Thursday (8/18/11) MORNING practice report

[PonyPride]

• Among those watching Thursday's morning session: former QB Lance McIlhenny, former WR Chris Cunningham and former LB Greg Gardner.

• Also in attendance: a scout from the Buffalo Bills.

• Had a nice visit with Gardner, whose company (http://www.gardnergrp.com/) sponsored Wednesday's Kickoff Luncheon and will be sponsoring the weekly June Jones lunches. "We really enjoyed the luncheon yesterday and were very pleased with the turnout," Gardner said. "We're looking forward to the lunch series, which will include some special guests along with Coach Jones."

• CB Keith Robinson was back in drills with the secondary.

• RB K.C. Nlemchi's strained hip flexor is lingering a little. Nlemchi said he "might be out another week."

• Nlemchi's former Cinco Ranch High School teammate, WR Bobby Waid, remained out, as did DE Kevin Grenier and WR Kyle Guinyard.

•Wednesday's practice was notable in part because of the number of passes into double- and triple coverage that reached their targets. Some of those same passes were dropped Thursday morning. A few were tipped, but not all.

• The defense had a better morning than the offense. Not only were a few more passes than usual dropped, but there were several plays on which the defense blanketed the receivers so closely that the quarterback was forced to tuck the ball and accept a sack.

• Remember Signing Day in 2010, when head coach June Jones talked about CB Chris Parks, saying Parks has "an NFL body"? On one otherwise nondescript play during seven-on-seven drills, QB Steve Kaiser threw a screen pass in the left flat to WR Steve Nelson. Parks shot forward and dove, barely knocking the ball away. Without Parks' size and speed — and long arms — that pass is completed. Parks has several plays like that over the last few days.

• A couple of players have commented about the work WR Ryan Walker has put in with strength and conditioning coach Mel de Laura and his staff in the weight room. The 6-foot, 189-pound Walker is much stronger than he was a year ago, and seems to have increased his vertical jump, too. He put both assets on display while turning in one of the nicer plays of the day, holding his ground against a CB and then leaping high in the back of the end zone and twisting his body around to snag a pass from QB Kyle Padron that appeared destined to fall incomplete and out of bounds.

• Walker also has looked good in special teams drills. During Thursday's morning session, he and DL Aaron Davis repeatedly beat their blockers to get downfield and start chasing the return man.

• WR Ace Holleman has drawn rave reviews from teammates and coaches for his ability to pick up the SMU offense and also to use his size and strength to muscle DBs away from the ball. But when facing big WRs, DBs talk about how they can compensate through superior technique. For example: senior CB Richard Crawford lined up against Holleman in one seven-on-seven drill. Crawford is listed on the SMU roster at 5-11 and 191 pounds, which is four inches shorter and 17 pounds lighter than Holleman (who reports being 208). If the ball is thrown up high and the players don't make contact with each other, the taller, long-armed Holleman would have a distinct advantage. That wasn't a problem for Crawford, who got in close to Holleman's body, turned and ran step-for-step with the freshman wideout and systematically pushed him a little bit to his right, until Holleman ran out of bounds and watched a pass from QB J.J. McDermott fall incomplete.

• As a group, the safeties have shown improved hands this fall. Justin Sorrell has been making plays since the start of camp, and Chris Banjo made one of the better defensive plays of the day Thursday when he hung back in coverage and then jumped in front of freshman WR Darius Joseph to make an interception.

• Maybe the nicest pass of the day was thrown by QB Kyle Padron, who found WR Darius Johnson on the left sideline. The pass was particularly tough because Padron had to drop it over a linebacker but with enough speed to get it there before a DB could get a hand on it. Great pass, great catch.

• K Mike Loftus attempted 10 field goals (with P Matt Stone holding). Loftus hit eight of 10, with both misses coming from 52 yards out.

[Junior]

It's really encouraging to hear that Holleman is progressing so quickly. With his size, he could be a difference maker this year. Would be nice to force opposing D's not to key in on Beas and DJ3. Great to see that TW is getting back to his old self.

[StallionsModelT]

Holleman is starting to sound like he could be our version of Michael Crabtreee. Big, physical WR who can overmatch the opposition. With all the finesse WR we have its great to be able to have a guy like this who can just out-athlete his opponent.

[kull]

After several years in a college weight room they freshman will be men