- Joined
- Aug 21, 2011
- Messages
- 340
- Name
- Jim Fadler
The team spent a very long time working on special team skills, coverage and technique at the start. None of that was full speed and a lot of it was broken down. They would have two gunners work with a contain man in tandem pursuing through 2-4 blockers. I did get a look at Helmick as a kick returner (he did not get work at punt return). Most of the returners were just catching the balls and turning up field, there wasn't any chance to see full squad work in that department.
Stacy along with Austin is getting work at punt returning. A cornerback named Andre Martin is also getting work there along with Pead.
Hekker kicked the hell out of some balls today, they would alternate directional kicking to the sideline and then just let him boom it. During one sequence he was kicking into the pursuit drill on the opposite 30 from his own end zone.
Zuerlein did his usual attack on the tower guys. It doesn't seem that they are attempting as many ridiculously long kicks this camp but bringing him in closer and concentrating on accuracy.
QB-Bradford did have 2-3 passes batted down today. But they were running the 7 on 7 in split squads and the one in front of my was mostly Austin Davis. I did watch the far some but don't have a really good read on it. They kept all the running backs with Davis and Clemens along with the tight ends.
Austin Davis took the majority of the second team reps in 7 on 7. What to make of that I wouldn't think a lot yet until they play a game but it was refreshing to see the ball never hit the ground. Davis got off to a great start in the first session. He was hitting Harkey consistently in the seam for really good yardage.
Not gonna pile on Clemens save in the final 11 on 11 session I could see him totally misfire on a fade that came nowhere close to where it should have been.
After the practice seemed to be winding down they had Hekker come out and run an 11 on 11 drill as the QB with the third and fourth stringers. He did quite well for himself. He did have trouble with one call and had to go back to Cignetti to get it right but its an interesting development.
RB-Toward the end of the special teams sequence they started to do a lot of unit work. Coach Sirmans sent the backs through a lot of agility drills and then blocking. Pead blew everyone away at agility. Granted there is no one shooting at you, but his foot speed in hurdling pads and jump cutting was fantastic. Richardson came the closest followed by Stacy. Stacy lunged a little bit in the blocking drills and the Coach took him off to the side for some work.
Stacy has some trouble with his routes, its coachable and he frames the ball really well.
Ganaway looks slow in the drills but did have a good run in 11 on 11. He actually showed a burst and good body lean.
Bennie Cunningham looked the best on the sled and had really good balance and technique blocking.
Several times in the 11 on 11 I saw the Rams run the old Redskin counter trey of John Riggins fame.
WR-Helmick finally dropped a pass but it was a really good skinny post that he flashed open on. He also caught a really difficult ball in the corner of the end zone in 11 on 11.
They ran a bubble screen out of a three receiver cluster where Bailey is lined up inside (about the only time he lines up in the slot) and then moves out to the outside of the outer two receivers. He also did a really good job on a long ball later.
Tavon Austin had another stop on a dime, turn back and floor it against the flow of the pursuit. Every time he gets the ball the crowd reacts to him. They ran him out of the backfield as a tailback at least four times that I was able to count.
Pettis is still playing big brother to the rookies and helping them in the huddle when he isn't on the field.
Oline/Dline-I spent more time watching the Oklahoma drills today than yesterday. Jack Long and Robert Quinn had a lot of battles and I would say overall Long won the most. Long was subbed out for Barksdale quite a bit in 11 on 11 but it is just Fisher taking care of a veteran coming back from an injury. I watched Long on the sideline to see if something was wrong and he seemed fine.
They also did a tandem drill that I had never seen where a lineman was matched up with a tight end. They had to hit the pads short and then run down about 10 yards and hit the pads again long. Saffold flattened one of the guys short in that drill.
Brockers hasn't lost a one-one rep yet that I have seen. He looks bigger, could be meaner and stronger than last year...he twisted Chris Williams into a pretzel on one rep yesterday. Shelley Smith was taking the majority of the reps at LG today and he didn't do any better.
I wrote about the kid from Ole Miss yesterday named Gerald Rivers and he was just as impressive today. He is only listed at 249 so if he makes the squad I could see them stashing him on the practice squad for a year and building his body up. He has a great rip move at first where he knocks the lineman's hands down and then he has the speed to turn the corner.
Barksdale did better today in the one-one stuff and was fine coming for Long. There was a rookie undrafted free agent named Braden Brown that they were high on but apparently are negotiating an injury settlement.
Hayes has been flashing a really good spin move, doesn't need much work and looks ready to go.
LB-Monday they are going to be in pads and I hope to finally get a read on the unit. Jabara Willliams, Will Witherspoon and Josh Hull are the second unit right now.
There was a play where Cook ended up one-one with Ogletree. Alec got a great drop, stayed with him and was able to break up the pass. He showed depth and range on the play.
DB-McDonald clearly has trouble at times knowing where to line up and is constantly checking with Stewart but today he easily had some of the best play in the defensive backfield. He showed range, recognition once the play unfolded and broke up a couple of passes. He looked pretty shaky to me in coverage and more lucky than good in the videos I saw of him college, but so far I am pleasantly surprised.
