PonyFan.com spring practice report (March 18, 2014)

[PonyPride]

After taking a week off for spring break, the Mustangs returned Tuesday to the practice field for their fourth spring workout. Some notes:

• Coaches are constantly seeking multiple combinations of players in different groups of positions, and the players who prove the most valuable to a team often are those who can play multiple positions. One player who took some reps at a new position was Chauncey Briggs, who finished last year at LT and is the leader to retain the position entering spring workouts. But during some live (11 on 11) drills, Briggs took some snaps at LG, with Seaver Myers stepping in at LT. Whether that lasts beyond Tuesday's workout remains to be seen — it could be nothing more than the coaches experimenting to see if Briggs can play guard, if needed, or if Myers is ready to play left tackle — but if the two can handle those roles, they will give head coach June Jones and OL coach Wes Suan some much-needed flexibility.

• Even as a true freshman who played limited minutes last year, LB Nick Horton drew repeated praise from defensive coordinator Tom Mason, who said he thinks Horton has the physical skills and demeanor to develop into an excellent contributor to the Mustangs' defense. (Kevin Pope, who played last season as a senior, is hoping to gain another year of eligibility — either at RB or LB — but did not participate in drills. He was at practice and worked on running agility drills, but didn't work with the offense or defense in 11-on-11 situations.) Horton has gotten some reps this spring with the first-team defense. It was thought he would be able to step in and contribute right away against the run, but when an ILB stays with a WR like Darius Joseph on crossing routes, Mason and LBs coach Eric Daniels might find it harder to replace him on the field.

• Another LB who looked excellent in pass coverage was sophomore-to-be Jackson Mitchell, who closely shadowed RBs and WRs on several pass routes. Yes, he ran over slot WR Cedric Lancaster on one play when he got a little too close before the ball arrived (after running through Lancaster, Mitchell caught his teammate before he hit the ground and helped him up), but for a guy whose contributions in 2013 were limited largely to special teams, Mitchell's coverage was a pleasant surprise.

• Lancaster, meanwhile, was one of the most impressive players on the field Tuesday. While he might not possess the pure sprinting speed of players like Der'Rikk Thompson or Nate Halverson, Lancaster repeatedly got open to make receptions. He changes directions very quickly and accelerates very quickly in a new direction, allowing him to separate from defenders. How the depth chart sorts out likely won't be resolved until sometime during preseason camp, but Lancaster has looked impressive, with added muscle on his frame, improved route running and good hands.

• Two of the players sitting out spring workouts, LB Stephon Sanders and slot WR Deion Sanders, reported improvement in their recovery from ankle and shoulder injuries, respectively. Stephon Sanders continues to wear a protective boot on his sprained right ankle, but finally has ditched the crutches he has used for about two months. Deion Sanders, meanwhile, said his surgically repaired left shoulder is feeling better every day. He won't be back on the field during spring workouts, and admits that his time on the sideline has been frustrating while he recovers from the first major injury he ever has had. "You just want to get out there with everyone else," Deion Sanders said. "You do mental reps, and that helps, but it's not the same. I want to practice so I can get ready to play." Sanders reported that he was headed to a doctor later Tuesday for an evaluation and update on his shoulder.

• QB Conner Preston is back in the rotation, and is thrilled to be back on the field with his teammates after spending the 2013 season signaling in plays from the sideline while dealing with a circulation issue in his chest and arms. He is throwing with good velocity, and sometimes with creativity: at one point, he had the ball knocked from his hands by a running back, only to scoop the ball off the ground and fire a strike underhanded — not from a sidearm delivery some QBs (including Preston) sometimes use. Picture a fast-pitch softball pitcher firing a strike while wearing shoulder pads.

Preston said after practice that he is impressed by some of the WRs who are tasked with replacing graduated 2013 seniors Keenan Holman, Jeremy Johnson and Ryan Walker. One who has particularly caught Preston's eye is Nate Halverson. Preston said Halverson is "a good player — he's smart, runs great routes and is super-fast. Some guys look good in practice, and some guys, you can just tell they'll be players in games. Nate's going to be a great player in games."

• For his part, Halverson is adjusting to a new role in 2014. After playing outside last season, Halverson now is a slot WR, a transition he said is more about reading defenses differently than it is about a change in physical technique. "The reads are different," Halverson said. "Outside, you look at the corner(back) and maybe the safeties, but that's it. Inside, you also have linebackers to look for, and the defensive end, too. You still have to watch the DBs, but you have to make adjustments for what the guys up front are doing, too. When you're outside, you're kind of on an island and you just have to beat your man, but inside, the front seven can change the way you go at the DBs. I'm getting more comfortable every day, and I'll be ready for the season." Halverson said that in addition to what he is learning about his new role from WRs coach Jason Phillips, he also is getting considerable advice from more experienced slot WRs like Darius Joseph and Aaron Stafford. "They know the position, so they're sharing a lot of little things, little techniques," Halverson said. "You can do things in drills all day, but in a game, it's not like the DB is going to stand still for you so you can do something perfectly. They're really helpful about taking what I'm learning and then explaining how it can vary in games. I'm learning a lot from them."

• Through four practices, Halverson said he has been impressed with several of the DBs who have to replace graduated 2013 starters Kenneth Acker and Chris Parks. As is the case at every position, it's too early to tell who will start, but Halverson said he been especially impressed by J.R. Richardson and Horace Richardson, who could be the Ponies' starting CBs in the fall, and Ajee Montes, a utility DB in 2013 whose versatility against the run and in coverage has impressed defensive coordinator Tom Mason. "They're both fast as hell," Halverson said of the Richardsons, and "I love (Montes') motor. Plus, he's a really smart — he can hold you, but if nobody sees it, it didn't happen, and he's really strong, so if he gets his hands on you, he's really tough." Among the young players who have caught Halverson's eye are J'Marcus Rhodes and Jesse Montgomery, who sat out their freshman seasons in 2013 while redshirting. "He's a really big body, with long arms, and he's really aggressive," Halverson said of Rhodes. Montgomery, on the other hand, is "really tall, too, and he's faster. He might be the fastest of all of them."

• Halverson said he has been impressed with several safeties, too. Shakiel Randolph, Halverson said, "is much stronger. He weighed in at 215 today, and you can tell when you hit him … and A.J. Justice — I tried to lower my pads and run through him, and it was like running into a wall."

• Some other roster notes: WR Kyle Guinyard (knee) and WR-turned-RB Ronnell Sims (ankle) have been medically retired. OL Chase Walling no is no longer with the team. DE Cameron Smith (back) has been sitting out in an effort to rest his back, but said he hopes to return to the field before the end of spring drills.

[Rebel10]

I wonder what happened to Chase Walling.

[East Coast Mustang]

Would be nice if Seaver Myers could live up to the hype. He was a big recruit when we signed him with a lot of P5 offers...would be nice if he could contribute at a spot of need along the OL