PonyFans.com practice report: (9/17-18/14)

[PonyPride]

(Combined practice notes from Wednesday and Thursday)

• Alumni are visiting with regularity. Former CBs Bryan McCann and Chris Parks were at practice Wednesday; former DL Aaron "Spike" Davis was in attendance Thursday and spoke to the team after practice about his experiences at SMU, the need to pull together and play for each other, etc.

• RB Kevin Pope and WR Stephen Nelson sat out Wednesday's workout. Interim head coach Tom Mason said Pope had a headache, while Nelson was recovering from a broken nose suffered last week in practice. Both returned Thursday.

• He is still learning the offense, but WR Courtland Sutton is making people take notice. He has blocked DBs all the way off the field for several days. He made several nice catches Wednesday, including a couple when he simply went up and reached a pass none of the nearby DBs could reach, and Thursday elevated and stretched out to make a sensational one-handed grab on a very high pass that seemed destined to land in the bench area of Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

• One change since Mason took over as head coach: he's wearing and using a traditional coach's whistle.

• More NFL scouts at practice this week, including scouts from the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos.

• McCann said he was glad to see defensive coordinator Tom Mason get promoted to interim head coach. He said that when he played at SMU, Mason got the defense to practice and play with energy and passion, and it was fun; he said it's obvious Mason is still having that effect on his team.

• The team is working on more game-specific situations in practice than before. Rather than simply running a play (in seven-on-seven or in team/11-on-11 drills), more and more plays are being set in context, with a coach (usually Mason) stopping everyone long enough to designate the down and distance needed. Players said it has increased focus and intensity.

• Since we reported a couple of days ago that QB Kolney Cassel was throwing strikes in practice, but throwing everything really hard, it's only fair to point out that he showed a lot more touch over the last couple of days, often taking several miles per hour off his fastball, and improving his accuracy.

• Now two weeks into his career as a cornerback, junior Shakiel Randolph continues to improve. His height and athletic ability make him a rarity, but he is working to refine his footwork and technique. DBs coach Derrick Odum said he has been extremely impressed with the progress Randolph is making, and his conference was rewarded Thursday when Randolph made a pretty ridiculous one-handed interception on a ball that was thrown behind him.

• Mason said after practice (see video on home page) that CB J.R. Richardson will get a shot at returning kickoffs, and WR Daijuan Stewart will get a chance to return punts.

• Speaking of Stewart … if Sutton didn't earn the best catch of the day with his one-handed stab, then Stewart did, leaping high along the sideline to snag a high pass before falling to the ground … after getting his feet down inbounds.

• Mason also said that ILB Nick Horton is playing, but not yet 100 percent after getting hurt during preseason camp … but will play.

[SMU 86]

Sounds like the team is ready to go.