TOWSON, Md. - On Thursday afternoon, the Tiger football team reached the mid-point of its pre-season training camp when the Tigers conducted their 16th practice.

At the conclusion of the practice session, Coach Rob Ambrose looked at his watch and announced, "We are now two weeks and one hour away from playing our season opener.

For Assistant Coach Konstantinos Kosmakos, the game at Kent State will be his ninth season opener with the Tigers. A four-year starter at offensive center at 2006 graduate of Towson, he has been a member of the Tiger football coaching staff since 2008.

Since joining the coaching staff, he has worked with the offensive line, the outside linebackers and the defensive line. After spending last season coaching the outside linebackers, he is working with the defensive line this year.

"I fill in where I'm needed," admits Konstantinos. "This has been a terrific experience coaching here. I have worked with so many outstanding coaches and I've learned so much. I have had the chance to learn from Derrick Johnson, Canute Curtis, Brian Fleury, Coach Hack (Matt Hachmann) and now Coach (Rubin) Carter."

While Coach Kosmakos was thrilled with the Tigers' success last season, he admits that he was expecting it.

"From the moment Rob Ambrose came back here, there was a commitment to do what was needed to win," he says. "It came from the top down. There was an 'all in' attitude and I could see we were getting better. All we needed to do was work hard. That's what you need to be successful."

Kosmakos has also seen the change in the recruiting process. He says, "For us, the key is getting players to visit campus. If we can get a prospect to visit, we will probably get a verbal commitment."

A graduate of nearby Dulaney High School, Kosmakos has enjoyed working with defensive linemen. He says, "This is a veteran group and we have four seniors on the line. But, then we have a junior and a group of red-shirt freshmen and first-year freshmen. It has been good because our older players have been mentoring the younger guys."

The Tigers will take a day off from practice on Friday before resuming the pre-season on Saturday.