Tuesday (4/24/12) practice notes

Post by **PonyPride** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:12 am

Notes from Tuesday's practice on the turf at Gerald J. Ford Stadium:

• Two of the nicest catches of the day were turned in by CB Kenneth Acker - one on offense, and one on defense. When standing in as a mock WR during defensive drills, Acker ran a quick crossing route, saw a pass sailing behind him and reached backward to snag the pass with his left hand without breaking stride. Toward the end of the session, when the offense and defense went head to head in seven-on-seven drills, S Jeremy Gray rose up to reach for a high pass but was only able to tip it ... only to to watch Acker dive under it just before it hit the turf.

•├é┬áWR Kyle Guinyard continues to improve. Not only is he catching the ball consistently, but he also is showing improved mobility on his surgically repaired knees. When the Mustangs went to team (11-on-11) drills, the first play from scrimmage was a quick screen pass to Guinyard. The throw and catch were anything but notable, but it was his run after the catch that was impressive, as Guinyard was able to shake two DBs with a pair of fakes that had to put some twist on those knees and showed an improved level of quickness.

When the Ponies went to seven-on-seven drills, Guinyard dropped a pass that hit him right between the numbers while he was surrounded by three DBs. But moments later, he was the target again on a deep crossing route - this time in quadruple coverage - and he hauled in the pass before turning upfield.

• Make no mistake: WR Arrius Holleman is not just tall ... he also can cover a lot of ground. On one play early in the team drills, Holleman ran a fly route down the right sideline. The pass was incomplete, landing out of bounds, but Holleman had gotten behind three DBs, leading them in to the end zone by several yards. Holleman is among several players who looks visibly stronger than last year, and maybe a step faster. If he can use his body to shield the ball from defenders and also can run away from some DBs with his speed, he becomes a far more dangerous threat.

Late in practice, during seven-on-seven drills, Holleman made one of the nicer receptions of the day when he adjusted to an underthrown pass and came back several yards to make the catch ... after which he was knocked out of bounds by CB Rodney Hubert but held on to the ball.

• Defensive coordinator Tom Mason talks constantly about wanting players on his defense who are fast and who practice fast. One player who clearly gets the message is NT Aaron Davis. The offense ran a screen pass to RB Rishaad Wimbley that Wimbley broke through the front seven and started heading down the right sideline. Davis, playing in the center of the defensive line, raced past a handful of defensive teammates and chased Wimbley 35 yards downfield, and would have caught him in another few steps if Wimbley hadn't stepped out of bounds.

• Just as Acker might be a surprise candidate to make the catches of the day, the best defensive play of the day was made by WR Der'Rikk Thompson. While running a crossing route for a pass from QB Garrett Krstich, Thompson slipped, leaving CB Keith Robinson standing alone with the ball headed straight for him. Thompson had the presence of mind to lift himself up and lunch toward the pass, knocking the ball away to prevent the would-be interception.

• Practice was interrupted when new men's basketball coach Larry Brown was invited to speak for a minute to the team. DE Margus Hunt said Brown told how he had "stolen" a couple of players from the football team when he was Kansas and won the national championship. "He said he was excited to be here, and said he might go forth and steal somebody from our team and win a national championship." When Brown told the Mustangs - presumably in jest, since he was at practice as a guest of head coach June Jones - that he might try to steal a football player, it would be natural to assume that one target might be Hunt, the Mustangs' tallest player at 6-8 and a former high school basketball player in Estonia. ("He can throw down," NT Aaron Davis said of Hunt. "He's pretty good.") Hunt and Davis agreed that the best basketball player on the football team is WR Marcus Holyfield.

• DE Jarrett Spencer is continuing his rehab from November hip surgery, during which doctors "re-shaped" Spencer's hip bone and stitched up some frayed cartilage. Spencer, who said he has bulked up to 270 pounds, has been doing some light running and said he expects to be cleared to resume full workouts in about four more weeks.

• RB Zach Line is sitting out his third consecutive spring workouts, this time while recovering from foot surgery that ended his 2011 season prematurely.

"I feel great," Line said of his repaired foot. "I haven't done any hard cuts, but I'm taking it slow on my own."

