Saturday practice observations

[Corso]

There's no real order to any of this. But here goes:

• Don Ieremia-Stansbury looks very strong - much thicker. Didn't get to see him do many drills.
• I'd heard that Brandon Bonds had dropped a bunch of weight. Not sure if that's true, but he did look much quicker.
• The linebackers look like a totally different group. Clayton Cox looks very strong and athletic. D.D. Lee and Reggie Carrington are back. Rico Harris also is back for a sixth year, and appears much quicker than last year, when he played on one leg. Wilton McCray and Avery Cleveland look a lot thicker, too.
• Eckert threw very well today. Lot of zip on his passes, and accuracy seemed good. Romo also threw well, although he ran more plays geared around the run, either his own or an RB. Phillips looks like he's back in good shape, weight-wise, although he didn't seem to be throwing very hard. Maybe the coaches are working him back in slowly from that rotator cuff injury.
• Cedrick Dorsey got more work than the other RBs, I think, and looked strong. Not sure exactly why, but there was something a little different about the way he ran. Richuel Massey looks quicker and lighter than at any time since he arrived at SMU. He looked a little shiftier, and showed nice balance tightroping the sideline.
• Bobby Chase caught everything thrown his way. Devin Lowery and Reynaldo Pellerin looked strong, although Lowery still needs to get bigger. Chris Foster had too many drops, which was surprising, considering how sure-handed he was last year.
• The reports that Randall Goode can run seem to be true -- he was flying. Alvin Nnabuife was running with the LBs.
• Victor Makinde is huge for a CB. He looks like some of the DEs we signed in the early 1990s. I have no idea if he can play, but he looks great and runs extremely well.
• Ryan Kennedy might be even bigger than he was last year. He also ran extremely well and caught everything. He looked terrific. Vincent Chase was in street clothes.

[me@smu]

Great comments thanks for the notes.

Sounds like the team has been doing their work in the offseason and lets hope it proves so this fall

[ponyboy]

What's the deal with Vincent Chase? Is he healthy?

[PonyFan]

I heard he's in a walking cast, although I'm not sure why.

[Dooby]

I heard he's in a walking cast, although I'm not sure why.

Per the Prospectus, Chase broke his foot.

[PonyTales]

Any reason to believe, based on spring ball, that the pass rush will be improved? 10 sacks last year .... we have to improve. Troy Therien hopefully will help, as will Clayton Cox, I hope. Word is Jamar Bey is going to get every chance to earn playing time, and with his speed and height, maybe he can help.

Has anyone seen anything this spring?

[Dooby]

Any reason to believe, based on spring ball, that the pass rush will be improved? 10 sacks last year .... we have to improve. Troy Therien hopefully will help, as will Clayton Cox, I hope. Word is Jamar Bey is going to get every chance to earn playing time, and with his speed and height, maybe he can help.

Has anyone seen anything this spring?

I think it will be improved, but I haven't seen anything specific. We lost a starter in Adami, but he had a quiet season last year. We will have increased size, depth and experience. All those things help. We were better last year than the year before. I expect this year to be no different.

[Lefty]

• I'd heard that Brandon Bonds had dropped a bunch of weight. Not sure if that's true, but he did look much quicker.

OK, you're the second person who's used the word "quick" in reference to Bonds. I talked with a friend who went out to practice before spring break, and he said Bonds looked extremely quick, and that yes, he looks like he's mixed in a few salads. If he can stay light (for him) and quick, and if we get Desmond Jones back .... I like that interior tandem.

Wilton McCray and Avery Cleveland look a lot thicker, too.

For what it's worth, I also heard Wilton McCray has been absolutely sensational in the early workouts.

• .... Richuel Massey looks quicker and lighter than at any time since he arrived at SMU. He looked a little shiftier, and showed nice balance tightroping the sideline.

This is another guy my friend mentioned. He said Massey looks visibly leaner, and that it's very evident in his running. He's always had decent speed, but now his acceleration appears to be much better. He hits a higher gear much more quickly. He'll never be a change-of-direction, cutback-style RB. Personally I'm rooting for #33, and to be honest, I don't have a legitimate reason why. I've never met him. I don't know a great deal about him. Maybe it's his name. Maybe it's the absurd numbers he puts up in the weight room. Maybe it's the jersey number -- I have no idea.

[Lefty]

.... We were better last year than the year before. I expect this year to be no different.

Yes, we lost Adami and Melvin Williams and Karrington. In their places we add Chase Smith (who might have to play as a freshman, right?), Adrian Haywood, Kendall Mouton, Don Ieremia-Stansbury, Jamar Bey (maybe), Therien, Cox and Kyle Griffin (maybe), and hopefully we'll get Desmond Jones and Cory Muse back. I don't know how much better, but I have to think that overall the line will be improved.

[BUS]

We will have more size on the D-line and I think that will help in a few ways. Yes, more pressure on the QB but think of this.

Our Offense will be practicing against better players everyday and that will make them better.

Bigger and Better - Go Mustangs

[giacfsp]

Last year's offensive line was, to me, the biggest surprise on the team. Frankly, I didn't have high expectations for the offensive line last year, with all that youth up there. And while they weren't reminiscent of the Hogs (only offensive line I could think of with a nickname), they were a very pleasant surprise, especially when you consider that 8 guys got basically all the snaps.

With that said, the big young guys have another year under their belts, and I expect the offensive line to make the biggest jump of any group on the team in 2005. If they do, the QBs will look better passing and the RBs will have much more running room.

I believe our friend BUS is on to something. There is some merit to the "it all starts up front" idea.

[SWC2010]

Our Offense will be practicing against better players everyday and that will make them better.

Excellent point, BUS..

[OldPony]

I thought the starters needed to beat up on someone (like ASU) or the 2nd stringers to feel good about themselves(: How are they gonna learn to be winners if 2nd string gives them trouble?
See- the ASU sring never really died out no matter if it was proclaimed to be stupid by the winner.(:

[Dooby]

I thought the starters needed to beat up on someone (like ASU) or the 2nd stringers to feel good about themselves(: How are they gonna learn to be winners if 2nd string gives them trouble?
See- the ASU sring never really died out no matter if it was proclaimed to be stupid by the winner.(:

At least you acknowledge I was the winner.

[OldPony]

I should have said "self procalimed winner" but since you had the longest post and announced that the string was stupid, I thought you had to get the blue ribbon(: