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Monday (8/8/11) practice report

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Monday (8/8/11) practice report

Postby PonyPride » Mon Aug 08, 2011 4:44 pm

Again, not a lot of detail that can be given about players' performances, because the first two practices have included a lot of teaching sessions, in which position coaches gather their players around them to explain assorted concepts and plays, or at most have them walk through certain plays and formations as the younger players start picking up their assignments. Not surprisingly, a lot of young players watched their veteran teammates and then got a majority of the snaps at several positions.

That said, there was some work done. A few notes:

• The DBs did a fairly routine drill in which they line up, as if covering a WR. At the "snap" of the ball, they backpedal for a few steps before turning and racing downfield to chase a long, high pass thrown by DBs coach Derrick Odum. There were no WRs running alongside the DBs, but Odum likes to air it out, and some players ran out of room before catching up to his throws. Three players who looked smooth and fast were freshmen Daren Kitchen, J.R. Richardson and Rodney Hubert. Of course, they were recruited in part because the SMU coaches liked their speed and athleticism, but the drill required more than just sprinting ability. All three appeared to be pretty fluid in their backpedal, turned quickly and accelerated to get under the passes. They didn't catch every one, but they showed some of the basic skill needed to cover on deep passes.

• The first-team offensive line stayed the same, and it would be shocking to see it change when games start: LT Kelvin Beachum, Jr., LG Josh LeRibeus, C Blake McJunkin and Bryce Tennison (alternating), RG Kelly Turner and RT J.T. Brooks. Of note was the new look in the second-team line: LT Josh Emshoff, LG Jordan Free, C Tennison/McJunkin, RG Bryan Collins and RT Ben Gottschalk. In Saturday's camp-opening workout, Gottschalk and Collins worked on the left side.

• Saturday's practice was marked by the WRs dropping very few passes (although, admittedly, the routes were limited to short crossing routes, slants and out routes — very few passes went more than 15 or 20 yards). Monday's practice included similarly simple routes, but there were a few more drops. There also were some very nice receptions, including one leaping grab by freshman WR Bobbby Waid, who outjumped safety ... Kyle Padron for the pass. (OK, Padron barely moved, but it still was a really nice leaping grab by Waid.) WR Keenan Holman also made a pair of nice grabs on high passes, when he had

• One of the nicer sights Monday was seeing WR Marcus Holyfield running under a trainer's supervision, sometimes in a straight sprint and other times in wide, sweeping turns. Holyfield underwent surgery Feb. 14 to repair the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that he tore in his right knee in January.

• Who will end up returning punts and kickoffs this season remains to be seen, but during coverage drills, a number of candidates took a crack at it, including CB Kenneth Acker, WR Der'Rikk Thompson, WR Steve McCormack, WR Terrance Wilkerson, CB J.R. Richardson and CB Daren Kitchen.

• During one such drill, new special teams coach Frank Gansz, Jr. had two players would run through foam dummies simulating blockers, then fight past a second line of blockers (teammates holding up foam pads) and close in on the return man, with the intent of stripping the ball. Twice in the first couple of minutes, the ball was stripped and recovered by DE Taylor Thompson. A few minutes later, Acker seemed to disappear when wrapped up by DE Margus Hunt. Freshman NT Darrian Wright pushed the "no pads" envelope a little, burying his helmet into McCormack on another return. McCormack is listed at 106 pounds lighter than the 280-pound Wright, and wasn't hurt on the play ... but he also didn't take another step. (Despite the hit, McCormack hung on to the ball.)

• Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. In another Gansz drill, four players tangled with four blockers before racing downfield to "tackle" (read: "tag") a return man. On one play, CB J.R. Richardson split the coverage by racing up the middle of the field. As he darted between the closing defenders, someone got a hand on the ball, popping it out of Richardson's hands. No problem, though ... Richardson didn't even slow down as the ball floated straight back down into his hands and he took off upfield, without getting touched the rest of the way.
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Re: Monday (8/8/11) practice report

Postby GiddyUp » Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:00 pm

Thanks for the report. Was it Crawford who did a pretty good job returning punts at the end of last year. Wow, what a disaster that was for a while.
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Re: Monday (8/8/11) practice report

Postby cutter » Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:29 pm

great.
thanks.
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