motion, took a breath, released, and watched as the basketball bounced twice around the rim before it plopped through the net. The eighth-ranked Wildcats went wild, celebrating Farrells first point of the season like a game-winner, and not just the finishing touches of a 67-48 victory over Butler on Wednesday night. For a team that played about 30 minutes of basketball to forget, that moment of team bonding for the deepest of deep reserves was one to remember. "I love that," coach Jay Wright said. "Thats whats special about this team." The Wildcats (25-3, 13-2 Big East) survived one of their worst halves of the season to win for the ninth time in 10 games. They needed almost the first 10 minutes of the game to score 10 points, missed eight of their first nine 3-point attempts, and didnt have a player reach double digits in scoring until midway through the second half. "Youve got to find a way to grind against them," Wright said. "Ill take that." Darrun Hilliard and James Bell led them with only 11 points each and the Wildcats put up the kind of numbers that usually lead to a loss. Not against the lowly Bulldogs (12-16, 2-14). Butler was even worse, shooting only 26 per cent in the first half, and the Bulldogs lost their seventh straight game. The Wildcats had a small hot streak at the end of the first half, making 5 of 6 shots, to build enough of a cushion and slowly pull away. The Wildcats fell shy of their 79.9 points per game average and played for about 35 minutes looking nothing like the team that has become one of the best in the Big East. Each team took turns trading clunkers and clangers in the first 10 minutes, one reason the Wildcats only led 10-4. With 6 minutes left in the half, the Bulldogs and Wildcats combined for only 26 points. And no, Bo Ryan wasnt coaching either of the teams. The Pavilion had all the atmosphere of an art museum on a sleepy Sunday morning, making this one feel mmore like a bad NBA preseason game than the final on-campus home game of the season. Antoine Cason Jersey. Wright did let senior reserves Nick McMahon and Tony Chennault start -- though McMahon played only 20 seconds before he was benched for Ryan Arcidiacono. McMahon couldnt have been worse than the rest of the offence. Villanova missed 12 of its first 15 shots, most from 3-point range. The Wildcats were determined to keep shooting 3s until they fell. Bell and Arcidiacono did hit two straight near the end of the first half for a 28-15 lead. Butlers Kellen Dunham buried the shot of the game with a high banker for 3 that cut it to 34-20 at halftime. He led Butler with 12 points. Hard to believe these teams needed overtime before Villanova pulled out the win in their first matchup. "We didnt have it tonight," coach Brandon Miller said. "When you keep getting the results you dont want, it weighs on you a little bit." Bell was the lone senior regular for the Wildcats and exchanged an emotional hug with Wright after he checked out for the final time. "It was tough," Bell said. "I dont see my mom that much. My dad works a lot, doesnt really get the chance to get down that much. That was probably the toughest part, seeing my mom crying. Other than that, it was time to play." Pick a stat in the first half and both teams probably wish the number could be wiped from the record book. Butler missed 8 of 10 3s; Nova missed 12 of 16. Butler had two starters who went scoreless in the half. The Wildcats shot 38 per cent from the field. But theres a reason the Wildcats have spent most of the season in the Top 25, and they showed why in the second half, going more than 25 minutes without a turnover during a 16-3 run that stretched the lead to 24 points. Butler scored six baskets in the first half, and didnt reach seven for a second-half total until there was 1:51 left. While the Wildcats are in the hunt for a top-three seed in the NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs need a shocking conference tournament championship to have any shot at returning for some March Madness. "This is a really good group to coach," Wright said. "Its been a pleasure all year. But it cant let that prevent us from driving them and them driving themselves to get better."cheap jerseys ' ' '