Pointer had a great diving interception on an out in the 7 on 7.
I finally got a good look at Brandon McGee and he had two passes defensed and didn't look overwhelmed.
Stacy along with Austin is getting work at punt returning. A cornerback named Andre Martin is also getting work there along with Pead.
Hekker kicked the hell out of some balls today, they would alternate directional kicking to the sideline and then just let him boom it. During one sequence he was kicking into the pursuit drill on the opposite 30 from his own end zone.
Zuerlein did his usual attack on the tower guys. It doesn't seem that they are attempting as many ridiculously long kicks this camp but bringing him in closer and concentrating on accuracy.
QB-Bradford did have 2-3 passes batted down today. But they were running the 7 on 7 in split squads and the one in front of my was mostly Austin Davis. I did watch the far some but don't have a really good read on it. They kept all the running backs with Davis and Clemens along with the tight ends.
Austin Davis took the majority of the second team reps in 7 on 7. What to make of that I wouldn't think a lot yet until they play a game but it was refreshing to see the ball never hit the ground. Davis got off to a great start in the first session. He was hitting Harkey consistently in the seam for really good yardage.
Not gonna pile on Clemens save in the final 11 on 11 session I could see him totally misfire on a fade that came nowhere close to where it should have been.
After the practice seemed to be winding down they had Hekker come out and run an 11 on 11 drill as the QB with the third and fourth stringers. He did quite well for himself. He did have trouble with one call and had to go back to Cignetti to get it right but its an interesting development.
RB-Toward the end of the special teams sequence they started to do a lot of unit work. Coach Sirmans sent the backs through a lot of agility drills and then blocking. Pead blew everyone away at agility. Granted there is no one shooting at you, but his foot speed in hurdling pads and jump cutting was fantastic. Richardson came the closest followed by Stacy. Stacy lunged a little bit in the blocking drills and the Coach took him off to the side for some work.
Stacy has some trouble with his routes, its coachable and he frames the ball really well.
Ganaway looks slow in the drills but did have a good run in 11 on 11. He actually showed a burst and good body lean.
Bennie Cunningham looked the best on the sled and had really good balance and technique blocking.
Several times in the 11 on 11 I saw the Rams run the old Redskin counter trey of John Riggins fame.
WR-Helmick finally dropped a pass but it was a really good skinny post that he flashed open on. He also caught a really difficult ball in the corner of the end zone in 11 on 11.
They ran a bubble screen out of a three receiver cluster where Bailey is lined up inside (about the only time he lines up in the slot) and then moves out to the outside of the outer two receivers. He also did a really good job on a long ball later.
Tavon Austin had another stop on a dime, turn back and floor it against the flow of the pursuit. Every time he gets the ball the crowd reacts to him. They ran him out of the backfield as a tailback at least four times that I was able to count.
Pettis is still playing big brother to the rookies and helping them in the huddle when he isn't on the field.
Oline/Dline-I spent more time watching the Oklahoma drills today than yesterday. Jack Long and Robert Quinn had a lot of battles and I would say overall Long won the most. Long was subbed out for Barksdale quite a bit in 11 on 11 but it is just Fisher taking care of a veteran coming back from an injury. I watched Long on the sideline to see if something was wrong and he seemed fine.
They also did a tandem drill that I had never seen where a lineman was matched up with a tight end. They had to hit the pads short and then run down about 10 yards and hit the pads again long. Saffold flattened one of the guys short in that drill.
Brockers hasn't lost a one-one rep yet that I have seen. He looks bigger, could be meaner and stronger than last year...he twisted Chris Williams into a pretzel on one rep yesterday. Shelley Smith was taking the majority of the reps at LG today and he didn't do any better.
I wrote about the kid from Ole Miss yesterday named Gerald Rivers and he was just as impressive today. He is only listed at 249 so if he makes the squad I could see them stashing him on the practice squad for a year and building his body up. He has a great rip move at first where he knocks the lineman's hands down and then he has the speed to turn the corner.
Barksdale did better today in the one-one stuff and was fine coming for Long. There was a rookie undrafted free agent named Braden Brown that they were high on but apparently are negotiating an injury settlement.
Hayes has been flashing a really good spin move, doesn't need much work and looks ready to go.
LB-Monday they are going to be in pads and I hope to finally get a read on the unit. Jabara Willliams, Will Witherspoon and Josh Hull are the second unit right now.
There was a play where Cook ended up one-one with Ogletree. Alec got a great drop, stayed with him and was able to break up the pass. He showed depth and range on the play.
DB-McDonald clearly has trouble at times knowing where to line up and is constantly checking with Stewart but today he easily had some of the best play in the defensive backfield. He showed range, recognition once the play unfolded and broke up a couple of passes. He looked pretty shaky to me in coverage and more lucky than good in the videos I saw of him college, but so far I am pleasantly surprised.
Pointer had a great diving interception on an out in the 7 on 7.
I finally got a good look at Brandon McGee and he had two passes defensed and didn't look overwhelmed.
