Tuesday practice observations

[PonyPride]

• As mentioned in another thread, these were two of the defensive line foursomes working together: DEs Kyle Griffin and Patrick Handy, DTs Chris Parham and Ryan Leonard; DEs Justin Smart and Adrian Dizer, DTs Mickey Dollens and Kyle DeGroat.

• For all the talk about QBs Justin Willis and Zach Rhodes and their athleticism, Corey Slater also deserves a little tip of the hat: while the offense was working on option plays, Slater took a snap and headed to his left. Rather than pitch it to the RB, he tucked the ball and turned upfield, hurdling over DeGroat at the line of scrimmage and picking up several yards before the whistle blew.

• RB James Mapps felt the brunt of an apparent increase in defensive intensity. CB Brandon Jones shed an OL block, got into the backfield and swallowed up Mapps before the RB got anywhere near the line of scrimmage. On the next play, LB Wilton McCray shot through the line of scrimmage and buried Mapps before he really even got turned upfield.

• Rhodes' arm looks like it's getting stronger every time out. He's still knocking off some rust, apparently, and presumably will continue to get more strength and accuracy in his arm.

• RT Kenard Burley looks fantastic. In the abbreviated portions of practice that I've been able to attend, I haven't seen Burley's man get anywhere near a QB. It's hard to believe he's pitching a shutout for the whole spring, but he has looked terrific.

[mrydel]

• RB James Mapps felt the brunt of an apparent increase in defensive intensity. CB Brandon Jones shed an OL block, got into the backfield and swallowed up Mapps before the RB got anywhere near the line of scrimmage. On the next play, LB Wilton McCray shot through the line of scrimmage and buried Mapps before he really even got turned upfield.

Good to see we have left our short yardage play in the playbook.

[2112]

we've seen that play too many times

[PonyPride]

Take it easy - neither play was run between the tackles, and the linemen weren't exactly hitting [deleted] either side. I was just commenting on Jones and McCray getting there so quickly.

[Bergermeister]

the linemen weren't exactly hitting hard.

I thought we took the "linemen-not-exactly-hitting-hard" play out of the playbook after the Rice debacle that cost SMU a winning season and a bowl game. Guess we were using an old script.

[mrydel]

Take it easy - neither play was run between the tackles, and the linemen weren't exactly hitting [deleted] either side. I was just commenting on Jones and McCray getting there so quickly.

That particular play has highlighted the speed of many players throughout CUSA. It is a shame they have always been on defense.

[PonyPride]

Everyone try some decaf. The weren't in full uniform (shoulder pads and shorts), and therefore weren't going full-contact. Basically running plays until a defender wrapped up or made the tackle. Just no huge hits, that's all.

[PonySnob]

Has Philip Burley started practicing after he tore up his knee in the "Pony Bowl"? Weren't several other players injured at that time as well?

[gostangs]

Ahhhhhh......so nice to see captain happy back at it.

[PonyPride]

Phillip Burley is at practice, but he's doing conditioning-related work: light running, on-field abs/stretching, etc. A few others are in the same boat: Josh Hickman, Jordan Johnson, etc. When I've been out there, they're not standing around much -- they observe the scrimmage parts of practice, but the training staff has them working pretty hard.