Practice Tomorrow?

[Rebel10]

Can't make it today, but my prediction: whole team looks faster and much bigger. Players have put on the 10-20 pounds they lost going into last season through their avoidance of the S&C program/slimfast diet and whatever else happened. Matt looks great in the new offense. So do Sutton and Gaines and Malone.

I'd like to hear from folks where Yenga is playing, and who all is playing at the star. are D Rich, Shak and AJ all still at safety or have some been moved already? Where is Gresh playing?

What happened the year before last when they had the 10 pounds you are claiming the lost? Because they still did not have a good season even then. The reason the team lost over the last to years was because of June and his entire staff not just the sc coach which you are constantly trying to make it ad nauseam.

[Digetydog]

Can't make it today, but my prediction: whole team looks faster and much bigger. Players have put on the 10-20 pounds they lost going into last season through their avoidance of the S&C program/slimfast diet and whatever else happened. Matt looks great in the new offense. So do Sutton and Gaines and Malone.

I'd like to hear from folks where Yenga is playing, and who all is playing at the star. are D Rich, Shak and AJ all still at safety or have some been moved already? Where is Gresh playing?

What happened the year before last when they had the 10 pounds you are claiming the lost? Because they still did not have a good season even then.

On the pay sites, they are describing multiple players adding more than 20lbs w/o getting fat.

[Rebel10]

Other than KC, I have not read where they have said that. Regardless, it still does not explain what happened 2 years ago. What JasonB seems to be implying on some of his posts is that if June would have had a better sc coach and more experience on the team June would have won and been fine as the SMU coach. Notice he never says anything about the lack of talent on the O line.

[Digetydog]

Other than KC, I have not read where they have said that. Regardless, it still does not explain what happened 2 years ago. What JasonB seems to be implying on some of his posts is that if June would have had a better sc coach and more experience on the team June would have won and been fine as the SMU coach. Notice he never says anything about the lack of talent on the O line.

Well, the bad S&C program didn't help.


@robgrahampix

Was at #SMU Spring Practice today. New Coaches active and hands-on. Here's a link to pictures: http://t.co/AdOMhJGkJ8 #ponyuptempo #ponyup

[Rebel10]

Good pictures, thanks.

[ojaipony]

Thanks for the pics.

Do we know if PF.com was able to make it out there and have a report?

[PonySnob]

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

I always remember the SMU parking maps saying "remember parking is a privilege, not a right".

[JasonB]

Other than KC, I have not read where they have said that. Regardless, it still does not explain what happened 2 years ago. What JasonB seems to be implying on some of his posts is that if June would have had a better sc coach and more experience on the team June would have won and been fine as the SMU coach. Notice he never says anything about the lack of talent on the O line.

Thanks for making it personal. I always appreciate that.

By literally ALL accounts, both the offensive line and the front 7 on defense improved significantly in the second half of 2013. That improvement allowed GG to bring us to the verge of going to a bowl until he was injured.

Going into 2014, with most of the players returning at those positions, the presumption was that we would, in fact, build on the success at the end of 2013. The reason that most people, like myself, projected a 5-7 or 6-6 record or worse was because even though those groups were going to improve with more experience, there were unknowns in the secondary, QB, and a lack of playmakers at WR.

In fact, the coaching staff was so confident in the continued improvement at those positions that they moved a starting linebacker, Pope, to RB, and a starting DE, Barnes, to OLB.

Anyone with any pair of eyes could see that a significant number of players regressed significantly between 2013 and 2014. And specifically at strength focused positions such as the o-line and defensive front 7. While June may have given up on the program, I don't believe all the assistants did. It is a common understanding/assumption that the S&C program and lack of participation lead to the across the board decline. Regardless of the feelings about the level of recruiting, existing players that were halfway decent in 2013 were awful in 2014. S&C can have a significant impact on that.

Finally, putting a spotlight on S&C doesn't absolve June. That was his buddy, his hire. June is absolutely at fault for that.

One last note on this, I would love to find out who put Moose up to talking about the advanced S&C program of the Cowboys during the kickoff luncheon, amidst all of the allegations of Mel's antiquated ways and lack of participation. Nothing was a bigger foreboding of the disaster that loomed ahead than that speech.

[Rebel10]

In 2013 the only reason we were even close to a bowl game was be GG was giving herculean efforts not because the O line improved. And in 2013 that had nothing to do with the sc coach but simply a lack of talent recruited on the O line. When the last of Bennett's O linemen (and players in general) graduated that was the start of the downward spiral of the program imo. Bad recruiting had much more to do with the downward spiral of the program than the sc coach and that was on June some some of your buddies that were coaches on the team. And while the other coaches did not quit it just showed that they were not very good coaches nor recruiters. As some had said that saw practice today that Coach Fry is going to have his hands full this year.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

So I take it nobody was able to make practice today to provide some information?

[ponyswim]

Jason, Yenga was playing at one of the middle linebacker slots. Among those notably bigger and stronger were Niemchi and Sutton. Sutton, Malone and Gaines were the receiver making the most plays. On offense everyone is trying to figure it out - new system, new pace. But they were reasonable given the newness to it. Good to see full speed OLine vs Dline on running drills, then on 11 v 11. The Oline has a real long way to go, but at least they are working on being physical with aggressive run blocking. Hopefully they figure it out by the end of the spring.
I thought it was fun to watch and well attended. Sutton made the most impact of anyone on the field.
As a side note - towards the end of 2013 I saw a defense that got much better - competed well at Cinci, vs. UCF, even at Houston we only gave up a little over 300 yards - in the midst of an awful team performance. In that stretch the d-line was decent. Not great. They were young and decent. Last year they were older and not decent. This year with a very different SC program, and being better suited to a 4 man line, I think they will be decent again. I hope they will be better than decent - we will see.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Thanks, ponyswim!

It gutted me to not be able to make it today.

[Rebel10]

So I take it nobody was able to make practice today to provide some information?

Here is a free report from Ponystampede.com.

Billy Embody ‏@BillyEmbody

FREE: @SMUScout was at #SMU football practice today & talked with Chad Morris, Matt Davis & Zach Wood plus has notes. http://smu.scout.com/story/1529865-

[RepublicanPNY]

I was there. There was a DJ playing loud Hip Hop and the field was surrounded by high school coaches/players/quite a few recently signed players from DFW.

The atmosphere had a "big time" feel. Our offense didn't do anything that exciting but you can tell things are changing. I saw a number of dropped balls by our receivers followed by push-ups.

This staff is selling SMU and drawing attention from much needed athletes. Our 2015 guys look very athletic. The Scott brother are tall and I can't wait to see them in red/blue.