Spring game notes, interviews

[PonyPride]

The Mustangs held their annual Spring Game Saturday, the first under head coach Sonny Dykes and his staff. The offense and defense ran very vanilla packages, so much of the scrimmage looked almost like drills ... but there were a few things worth noting:

• Dykes joked a few days ago that he didn't know if he could even hold a spring game with so few offensive linemen available, guessing that there would only be seven or eight available. With the likes of G Nick Natour, T Bryce Wilds, G/T Jacob Todora, etc., watching from the sideline because of various ailments, the line took on a new look: Chad Pursley and Levon Livingston remained the starting left and right tackles, etc., with Hayden Howerton at center. Nick Dennis worked with the first team at LG, and Alan Ali at RG.

• There were two turnovers by the offense, one of which was wiped out by a quick whistle by the officials. The other was an interception that RB-turned-CB-turned-S Kayce Medlock returned for a touchdown.

• The quarterback rotation was as expected: Ben Hicks remains the guy running the first-team offense. D.J. Gillins has missed much of spring, leaving true freshman William Brown behind Hicks, followed by Austin Upshaw and Rafe Peavey. The quarterbacks were inconsistent Saturday, in part because of significant wind that wreaked havoc on intermediate and longer passes. The QBs were OK throwing into the wind or with the wind at their backs, but when it shifted to going sideways across the field several passes got caught in the wind and fluttered off-target.

• One defensive player who stood out in the offense-heavy scrimmage was LB Myles Duke, who used his speed to create couple of quarterback pressures, one sack when he came around the end untouched and drilled Brown in the back (Brown was OK and popped back up quickly) and backpedaled into coverage and quickly climbed the ladder to go up and knock away a high pass.

• Fake of the day: WR Joshua Shelmire caught a short pass in the left flat, headed upfield and delivered a head-fake and shoulder shiver convincing enough that the DB's knees buckled a little and he ended up sitting down as Shelmire ran by.

• Other WR performances of note included Tyler Page, who caught several passes including a touchdown when he dove across the end zone to pull in a 25-yard pass by Hicks, and Judah Bell, who also had several catches, one of which was extended thanks to a powerful stiff-arm that left a would-be tackler on the ground, grasping at air.

• RT Levon Livingston is easy to notice, thanks to his 6-7 height and long arms, etc., but he is very mobile for a big guy. On one otherwise non-descript play, Livingston came across the length of the line of scrimmage to get out in front of RB/WR Marcalas Johnson, who had caught a short screen pass. Not only did Livingston get out to the flank to provide Johnson's escort, but he also stayed step-for-step with a linebacker who had his eyes on Johnson. Livingston never handed out a hit, and didn't have to. His mere presence and lateral movement left the would-be tackler as nothing more than an interested observer on the play.

• Remember when TE Ryan Becker signed with SMU, and there were those who thought he might grow into an OT because of his big frame, strength and blocking ability? There's no doubt he is a willing and able blocker, but despite the fact that the previous coaching staff didn't call many pass plays for the tight ends, Becker has become an improved receiver. At one point, he got loose into the corner of the end zone — he was open, but the pass was thrown behind him. Becker was able to hit the brakes, spin around and dive backward to pull in the pass for a touchdown — very nice body control and solid hands.

• Numerous players sat out with injuries, or at least so the training and medical staffs could be ultra-cautious with them. Among the players who did not take part in Saturday's Spring Game: LB Noah Spears, DL Jordan Gipson, RB Braeden West, OL Jacob Todora, T Bryce Wilds, WR Myron Gailliard, CB Jordan Wyatt, G Nick Natour and S Mikial Onu.

[No Quarter]

Will someone closer to the program and knowledgeable about the injuries and rehabbing therefrom, and who is familiar with the incoming freshmen project a two deep given that Galliard, Natour, Onu, Spears, Tadora, West, Wilds, and Wyatt did not participate? Has Kaufman given up football? Was Dennis signed with the problem that kept him out of spring practice?

Any count on the number of snaps the different QBs got?

[ALEX LIFESON]

Michael Kaufman has medically retired, the junior college offensive lineman Dennis, practiced with the team all spring.

[Junior]

I always read these spring game and practice reviews with mixed feelings. For every great play by the O or D, it was a bust for the guys on the other side of the ball.

[JasonB]

I come away from spring with this:

QB: Hicks is much more consistent now, is more mobile, and a very solid starter. We have quality young depth.
RB: Loaded.
WR: We have some guys that have stepped up. Proche, Bell, Benson, Page, Shelmire, Galliard, Glaspie, Honey gives us a solid two deep rotation. Didn't see anyone in spring that will step up and be a gamebreaker yet. So, we are missing that piece. Graduate Transfers could help, maybe Miles when he gets here. With the power running game, we need a stud to keep teams honest. While the current two deep is solid, I'm not sure if we have that stud right now.
OL: I've said before, I think once this group is healthy starting the fall, this is the best 2 deep OL since the DP. Dennis is going to compete at guard, and Livingston is going to start at RT unless Wilds improves THAT much. Lots of competition across the board.

