Monday (8/20/12) practice notes

[PonyPride]

• With classes starting Monday, the Ponies returned to their normal 7 a.m. start time for practice and began to shift the focus of their practice from teaching and implementing their systems to a little bit more Baylor-specific preparation.

• Seeing NFL scouts at SMU practices is becoming almost a daily occurrence. Visitors at Monday's session included a scout from the San Diego Chargers.

• The receivers again looked like two different groups. During position drills and some of the seven-on-seven drills, there were several dropped passes, but when the team went to full 11-on-11 drills, they were much sharper, catching almost everything. One receiver who stood out Monday, making both the easy catches expected of him and also a few of the highlight-reel variety was redshirt freshman Darius Joseph.

• QB Garrett Gilbert continues to show the skills that have earned him so many accolades during his career. Two that stood out were his continued accuracy on deep passes - he connected repeatedly on long throws to WRs Keenan Holman and Der'Rikk Thompson, among others - and his quick release. During "team" (11-on-11) drills, when he threw called screens or other short passes, the ball seemingly was out of his hand almost before the defense got out of its stance.

• Coaches at all levels in all sports preach constantly to their players to "finish the play." In other words, don't just make the catch, but wrap up the ball and score a touchdown ... don't just make the steal, but get downcourt and make the lay-up, etc. Case in point: when the defense worked against the scout team offense Monday, CB Kenneth Acker made a very impressive leaping interception of a pass thrown several feet over his head ... but when he took off with the ball, WR Kyle Guinyard chased Acker, reached out and punched the ball free. The ball bounced right back up in to Acker's hands, but he was reminded in no uncertain terms about the importance of wrapping up and protecting the football after securing a takeaway, and the rest of the defense was reminded to block the receiver after any turnover.

• OT Taylor Reich was back on the field with his teammates after working his way back from surgery to repair an ankle he injured during the Ponies' final spring practice. He was mostly an observer, but he has been cleared to resume practicing.

• The two things coaches insist can't be taught are speed and size. Both were on display during a special teams coverage drill, in which four players race downfield toward a return specialist, who is supposed to try to run and fake his way through the oncoming wave of tacklers. WR Ronnell Sims is quick and elusive, but even he couldn't find room to run when facing a quartet of defenders that included DE Margus Hunt. Sims headed to his right, where he ran into Hunt, whose outstretched arms seemed to cover half the field. Sims - who at his listed 5-8 and 185 pounds gives up a foot of height and 95 pounds to Hunt - not only disappeared when wrapped up by Hunt, but also had to watch Hunt stripped the ball out of his hands and trotted toward the end zone.

• The Ponies spent more time on special teams Monday than during any previous practice. Special teams coach Frank Gansz, Jr., was in mid-season form, imploring his players to focus on the details of coverage and protection units, like hand placement on blocks, taking the proper angles when sealing off a would-be tackler, etc.

[SMU 86]

Glad to hear Darius Joseph is doing well.

[SmooBoy]

Thanks, PP!

How is the other DJ and his injury?

[that's great raplh]

Goooood morning

[Navy Mustang]

Any word on who the NFL scouts are here to see? Obviously Margus has gained a lot of national attention. We have many other NFL worthy people on the roster as well. I instantly think they are here to evaluate the potential first round pick (Margus). I hope they see others while here. Any one else have guesses?

[S....M....U]

thanks for the updates

[FIVE-O-FAN]

Thanks for the post. Glad to hear Riech is working back in.