Saturday (8/9) practice notes and notables

[PonyPride]

SaturdayΓÇÖs practice was pretty cool ΓÇö not because it was held in The Star in Frisco (which it was) ΓÇö but because the place has air conditioning, which is as good as it gets in August.

Some thoughts:

ΓÇó Even in limited playing time in 2024, RB Derrick McFall earned comparisons ΓÇö including some from head coach Rhett Lashlee ΓÇö to former SMU star Brashard Smith. The parallel was less about pure running ability, although they both have good speed and elusiveness, and more about their backgrounds as wide receivers helping them as targets out of the backfield in the passing game. When considering whether to draft Smith, NFL scouts watched his pass routes as well as his rushing attempts, and came away impressed by his hands and clean routes. McFall, who also played some wideout in high school, shows some similarities: he changes direction shoothly before and after the catch and shows very good hands, even when the pass is a little off target. he is comfortable reaching back for back-shoulder passes and keeping his feet under him to turn upfield.

• At his media availability last week, WRs coach Rob Likens was asked about the evolution of his group, and one player he singled out was QB Kevin Jennings. Likens praised Jennings not only for his arm strength, running ability and leadership — attributes every team wants in a quarterback — but also for his ability to keep plays alive with his legs and uncork throws long after some passers might have let the play end, and sometimes throwing the ball from different arm slots. On one play that stood out Saturday, Jennings stood tall in the pocket and was about to throw over the top of the line of scrimmage to a receiver on an intermediate crossing route. But when the passing lane closed off, he pulled the ball down and tried a side-arm pitch … and when that wasn’t there, he reloaded again and threw a strike, almost underhanded that zipped between three defenders. The ball doinked off the intended receiver, who surely couldn’t see Jennings or figured the play was over, so it didn’t result in a competition … but Jennings’ patience and improvisation were remarkable.

ΓÇó ItΓÇÖs easy to spot DT Jeffrey MΓÇÖba ΓÇö all 6-6 and 312 pounds of him ΓÇö and he has looked good for much of spring workouts and preseason camp; when he gets his pads low enough, he can forklift an offensive lineman out of the picture or completely move a double-team block. But it would be a mistake to overlook his running mate, transfer DT Terry Webb. He was disruptive last year at Texas State, with 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack among his 26 tackles. Webb plays low to the ground and shows good acceleration around blockers and power when trying to go through them. How quickly he and MΓÇÖba can be playing next to each other will be fascinating in the early going this season.

ΓÇó Speaking of interior defensive linemen, former Louisville transfer DT Woo Spencer is quicker than many would expect for a 6-4, 316-pounder. At least twice during team (11-on-11) drills, he split two blockers and raced through, virtually untouched, to the quarterback.

ΓÇó Likens said this week that transfer WR Yamir Knight ΓÇ£may be the quickest guy IΓÇÖve ever seen in my life.ΓÇ¥ Whether or not that is true can be the topic of debate, but the quickness is undeniable. His straight-line speed is good, but his change of direction is tantalizing. He makes sharp cuts to elude would-be tacklers, and accelerates through holes quickly. What is a little surprising is how strong he is: smaller receivers often are thought to have durability concerns, because the players hitting them almost always have a significant size advantage, but Knight carries a listed 186 pounds on his 5-8 frame, and he seems able to absorb some punishment and keep going.

ΓÇó Jersey No. 8 is one of promise for 2025 transfers: it is worn by Knight, and by transfer CB Marcellus Barnes, Jr. The former Syracuse deefender has stood out, especially Saturday, when he had a couple of nice pass breakups. The 6-1, 180-pound Barnes runs well, flips his hips smoothly when turning to run with a receiver on a deep route and also is able to hit the brakes quite effectively, thereby eliminating much of the space some receivers have been able to create with sharp cuts in their routes.

ΓÇó RB Dramekco Green does not look like a freshman. He is solidly built (6-0, 203) and has impressive acceleration and hands out of the backfield. Smith might be gone, but between McFall, Green, transfer T.J. Harden and transfer C.J. Johnson, there is still considerable talent at the position.

ΓÇó Another receiver who backed up what Likens said is freshman WR Carterrious Brown. ItΓÇÖs easy to look at the 6-2, 190-pound Brown and envision a big target who can win high 50-50 passes, and Likens acknowledged that such deployment could be in BrownΓÇÖs future because of his size, leaping ability and wingspan. But he also shows pretty good body control for a big, young target: on one play, he raced up the middle of the field, looking for a pass he could take through the secondary. The pass was thrown a bit behind Brown, who went up in the air and corkscrewed his body around 180 degrees in mid-air to reach back and snag a beautiful catch.

ΓÇó Ditching a uniform for coaching gear: pretty cool to see former SMU DL Demerick Gary on the coaching staff as an assistant defensive line coach. Also helping out, albeit on a voluntary basis: former SMU safety Jonathan McGill.

[Roach]

That's encouraging about Spencer. Getting any kind of pass rush from the inside will free up DEs and LBs to find one on one opportunities.

[PNW_Stang]

Besides, IΓÇÖm assuming, Spencer, who else behind MΓÇÖBa and Webb is looking like they will be in the 2 deep inside?

[PonyPride]

Damarjhe Lewis (also a transfer from Purdue) and Keveion'ta Spears were pretty active in the rotation, and coaches and player both have talked up the progress shown by Kevin Allen, the redshirt sophomore from Fort Worth (Everman) ΓÇö M'ba said Allen "is the best" of the DTs because of his familiarity with the program and coaches in a room filled with transfers.

[highlander]

I don't know why anybody would want to leave Purdue.

[Ikus]

Really? Visit West Lafayette in the winter.
It's not a bad town, overall, but you'll race out of there.

[highlander]

Really? Visit West Lafayette in the winter.
It's not a bad town, overall, but you'll race out of there.

Yeah I was being "sarcetious". Purdue is one of THE WORST teams in college football. I guess they're trying to become a "basketball school".

[PonyPride]

Haven't they been pretty much a basketball school other than the Drew Brees and (for the geezers among us) Bob Griese eras?

[highlander]

Haven't they been pretty much a basketball school other than the Drew Brees and (for the geezers among us) Bob Griese eras?

Maybe. I have only paid attention twice: the Brees era and the last 2-3 years. So I just assumed they were good at football until a few years ago.