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Just got to Ford Stadium for the afternoon practice, and since there's no media access to the players or coaches after this practice, I'm in the pressbox. I'll post updates throughout the afternoon session.

(At this morning's practice, I was experimenting with a new camera, and spent the entire practice taking pictures ... hence the glaring absence of a practice report.)

About 60 players (so far) on the turf inside Ford Stadium for the first part of a split afternoon practice session. The first half is supposed to be dedicated to special teams, after which the team will move out to the Pettus practice field for offense and defense work.

Players jogging and stretching now.

Nice test of how well I know the players, especially the new guys. Regular practice jerseys must be in the laundry or something — lots of guys wearing new numbers. Maybe I should go pick a fight with the equipment staff.

Kellis Cunningham and Matt Szymanski rotating on kickoffs. Szymanski's are higher, Cunningham's have better distance. Szymanski's last two have come down inside the 5-yard line, while Cunningham's last two have reached the end zone.

PonyPride wrote:Nice test of how well I know the players, especially the new guys. Regular practice jerseys must be in the laundry or something — lots of guys wearing new numbers. Maybe I should go pick a fight with the equipment staff.

Two guys are wearing No. 9, and I guarantee neither is Bo Levi Mitchell. Could be an interesting afternoon.

I think one number 9 is Chase Kennemer.

PonyPride, has Mike Loftus done any kicking yet?

SMU 86 wrote:I think one number 9 is Chase Kennemer.

If so, either he's shrinking or my eyesight is failing.

PonyPride wrote:

SMU 86 wrote:I think one number 9 is Chase Kennemer.

If so, either he's shrinking or my eyesight is failing.

SMU 86 wrote:PonyPride, has Mike Loftus done any kicking yet?

Haven't seen him.

thanks for live reports

New drill, in which players are paired off, and run toward each other — sometimes head-on, other times at an angle — and one player lifts the other over his head. The drill is designed to help players get low when blocking, extend their arms and then explode forward with their hips to generate power.

Most guys are paired up with players of similar size, but it looked like Bradley Haynes was could have thrown Terrance Wilkerson into Mockingbird Lane, and Travis Carlile looked like he might toss Bryce Lunday into LaMadeliene.

(Again, that's if the players' numbers are correct, but the guys wearing their numbers seem to look like the right players.)

New round of kickoffs: Szymanski's first kick went 6 yards deep in the end zone.

For the non-math majors out there, that's 76 yards.

Cunningham kicks off to the 5.
Szymanski to the 9.

Szymanski goes 6 yards deep in the end zone.