Practice (8/7/12) report

[PonyPride]

• Tuesday was the Mustangs' first day in pads, or partial pads, anyway. The players wore shoulder pads under their jerseys for the first time, along with shorts and helmets, and went almost live in an 11-on-11 (players hit each other, but there was no full tackling) session. If observers didn't see the collision between RB Rishaad Wimbley and LB Taylor Reed, they sure heard it.

• Players who sat out included: OG Jordan Free (back), OL Chuey Chamagua, OL Chase Walling, OT Taylor Reich (ankle), RB Jared Williams (thigh) and DE Jarrett Spencer (hip).

• As head coach June Jones said after practice, the receivers didn't catch the ball as well as they usually do. But QB Garrett Gilbert continues to impress with his accuracy, including on deep passes and sometimes even when the ball falls incomplete. When the team went to seven-on-seven drills, Gilbert's first pass was a 45-yard strike over CB J.R. Richardson and in to the hands of WR Stephen Nelson. Nelson wasn't able to hang on for the reception, but the accuracy of the pass was extraordinary. Later in the seven-on-seven drills, CB Kenneth Acker was able to knock the ball out of the hands of WR Keenan Holman, but again, Gilbert's 45-yard throw was right on the money.

• At times it seemed like the defense made more plays than the receivers, including LB Randall Joyner, who made a leaping, twisting interception of a short pass over the middle by QB Garrett Krstich.

• Not all defensive players came up with the play. Freshman CB Ajee Montes jumped a route and dove forward to make an interception, only to assign himself some punishment push-ups after failing to come up with the ball.

• Special teams coach Frank Gansz, Jr., wants players who are fast and agile, and can change direction quickly ... and might have found one in himself Tuesday. QB Neal Burcham found WR Gehrig Dieter on an out-and-up move. Dieter had beaten his defender and appeared headed toward the end zone ... until he nearly ran over Gansz, who had wandered on to the edge of the field. Fortunately for both, Gansz saw Dieter coming and backpedaled out of harm's way.

• A couple of offensive linemen have moved positions: Jordan Favreau has moved from guard to tackle, while Ben Hughes has moved from tackle to guard.

• Interesting day for Nike: after ditching his eccentric cartoon-themed socks in exchange for team-issued Nike socks, S Shakiel Randolph, while standing in as a mock running back, ran right out of a shoe. Toward the end of practice, OL Blake McJunkin's shoe broke during team (11-on-11) drills. With McJunkin sidelined, Hughes took his spot at left guard.

• Hughes quickly showed his athletic ability after stepping in, pulling from the left side to lead RB Rishaad Wimbley to the right side of the line and springing Wimbley for a long run by sealing off the outside linebacker.

•├é┬áWimbley took the first snaps at RB in the team drills, but that was no cause for concern regarding starter Zach Line, who was merely resting.

• To play for new WRs coach Jason Phillips, players must block as well as catching the ball. The message appears to be getting through, including to new players. WR Darius Joseph took off upfield with a screen pass thanks to a downfield block by WR Ryan Walker, and WR Gehrig Dieter did the same, sealing off CB Kenneth Acker to spring WR Jeremy Johnson, who had just fielded a screen pass of his own.

• Freshman OL Sam Rice said his brother, DE Tanner Rice, will be among the walk-ons who join the team after classes start later this month. Tanner Rice spent a year at the Air Force Academy before deciding to join his brother at SMU, where their father, Doug, also played.

• A trio of SMU alums were in attendance Tuesday: RB Shawnbrey McNeal, DE Marquis Frazier and DE Kevin Aldridge.

[kull]

thanks for the report!

[SMU21TCU10]

• Tuesday was the Mustangs' first day in pads, or partial pads, anyway. The players wore shoulder pads under their jerseys for the first time, along with shorts and helmets, and went almost live in an 11-on-11 (players hit each other, but there was no full tackling) session. If observers didn't see the collision between RB Rishaad Wimbley and LB Taylor Reed, they sure heard it.

• Players who sat out included: OG Jordan Free (back), OL Chuey Chamagua, OL Chase Walling, OT Taylor Reich (ankle), RB Jared Williams (thigh) and DE Jarrett Spencer (hip).

• As head coach June Jones said after practice, the receivers didn't catch the ball as well as they usually do. But QB Garrett Gilbert continues to impress with his accuracy, including on deep passes and sometimes even when the ball falls incomplete. When the team went to seven-on-seven drills, Gilbert's first pass was a 45-yard strike over CB J.R. Richardson and in to the hands of WR Stephen Nelson. Nelson wasn't able to hang on for the reception, but the accuracy of the pass was extraordinary. Later in the seven-on-seven drills, CB Kenneth Acker was able to knock the ball out of the hands of WR Keenan Holman, but again, Gilbert's 45-yard throw was right on the money.

• At times it seemed like the defense made more plays than the receivers, including LB Randall Joyner, who made a leaping, twisting interception of a short pass over the middle by QB Garrett Krstich.

• Not all defensive players came up with the play. Freshman CB Ajee Montes jumped a route and dove forward to make an interception, only to assign himself some punishment push-ups after failing to come up with the ball.

• Special teams coach Frank Gansz, Jr., wants players who are fast and agile, and can change direction quickly ... and might have found one in himself Tuesday. QB Neal Burcham found WR Gehrig Dieter on an out-and-up move. Dieter had beaten his defender and appeared headed toward the end zone ... until he nearly ran over Gansz, who had wandered on to the edge of the field. Fortunately for both, Gansz saw Dieter coming and backpedaled out of harm's way.

• A couple of offensive linemen have moved positions: Jordan Favreau has moved from guard to tackle, while Ben Hughes has moved from tackle to guard.

• Interesting day for Nike: after ditching his eccentric cartoon-themed socks in exchange for team-issued Nike socks, S Shakiel Randolph, while standing in as a mock running back, ran right out of a shoe. Toward the end of practice, OL Blake McJunkin's shoe broke during team (11-on-11) drills. With McJunkin sidelined, Hughes took his spot at left guard.

• Hughes quickly showed his athletic ability after stepping in, pulling from the left side to lead RB Rishaad Wimbley to the right side of the line and springing Wimbley for a long run by sealing off the outside linebacker.

•├é┬áWimbley took the first snaps at RB in the team drills, but that was no cause for concern regarding starter Zach Line, who was merely resting.

• To play for new WRs coach Jason Phillips, players must block as well as catching the ball. The message appears to be getting through, including to new players. WR Darius Joseph took off upfield with a screen pass thanks to a downfield block by WR Ryan Walker, and WR Gehrig Dieter did the same, sealing off CB Kenneth Acker to spring WR Jeremy Johnson, who had just fielded a screen pass of his own.

• Freshman OL Sam Rice said his brother, DE Tanner Rice, will be among the walk-ons who join the team after classes start later this month. Tanner Rice spent a year at the Air Force Academy before deciding to join his brother at SMU, where their father, Doug, also played.

• A trio of SMU alums were in attendance Tuesday: RB Shawnbrey McNeal, DE Marquis Frazier and DE Kevin Aldridge.

hopefully none of the sidelined OL have injuries present when the season starts. Now that QB looks like it will be good, OL is my main concern!

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

• QB Garrett Gilbert continues to impress with his accuracy, the accuracy of the pass was extraordinary. Gilbert's 45-yard throw was right on the money.

• To play for new WRs coach Jason Phillips, players must block as well as catching the ball.

Love to hear these two points. PonyPride thanks for the great reports for those of us that can't be there in person.

[malonish]

Slick move with that video link PP!