PonyFans.com spring practice report (March 4, 2014)

[PonyPride]

• Jerry Saena, who redshirted the 2013 season as a backup offensive tackle, and Nick Reed, who moved over to offense to add depth at running back for the last couple of games last season, are working with the defensive linemen as nose tackles. Jarrett Spencer, who will be a junior in the fall, is moving from defensive end to the offensive line. Cayman Carter, a walk-on QB in 2013, spent some time doing drills with the defensive backs.

• LB Stephon Sanders (ankle), S Hayden Greenbauer and WR Deion Sanders (shoulder) will miss the entire spring workouts.

Greenbauer ran (not at full speed) on the side while his teammates went through drills, and said he feels “great.” He said the last estimate he got suggested that he would be able to begin football-related workouts in “about a month.”

• QB Conner Preston, who sat out the entire 2013 season because of an uncommon circulatory issue, is back on the field with his teammates, taking part in all drills. Preston recently said he has gained weight over the offseason, up to “about 204 or 205” pounds, looks leaner this spring. The passes he (and the other quarterbacks) threw were mostly short and intermediate in length, directed at receivers who were running half-speed; that said, Preston showed good velocity and a fairly quick release. It’s far too early to even begin to speculate about any kind of depth chart, but when the offense ran skeleton (no defense) drills as a unit, Preston was the second quarterback to take snaps (after Neal Burcham).

• Preston is not the only player who looks stronger — several look leaner or stronger or both. One such player was S Shakiel Randolph, who looks considerably stronger than he did last year (although he said recently that his weight is not wildly different from the listed 201 listed on last year’s roster. At one point, he dropped a pass while doing drills with the rest of the defensive backs and secondary coach Derrick Odum, at which point he penalized himself with push-ups that he executed while lifting one leg up behind him. Think that’s easy? Try it.

• Guard Ben Hughes, a guard on the 2013 roster, has graduated and will not return to the team.

• Tuesday’s workout was the first in the college career of OL William Barns, who sat out the 2013 season as a greyshirt. Again, it’s far too early to project a depth chart or line combinations, but Barns played center with the second-team line. Daniel McCarty played LG and Chewy Chamagua played RG with the first OL unit. Spencer played LG with the second unit, with Travis Fister playing RG.

• Head coach June Jones acknowledged that the team is thin at receiver, although Tuesday’s practice did mark the return of Daijuan Stewart, Everett Dickerson and Cedric Lancaster.

• Several players have changed jersey numbers: LB Jonathan Yenga is wearing 1 … LB Nick Horton is wearing 5 … LB Derek Longoria is wearing 25 … RB Prescott Line is wearing 42 … OL Jarrett Spencer is wearing 77 … Saena is wearing 98. As for the newcomers, LB Caleb Tuiasosopo is wearing 4 … William Barns is wearing 51 … OL Bozidar Antunovic is wearing 78.

[East Coast Mustang]

Gee, you can really feel the enthusiasm just oozing out of June in this video

[PonyPride]

That's not his style, but more than that, today was taking care of some housecleaning — why a player sat out, who switched positions, etc. We basically just went through a checklist with him.

[Rebel10]

Just goes to show you that just because you have numbers at a position doesn't mean you have depth. You have to be able to play the position well.

[Rebel10]

Does anyone find it odd that June only knew certain players by their numbers? 24 is JR Richardson and he has been here for almost 3 years.

[PonySnob]

All football season this fall means is that we're getting closer to basketball season.............


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[WildHorse]

No, fall is SMU football and soccer season … leading to basketball season.
Go Ponies!

[ojaipony]

Thin at WR?

Others I'm interested in hearing about . . .

- Spencer Hollie
- Kevin Pope?
- Zelt Minor
- Seaver Myers

Will he continue to adopt the hurry up/no huddle principles of Mumme or are we going back to the QB walk of shame?

[ponyscott]

Sorry but that was painful to listen to and I couldn't even get to the end of the 'interview'...he hardly cooperated with anyones questions and was very standoffish and arrogant ....also was that a Hawaii Bowl hat?...if so, figures.
Am not looking forward to this season at all...and this is the first Spring practice season I have no interest in attending and am certain they won't miss me too.

[PonyKai]

We're thin at Wide Receiver? After recruiting about a dozen in each class?

[Stallion]

the movement of Saena-the great Pogo Pogo discovery-is concerning. Wasn't he supposed to be a sure fire First Round NFL Draft pick at OT

[Stallion]

Just goes to show you that just because you have numbers at a position doesn't mean you have depth. You have to be able to play the position well.

but it looks so convincing when JasonB throws out his stupid depth chart of questionmarks

[Rebel10]

the movement of Saena-the great Pogo Pogo discovery-is concerning. Wasn't he supposed to be a sure fire First Round NFL Draft pick at OT

June said that Seana wanted to play DT instead of OT.

[Stallion]

well isn't that special

[Rebel10]

June said in the video that we are not necessarily deep at nose tackle. I wonder why he did not recruit one or more then.