Practice (3/21/18) observations
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 11:32 pmGot to practice late — but a few observations:
• QB D.J. Gillins looks better — much better. Watching him run today offered a glimpse of what everyone thought SMU was getting when he signed before the toe injury hobbled him for much of the season. Gillins looked fast, elusive and strong on the run.
• Similar improvement shown by WR Tyler Page. A year ago, he worked through whatever discomfort might have lingered after the knee injury that prematurely ended his senior year of high school. He looked faster and smoother. He ran well, changed direction and accelerated through the defense.
• Working with the first-team defensive line: LDE Tyeson Neals, DT Ken McLaurin, DT Pat Jones, RDE Toby Ndukwe
• QB Ben Hicks looked good — nice accuracy on deep passes, including a pair of 40-yarders to WR Brandon Benson, one of which Benson caught and one of which he dropped when DB Kevin Johnson knocked the ball away.
• Several players sat out Wednesday, including CB Jordan Wyatt (who will miss all of spring), S Mikial Onu, G Nick Natour, LB Kyran Mitchell, G Jalen Lynch, T Bryce Wilds, LB Noah Spears, WR Myron Gailliard and LB Jordon Williams.
• T Levon Levingston, now listed at 6-7 / 290, looks more like a small forward than an offensive tackle. He has bulked up since arriving on the Hilltop in January, but looks like he could add considerably more weight.
• The previous coaching staff made use of drones hovering over the practices, utilizing cameras that allowed another angle of perspective in practice. The new staff still employs the drones ... and also strapped GoPro cameras to the top of the quarterbacks' helmets.
• QB D.J. Gillins looks better — much better. Watching him run today offered a glimpse of what everyone thought SMU was getting when he signed before the toe injury hobbled him for much of the season. Gillins looked fast, elusive and strong on the run.
• Similar improvement shown by WR Tyler Page. A year ago, he worked through whatever discomfort might have lingered after the knee injury that prematurely ended his senior year of high school. He looked faster and smoother. He ran well, changed direction and accelerated through the defense.
• Working with the first-team defensive line: LDE Tyeson Neals, DT Ken McLaurin, DT Pat Jones, RDE Toby Ndukwe
• QB Ben Hicks looked good — nice accuracy on deep passes, including a pair of 40-yarders to WR Brandon Benson, one of which Benson caught and one of which he dropped when DB Kevin Johnson knocked the ball away.
• Several players sat out Wednesday, including CB Jordan Wyatt (who will miss all of spring), S Mikial Onu, G Nick Natour, LB Kyran Mitchell, G Jalen Lynch, T Bryce Wilds, LB Noah Spears, WR Myron Gailliard and LB Jordon Williams.
• T Levon Levingston, now listed at 6-7 / 290, looks more like a small forward than an offensive tackle. He has bulked up since arriving on the Hilltop in January, but looks like he could add considerably more weight.
• The previous coaching staff made use of drones hovering over the practices, utilizing cameras that allowed another angle of perspective in practice. The new staff still employs the drones ... and also strapped GoPro cameras to the top of the quarterbacks' helmets.