Highlights and notes
It’s my first practice this year, and I mostly focused on who’s playing where, what order they’re in and the two new QBs.
They seem to be focusing a lot more on the passing game than the run, which doesn’t surprise me based on a little background I got coming into camp. I’m interested to see how that plays out as camp progresses. I can’t help but think what might have been with this philosophy in past years.
This isn’t news, but Seals (6-3, 205), walk-on Jack Bowen (listed at 6-0, 185) and JUCO transfer Jeremy Moussa (6-3, 215) are the only QBs on the roster now, and Moussa’s left knee (which is in a brace) is obviously limiting his mobility.
I’ve had some questions about Seals’ arm strength and I wanted to see him live. And keep in mind, this is a limited sample size, it’s not in game conditions where he’s getting hit and all that comes with that.
But, my first impressions: I his arm strength it’s fine; not elite, but also not bad. It’s better than what I saw on his high school videos and I think easily good enough to work at this level. The reason I also think it can work is that he’s accurate with the ball and throws probably as tight a spiral as I’ve ever seen. He puts good touch on screens. As far as the total package with his arm—strength, accuracy, touch—he’s certainly at a good stage in his development.
There was also a freshman moment in an 11-on-11 where he didn’t see LB Dimitri Moore in shallow coverage and threw it right to Moore for what would have easily been a pick-6 had Moore not dropped it.
But the next play, with the rush coming from both sides, he threw a terrific screen to RB Keyon Brooks for what was easily a first down. I loved seeing how he kept his poise and bounced back in literally a span of 30 seconds.
Two plays later, he nearly threw a pick (although it would have taken a great play by a DB, and I’m not sure it wasn’t more the fault of his WR for not getting better separation) and then five minutes later, he made a great throw to WR Jackson Winrow down the near hash for what was about a 35-yard TD.
I have mixed feelings on Moussa. He has some obvious skills with his arm but accuracy came and went a bit. He has a good arm. He threw a really, really nice ball from the near hash to the far sideline for a completion. I think it went to Chris Pierce but I’m not 100 percent certain. He also missed an open C.J. Bolar down the middle for what should have been a TD. It was a tight throw but just high.
Early in the day in a red zone situation, Seals rolled right and found WR Cam Johnson for about a 12-yard TD. Johnson was tightly covered and Seals hit him on the numbers.
WR Amir-Abdur Rahman, who missed all last year with injury, was out there today. If you’re new to the site, I’m big on his talent. He seemed to be running around okay—I didn’t see a brace or anything like that.
At one point, TE Justin Ball (6-6, 230) split out wide to the left as a receiver in a 4-WR set.
The linebackers are working as one group. They’re no longer split inside/outside. They did agility drills right in front of me. If I had to pick two guys who looked looked a little better than the others in that regard, I’d say Dimitri Moore, Colin Anderson and Alston Orji, but for full disclosure, I only saw one rep of each.
Nate Clifton is playing defensive end.
Offensive depth chart
Here’s how I have it based on what I saw today:
QB Ken Seals / Jeremiah Moussa / Jack Bowen
LT Tyler Steen / Bradley Ashmore
LG Dan Dawkins / Julian Hernandez
C Grant Miller / Michael Warden
RG 74 Cole Clemens/ 62 Julian Hernandez
RT Jonathan Stewart / Braden Bapst
RB Jamauri Wakefield / Keyon Brooks / Ja’Veon Marlow / J.R. Tran-Reno
WR Cam Johnson / James Bostic
WR Chris Pierce / Amir Abdur-Rahman / Jackson Winrow
Slot WR C.J. Bolar / Devin Boddie
TE Ben Bresnahan / Gavin Schoenwald
Quick thoughts:
I didn’t see who took the first RB and WR snaps—I was more interested in making sure I had the OL down—so those are more speculative, but I think what I have is close.
They are scary thin inside. Warden is a walk-on and I think Hernandez (a redshirt freshman) is backing up both guard spots.
Defensive depth chart
Please note: I was behind the offense and so it made it really hard to see defensive numbers at times. This is very inexact and I’ll need another practice to get a better read. But this is what I’m working off right now:
DE Dayo Odeyingbo / Elijah McAllister /Rutger Reitmaier
DL Cam Tidd / Malik Langham 35 /
DL Drew Birchmaier / Davis 55
DE ? / Nate Clifton / Lorenza Surgers
OLB Andre Mintze?
ILB Dimitri Moore
OLB Kenny Hebert / Michael Owusu
S Dashaun Jerkins
S Max Worship / Tre Douglas
CB D.C. Williams
CB Elijah Hamilton
Red jerseys (that usually indicates a player limited in his participation):
S Frank Coppet
DB Justin Harris
OL Braden Bapst
LB Colin Anderson (I did watch Anderson in agility drills—he seemed to move around fine. No braces or anything of that sort.)
DL Christian James
DL Derek Green
DB Max Worship
WR Devin Boddie
Out:
S Brendon Harris (right arm in sling)
Returning punts and kicks:
Didn’t catch it all, but these guys for sure:
Cam Johnson
Keyon Brooks
Ja’Veon Marlow
Allan George
J.R. Tran-Reno
Jamauri Wakefield
It’s my first practice this year, and I mostly focused on who’s playing where, what order they’re in and the two new QBs.