DE: Scott looks much improved. Neals makes plays but is small and needs to be part of a rotation and ideally a pass rush specialist. I want to see what Badejo does with the weight program. Ndukwe looks like a player. Coxe showed up as well. I think this group is serviceable and held their own against a decent OL, but they aren't going to scare anyone either. Would love to see a GT here to provide more competition and depth.

DT: Davis and Gary are good. Jones, Loveless, McLaurin, and Biggurs all have potential. Loveless actually seems like a pretty physical player. Jones I saw in the Oklahoma drill last fall and really impressed me with his physicality and motor. I was surprised he wasn't part of the team at all. Biggurs we have heard about forever, and supposedly is doing better, but he hasn't broken through quite yet. I know that this is a young group, but I actually think it is serviceable without a GT or frosh. Gary is the guy here who has the potential to be a game changer and take this up a notch, but you can get away with a serviceable DT group. I'd rather have an impact player come in at DE.

LB: The depth is going to be a huge concern, but this group is going to be miles better than before. Moore and Denbow can play and are instant starters. K Mitchell is probably the other guy, but Shane Hailey is a player as well. Williams showed some signs last year, and Duke started making some plays this spring. Ward even showed up a bit. Jeanlys actually showed a little something as a hybrid saftey/LB. If Moore and Denbow stay healthy, this group could really turn a 180.

CB: Hope that Wyatt is healthy. Period. KJ, Sutton, Davis, and Guy-Robinson have the skills to play as the second corner and be solid. But Wyatt is the guy. If he stays healthy, this is a very solid group. If he doesn't, I don't think there is a stud corner in that group. I'm interested to see if Clemons gets moved over here.

S: Onu is a good one. McQueen really shows stuff every time he is on the field, a real playmaker for me. Bouncing between safety and star last year hurt his development, but I think he is an outstanding cover 2 saftey. Medlock and Rock running second team safety (if Clemons moved) would scare me a little, although Medlock has the athleticism to make the transition. I would not be surprised if a frosh pops into the two deep here.

[MV pony]

Thanks, Jason. ALways appreciate your views.

[Monty_The_Mustang]

Awesome reviews. I am excited for the Fall.

[ojaipony]

Good stuff as always, thanks. JasonB, remember we also have Ray coming in at CB (juco). That could help there. Agreed that we need a DE GT that can be impactful while Ndukwe grows and develops (which is why Badejo is so critical if he can get back). Really need McLaurin and Jones to develop and step up. Hearing good things about Loveless and Coxe is awesome, need depth there.

[ojaipony]

Just for fun ... starting lineup prediction against UNT (of course assuming no major injuries):

QB: Hicks
RB: Jones (but of course heavy doses of Freeman ... and West will / should be used all over the field)
WRs: Benson/Proche/Bell (with heavy doses of Page and someone else not yet on campus, and maybe Gailliard? ... would be awesome to be solid 2 deep here)
OL: Livingston, Dennis, Howerton, Natour, Pursley (Livingston needs to gain some weight and Dennis needs to lose some - I bet we also see rotation of Ali/Todora/Barton/Smith/Huhn ... a solid 2 deep)
TE/HB: Becker/Rau (I wonder if we redshirt Redding)

DEs: Scott/Neals (rotation of Ndukwe and maybe a JUCO/GT and maybe Badejo? ... need one more solid player here)
DTs: Davis/Gary (with heavy rotation of McLaurin/Biggurs/Jones/Loveless .... and maybe someone not yet on campus? ... would be good to have a solid 3 deep here)
LBs: Denbow/Moore/Mitchell (with rotation of Robinson/Duke/Hailey ... sure wish Spears would have been the real deal ... Ward?)
CBs: Wyatt/Ray (with rotation of K Johnson and C Davis)
Safeties: Onu and McQueen (rotation of Clemons and maybe somebody else, Preston?)

Bottom line: possible solid depth on the lines, which is critical. Much improved in LB. Need young WRs to step up and hope Ray can star opposite of Wyatt. Defensive backend seems team weakness to me although Onu and McQueen, though undersized, are solid.

[JasonB]

Only changes I would make there:

Page/TCU at slot WR and Proche moves outside.

Dennis at LG. There will be a lot of competition at Guard. I would not be surprised with Todora, Ali, or Smith at RG with Natour backing up Pursley at LT.

TE: Becker has the advantage

LB: If they are using Denbow as a hybrid LB/S from the interview, that might take Mitchell's spot away and Hailey might be your third LB.

CB: If Ray can beat out Davis/Sutton/KJ that would be awesome. But I think it might be difficult. Davis is a solid second corner.

[Buddha]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a freshman (Treveon Johnson?) in the mix at CB