Observations from practice

[PonyPride]

I wasn't out there the whole time, so I didn't get to take as many notes as usual, but here are a few nuggets:

• OK, it was the first day, and players are trying to impress head coach June Jones and his staff. But players visibly hustled more, within drills or when moving from one to the next. Jobs aren't going to be earned or lost in a single practice, and it's safe to say things will settle down in a week or two, but the players clearly were aware trying to make a good first impression for the new coaches.

• Special teams coach Frank Gansz didn't take long to make his presence known. Coach G walked around the field, barking into an electric bullhorn, for about a half an hour as virtually every player on the roster engaged in drills related to special teams.

• Two interesting sights in pass rush drills:
1) Adrian Dizer took part in every drill. After last season with a back injury, the 6-foot-6, 240 (as listed - rumor has it he's heavier than that) Dizer ran through all drills with the defensive line. Granted, it wasn't full contact - players worked out in helmets, jerseys and shorts, without pads - but just seeing Dizer out there and not on the side of the field with trainers was encouraging. Looked like he was moving pretty well. The training staff has done a great job getting him back in good health, and the strength staff is working hard to get him stronger. Presumably he has a way to go, but the mere sight of No. 30 out there was encouraging.
2) Admittedly, there are times when coaches use players - any players - to serve as "opponents" in a drill as they teach a new system. But there was something truly comical about watching 5-foot-9, 169-pound Jessie Henderson line up as a defensive end across from 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive tackle J.T. Brooks. Again, he was almost walking through the motions as offensive line coach Dennis McKnight was teaching technique and his blocking schemes, but Henderson looked like little more than a snack when lined up across from Brooks.

• Remember how former head coach Phil Bennett used to describe Logan Turner's throwing motion as a result of him having "a whip of an arm"? That's exactly what it looks like — as if Turner is whipping the ball at his receivers.

• For a quarterback who has had shoulder injuries in the past, Zach Rhodes appeared to have more velocity this spring than he did last year.

• Some jersey number changes:
- Logan Turner wore No. 11 (the number he wore in high school), although he has not yet been given that number on a permanent basis.
- De'Von Bailey is wearking No. 3 (after wearing No. 2 last year).
- WR/PR Josh Bryant wore No. 23 in practice (listed on the roster wearing No. 32).
- SS K.J. Ellis is wearing No. 38, instead of his listed No. 32.

• One of the most impressive players on the first day of practice was redshirt freshman WR Bradley Haynes. He appears to be every bit of his listed 6-foot-3 height and looks stronger than his listed 205 pounds. More importantly, he made all of the catches, both routine and the slightly off-target. He showed good speed and acceleration, separating from some defensive backs to get open downfield, and showed no effects of the knee injury that he suffered last year. He's very big and looks exceptionally strong. I'd say it's a safe guess that he's been working extremely hard in the weight room.

• It's Day One, and lots of things will change — probably many times. Nonetheless, the top two units on the offensive line were grouped like this:
FIRST) LT Kelvin Beachum, LG Sean Lobo, C Mitch Enright, RG Bryce Tennison, RT Tommy Poynter
SECOND) LT Vincent Chase, LG Josh LeRibeus, C Andrew Robiskie, RG Kelly Turner, RT J.T. Brooks

Future SMU quarterbacks in attendance: Braden Smith and Winston Gamso.

That's it for now. More to come.

[PonyPride]

One other thing: didn't get a chance to talk to him, but Andrew McKinney — now listed at an un-scatback-esque 264 pounds — worked out with the running backs. They weren't doing anything fast, just cruising through plays to make sure they knew where running lanes would be, how to read the blocks in front of them, etc., and it was admittedly an odd sight to see a guy that big in the backfield ... but it sure looked interesting. If I was a C-USA linebacker, I sure wouldn't want to look over the line and see McKinney and Martin back there.

[Big Hoss]

Great stuff. Keep it coming.

[PonyPride]

Thanks - will do what we can.

Among the alums seen at practice:
Austin Adami
Kenard Burley
Tom Huemiller
Wilton McCray

[PonyLove]

Thanks, for those of us who can't be there!

[westexSMU]

Can't wait to see McKinney at RB. I bet he'll stay at RB !

[LA_Mustang]

Bradley Haynes is going to be a player.

[smu diamond m]

We need to come up with a large object nickname for him, a la fridge/bus/etc.

[MrMustang1965]

Once again, Pony Pride...you never cease to amaze me with your insightful and precise reporting of happenings on The Hilltop!

Does anyone else expect to see this kind of reporting from The Dallas Morning News or The Daily Campus?

We need to come up with a large object nickname for him, a la fridge/bus/etc.

I submit the name 'Tank'. His name is Bradley. And there's the Bradley fighting vehicle (M2A1) named for General Omar Bradley. I'm sure our frequent poster General Patton would agree. He and 'Brad' were friends.

[PonyPride]

I don't know - watch Haynes run, and a tank is not the imagee that comes to mind, at least not for me. Much too smooth and athletic and fast for that.

Not saying I have a better nickname, of course, but ... will work on it.

[MrMustang1965]

I don't know - watch Haynes run, and a tank is not the imagee that comes to mind, at least not for me. Much too smooth and athletic and fast for that.

Not saying I have a better nickname, of course, but ... will work on it.

from www.wikipedia.org:

The Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) was designed largely in response to the Soviet BMP family of infantry fighting vehicles, and to serve as both an APC, and a tank-killer. One specific design requirement was that it should be as fast as the new M1 Abrams main battle tank so that they could maintain formations while moving, something which the older M113 Armored Personnel Carrier could not do, as it had been designed to complement the older M60 Patton.

[smu diamond m]

I was talking about McKinney

[Hoss]

Interesting that Tennison was running with the first team. There's a guy who went largely unmentioned last year while he redshirted.
How big did Beachum look? Wasn't he the skinniest one of the bunch on last year's signing day?

[GeorgiaMustang]

Did Rock Dennis take full part in practice? Did he seem like he was healed from his injury during last spring?

[Mustangs35SMU]

• Special teams coach Frank Gansz didn't take long to make his presence known. Coach G walked around the field, barking into an electric bullhorn, for about a half an hour as virtually every player on the roster engaged in drills related to special teams.

Love it.

Thanks for the info! Keep up the great work!