I agree there is no substitute to sparring. pad work can help to an extent, but sparring goes a long way in to helping one feel relaxed and confident in the ring. especially for a novice
Bet He is leaving His Backfoot behind . A little routine that solves a lot of the problem, you cant move one foot without the othehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_gv_Sz_vRQ&feature=relatedr