Practice 15
Today’s practice ran from about 10:30-12:30. It was plenty unpleasant but not as hot and humid as some other days. They’ve got four more before leaving to Hawaii; I’ll be at them all.
QB
Mike Wright has been improved on short throws of under 10 yards between the hashes, but anything beyond that is becoming a problem since the pass rush started coming. Does that mean that they can’t win some with Mike? No, but I think he’s either got to start hitting on some more throws or you really have to tailor the game plan around what he can do, and hope that short throws and maybe 2-3 explosive plays are enough, and frankly he’s so explosive that he’s still good enough for a few of those most practices. And the mobility at times helps him make some throws nobody else on the team can get off (He had one of those where he had to scramble back about 15 yards, then threw a dart for a score on Saturday). I’m interested to see how the coaches evaluate that and we didn’t get a chance to ask today.
I think the best way to put it with AJ Swann is this: If he started all 12 games this year, he’d simultaneously really excite the fan base while maybe also leading the country in interceptions. The arm talent is absolutely there but he’s got to take fewer risks with the ball.
Ken Seals has been really solid lately, if not good. There are still times I think he holds the ball maybe a little too long, but that beats the alternative of throwing it where he shouldn’t, and he’s done a really good job of minimizing bad throws in scrimmage situations.
RB
Slow day for the group. I meant to add earlier than Chase Gillespie has shown he can run between the tackles a bit (I pegged him as a third-down type back). Cooper Lutz has also seen some time and he’s got some versatility as a pass-catcher, too.
WR/TE
Will Sheppard is really having a nice camp; I watched him made a TD catch today and loved the body control he showed in a spot where he had to twist and keep in mind that he was near the sideline. Jayden McGowan has been electric at times but there’s also been some drops. I didn’t see Quincy Skinner out there at all today. Logan Kyle and Wilson Long continue to have solid camps and Ezra McAllister was pretty good again today and seems to have his burst back post-knee surgery. I didn’t expect the room to be as competitive as it’s been.
OL
Not much to note other than they seem to be set on this starting lineup: LT Gunnar Hansen, LG Ben Cox, C Julian Hernandez, RG Xavier Castillo and RT Bradley Ashmore. That said, I didn’t see Ashmore out there today so not sure what’s up there, my guess it’s it’s workload maintenance but I’ll keep an eye out. RT Jacob Brammer worked in his spot.
DL/star
There may be bad news coming with star Miles Capers, who was set to start. He got hurt at some point in practice and it was concerning enough that Clark Lea came over to the injury tent for a few minutes. That’s getting to be a scary depth situation because I didn’t see Michael Osusu practicing today and Darren Agu also was on the sidelines. Hopefully it was a scare rather than an injury but if not I think they’d have to move Elijah McAllister (who I also didn’t see today) back from end to star.
The good news; Christian James was out there full speed again today and they’re using him at a couple of spots.
The bad news: a source told me they don’t expect Daevion Davis and Devin Lee back for the opener, which is what I’ve been expecting but that basically confirms it.
LB/anchor
My guess is that Kane Patterson will earn the starting spot over Ethan Barr, but I wouldn’t bet more than a buck or two on that. Both are going to play a lot. Anfernee Orji didn’t take any live reps that I saw but did have his helmet on today. He’s expected to play in the opener. Langston Patterson continues to make a ton of plays and I wonder if he’s got a shot to slide ahead of Errington Truesdell for that backup spot behind Orji. I thought Truesdell had a nice spring but Patterson just makes a ton of plays and I’m confident we’ll see him on special teams.
Oh, and CJ Taylor made another nice play again today but that’s just expected any more.
DB
Not a lot to say here other than they continue to play a ton of DBs, especially corners. I think Max Worship and De’Rickey Wright are your starting safeties but haven’t seen as much of them lately, particularly Wright. John Howse IV is the guy who’s gotten squeezed out but he’s made some plays when in there, including a huge one today.
ST
P Matt Hayball was out there booming punts again. K Will Faris has started to come along and there’s a chance he could beat Joseph Bulovas out for the kickoff job; I wouldn’t expect it but Faris did hit a 52-yard FG on Saturday and so either I wasn’t paying enough attention earlier or he’s emerged out of the blue.
