There are two ways too look at the army of players not taking part in this year's spring workouts with the SMU Mustangs: on one hand, several presumed starters are not on the field working with their teammates.
On the other hand, a slew of backups and spot starters are getting far more work and individual attention during the workouts, which focus on teaching and skill development.
One such player is offensive tackle Bryan Collins, who will be a sophomore in the fall. Collins was kicked in the deep end — a.k.a. "the starting lineup" — last year when right tackle J.T. Brooks started the season on the sideline because of a knee injury. Collins found himself in the fray with no more practice time than the teams' two-a-day preseason workouts. He did pretty well, at times, but there also were times he looked like a true freshman.
Now in his first spring workouts with the Ponies, Collins is part of a thin group of offensive linemen. Brooks, Bryce Tennison, Jordan Free and Joey Fontana all are out, leaving offensive line coach with just nine pupils. Collins said the smaller numbers are helping get more individual focus.
"There's a lot more individual teaching now than there is during the season," he said. "This is the first time I've gotten so much of this with Coach Klemm, and it helps a lot. He's working with us on things like our steps, our footwork, hand placement — things like that."
While Collins has just one season behind him, and is in his first spring workouts, he already finds himself playing the role of mentor, as well. Collins is working with backup Christian Miller, who sat out the season as a grayshirt.
"He looks pretty good," Collins said of Miller. "He's got a lot to learn, but hey, so do I."
At 6-foot-3 and 287 pounds, Collins said he is in better shape than he was last season, although "I still have a way to go." He also said that the virtual absence of contact — even for linemen, who earn their keep among the mayhem that is the line of scrimmage — further aids in Klemm's teaching.
"It's a little weird, going against air," Collins said, "but I think it allows him to teach us more efficiently. When you're hitting each other, you have to worry about the other (defensive) guy, keeping your balance, looking to see who's going to hit you next.
"Doing it this way, you get to focus only on what you're learning, making sure your hands are exactly right, or your feet are exactly right. In the long run, it's going to help."