Line said he is antsy to get back on the field, but said his father actually wants him to stay out of drills.

"My dad is pretty superstitious about it," Line said. "I sat out the last two springs and had pretty good years (leading Conference USA in rushing in each of the two following seasons), so he thinks I should stick with what works (and not practice during the spring).

"I've done some stadium (stairs) to get my legs back, but I get a little tired while I'm getting those muscles back. I was told today I can start doing some cuts, so I'll start that soon."

In the meantime, Line is serving as an unofficial assistant to RBs coach Wes Suan ... and is not enjoying his role.

"It's really boring," Line said. "But (spring workouts during) the last two years have been really boring. But I want to help the team, so I'm doing what I can."

"I just tell (the other running backs) what I see. Coach Suan is looking at a lot of the big things, and he can't see everything on every play. I'm just an extra set of eyes, I guess."

Line admitted to being impressed with the progress Wimbley has made since moving to RB from NT.

"His footwork and hands are so much better," Line said. "We looked at some old film of him against Memphis, and he was reaching out and trying to take the ball out of the quarterback's hands on running plays. You're not supposed to reach for the ball - you put your arms (parallel across the chest) and let the quarterback put the ball in there, but he was snatching it. He didn't know what he was doing. But you look at him now, and he's a completely different player. He's in better shape, he has lost weight, and he uses his feet and his hands the way a running back is supposed to."

RyanSMU98 · Post by **RyanSMU98** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:48 pm

Great stuff as usual, PP. I have to say I am still really worried about the QB's; lots of reports of receivers adjusting to either overthrown or underthrown balls. I know everyone is hoping that Gilbert will save the day when he gets here, but if he struggles to pick things up and either Kaiser or Preston take the first snaps we might be heavily leaning on our D to keep us in games. I'd be curious to hear Coach Morrison's (and/or JJ's) eval on their progress, because these reports show it to be shaky at best.

SMUer · Post by **SMUer** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:59 pm

Yeah, I read these a lot of the time hoping that it's just that INTs are more remarkable plays and noted more than great passes or receptions. Otherwise it sounds like JV Offense vs. the Varsity Defense. I had the same hope last year but then I watched the open Spring Practice and realized, nope, our QBs are really that erratic. Hoping to be impressed this year.

S....M....U · Post by **S....M....U** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:25 pm

Thanks pp, loved the bit about brown's comments

ClickClack · Post by **ClickClack** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:27 pm

Are you guys serious? You are worried about the QB situation based on reading practice reports in which WR have to adjust a couple times or a ball is tipped? There are probably close to 100 balls thrown by QB's each practice and you are worried bc a bullet point summary of practice mentions a couple balls being off target. wow.

RyanSMU98 · Post by **RyanSMU98** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:16 pm

ClickClack wrote:Are you guys serious? You are worried about the QB situation based on reading practice reports in which WR have to adjust a couple times or a ball is tipped? There are probably close to 100 balls thrown by QB's each practice and you are worried bc a bullet point summary of practice mentions a couple balls being off target. wow.

Just asking the question. These practice reports read eerily like last year's, and I don't think there are many folks arguing that our QB play was stellar. I'm excited about the prospect of our offense firing on all cylinders for a change and curious if these guys look up to the job. Not being on the staff all I know about the QB's (or anyone else on the team) at this stage is what I read on these reports, so I thought I would see what those who have seen them so far this spring think (and their coaches). Kinda what I figured the point of these notes were.

Junior · Post by **Junior** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:21 pm

I'm not worried about the QB's.

squire · Post by **squire** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:30 pm

Larry Brown was eyeing Rishaad Wimbley.
Best 5'-11" 265 DT/RB/ Power Forward in the nation.

Mexmustang · Post by **Mexmustang** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:54 am

All I know, I could have given odds that five years ago we would have two head coaches of Jone's and Brown's stature on campus. I really believe having the two of them on campus will provide the support each one needs to keep the momentum going. Success in football will contribute to success in basketball and visa versa. A rising tide will raise all boats!

ponyscott · Post by **ponyscott** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:59 pm

Thanks and good report PP>