Today’s practice ran from about 10:30-12:30. It was plenty unpleasant but not as hot and humid as some other days. They’ve got four more before leaving to Hawaii; I’ll be at them all.
QB
Mike Wright has been improved on short throws of under 10 yards between the hashes, but anything beyond that is becoming a problem since the pass rush started coming. Does that mean that they can’t win some with Mike? No, but I think he’s either got to start hitting on some more throws or you really have to tailor the game plan around what he can do, and hope that short throws and maybe 2-3 explosive plays are enough, and frankly he’s so explosive that he’s still good enough for a few of those most practices. And the mobility at times helps him make some throws nobody else on the team can get off (He had one of those where he had to scramble back about 15 yards, then threw a dart for a score on Saturday). I’m interested to see how the coaches evaluate that and we didn’t get a chance to ask today.
I think the best way to put it with AJ Swann is this: If he started all 12 games this year, he’d simultaneously really excite the fan base while maybe also leading the country in interceptions. The arm talent is absolutely there but he’s got to take fewer risks with the ball.
Ken Seals has been really solid lately, if not good. There are still times I think he holds the ball maybe a little too long, but that beats the alternative of throwing it where he shouldn’t, and he’s done a really good job of minimizing bad throws in scrimmage situations.
RB
Slow day for the group. I meant to add earlier than Chase Gillespie has shown he can run between the tackles a bit (I pegged him as a third-down type back). Cooper Lutz has also seen some time and he’s got some versatility as a pass-catcher, too.
WR/TE
Will Sheppard is really having a nice camp; I watched him made a TD catch today and loved the body control he showed in a spot where he had to twist and keep in mind that he was near the sideline. Jayden McGowan has been electric at times but there’s also been some drops. I didn’t see Quincy Skinner out there at all today. Logan Kyle and Wilson Long continue to have solid camps and Ezra McAllister was pretty good again today and seems to have his burst back post-knee surgery. I didn’t expect the room to be as competitive as it’s been.
OL
Not much to note other than they seem to be set on this starting lineup: LT Gunnar Hansen, LG Ben Cox, C Julian Hernandez, RG Xavier Castillo and RT Bradley Ashmore. That said, I didn’t see Ashmore out there today so not sure what’s up there, my guess it’s it’s workload maintenance but I’ll keep an eye out. RT Jacob Brammer worked in his spot.
DL/star
There may be bad news coming with star Miles Capers, who was set to start. He got hurt at some point in practice and it was concerning enough that Clark Lea came over to the injury tent for a few minutes. That’s getting to be a scary depth situation because I didn’t see Michael Osusu practicing today and Darren Agu also was on the sidelines. Hopefully it was a scare rather than an injury but if not I think they’d have to move Elijah McAllister (who I also didn’t see today) back from end to star.
The good news; Christian James was out there full speed again today and they’re using him at a couple of spots.
The bad news: a source told me they don’t expect Daevion Davis and Devin Lee back for the opener, which is what I’ve been expecting but that basically confirms it.
LB/anchor
My guess is that Kane Patterson will earn the starting spot over Ethan Barr, but I wouldn’t bet more than a buck or two on that. Both are going to play a lot. Anfernee Orji didn’t take any live reps that I saw but did have his helmet on today. He’s expected to play in the opener. Langston Patterson continues to make a ton of plays and I wonder if he’s got a shot to slide ahead of Errington Truesdell for that backup spot behind Orji. I thought Truesdell had a nice spring but Patterson just makes a ton of plays and I’m confident we’ll see him on special teams.
Oh, and CJ Taylor made another nice play again today but that’s just expected any more.
DB
Not a lot to say here other than they continue to play a ton of DBs, especially corners. I think Max Worship and De’Rickey Wright are your starting safeties but haven’t seen as much of them lately, particularly Wright. John Howse IV is the guy who’s gotten squeezed out but he’s made some plays when in there, including a huge one today.
ST
P Matt Hayball was out there booming punts again. K Will Faris has started to come along and there’s a chance he could beat Joseph Bulovas out for the kickoff job; I wouldn’t expect it but Faris did hit a 52-yard FG on Saturday and so either I wasn’t paying enough attention earlier or he’s emerged out of the blue.