They seem to be focusing a lot more on the passing game than the run, which doesn’t surprise me based on a little background I got coming into camp. I’m interested to see how that plays out as camp progresses. I can’t help but think what might have been with this philosophy in past years.
This isn’t news, but Seals (6-3, 205), walk-on Jack Bowen (listed at 6-0, 185) and JUCO transfer Jeremy Moussa (6-3, 215) are the only QBs on the roster now, and Moussa’s left knee (which is in a brace) is obviously limiting his mobility.
I’ve had some questions about Seals’ arm strength and I wanted to see him live. And keep in mind, this is a limited sample size, it’s not in game conditions where he’s getting hit and all that comes with that.
But, my first impressions: I his arm strength it’s fine; not elite, but also not bad. It’s better than what I saw on his high school videos and I think easily good enough to work at this level. The reason I also think it can work is that he’s accurate with the ball and throws probably as tight a spiral as I’ve ever seen. He puts good touch on screens. As far as the total package with his arm—strength, accuracy, touch—he’s certainly at a good stage in his development.
There was also a freshman moment in an 11-on-11 where he didn’t see LB Dimitri Moore in shallow coverage and threw it right to Moore for what would have easily been a pick-6 had Moore not dropped it.
But the next play, with the rush coming from both sides, he threw a terrific screen to RB Keyon Brooks for what was easily a first down. I loved seeing how he kept his poise and bounced back in literally a span of 30 seconds.
Two plays later, he nearly threw a pick (although it would have taken a great play by a DB, and I’m not sure it wasn’t more the fault of his WR for not getting better separation) and then five minutes later, he made a great throw to WR Jackson Winrow down the near hash for what was about a 35-yard TD.
I have mixed feelings on Moussa. He has some obvious skills with his arm but accuracy came and went a bit. He has a good arm. He threw a really, really nice ball from the near hash to the far sideline for a completion. I think it went to Chris Pierce but I’m not 100 percent certain. He also missed an open C.J. Bolar down the middle for what should have been a TD. It was a tight throw but just high.
Early in the day in a red zone situation, Seals rolled right and found WR Cam Johnson for about a 12-yard TD. Johnson was tightly covered and Seals hit him on the numbers.
WR Amir-Abdur Rahman, who missed all last year with injury, was out there today. If you’re new to the site, I’m big on his talent. He seemed to be running around okay—I didn’t see a brace or anything like that.
At one point, TE Justin Ball (6-6, 230) split out wide to the left as a receiver in a 4-WR set.
The linebackers are working as one group. They’re no longer split inside/outside. They did agility drills right in front of me. If I had to pick two guys who looked looked a little better than the others in that regard, I’d say Dimitri Moore, Colin Anderson and Alston Orji, but for full disclosure, I only saw one rep of each.
Nate Clifton is playing defensive end.
Offensive depth chart
Here’s how I have it based on what I saw today:
QB Ken Seals / Jeremiah Moussa / Jack Bowen
LT Tyler Steen / Bradley Ashmore
LG Dan Dawkins / Julian Hernandez
C Grant Miller / Michael Warden
RG 74 Cole Clemens/ 62 Julian Hernandez
RT Jonathan Stewart / Braden Bapst
RB Jamauri Wakefield / Keyon Brooks / Ja’Veon Marlow / J.R. Tran-Reno
WR Cam Johnson / James Bostic
WR Chris Pierce / Amir Abdur-Rahman / Jackson Winrow
Slot WR C.J. Bolar / Devin Boddie
TE Ben Bresnahan / Gavin Schoenwald
Quick thoughts:
I didn’t see who took the first RB and WR snaps—I was more interested in making sure I had the OL down—so those are more speculative, but I think what I have is close.
They are scary thin inside. Warden is a walk-on and I think Hernandez (a redshirt freshman) is backing up both guard spots.
Defensive depth chart
Please note: I was behind the offense and so it made it really hard to see defensive numbers at times. This is very inexact and I’ll need another practice to get a better read. But this is what I’m working off right now:
DE Dayo Odeyingbo / Elijah McAllister /Rutger Reitmaier
DL Cam Tidd / Malik Langham 35 /
DL Drew Birchmaier / Davis 55
DE ? / Nate Clifton / Lorenza Surgers
OLB Andre Mintze?
ILB Dimitri Moore
OLB Kenny Hebert / Michael Owusu
S Dashaun Jerkins
S Max Worship / Tre Douglas
CB D.C. Williams
CB Elijah Hamilton
Red jerseys (that usually indicates a player limited in his participation):
S Frank Coppet
DB Justin Harris
OL Braden Bapst
LB Colin Anderson (I did watch Anderson in agility drills—he seemed to move around fine. No braces or anything of that sort.)
DL Christian James
DL Derek Green
DB Max Worship
WR Devin Boddie
Out:
S Brendon Harris (right arm in sling)
Returning punts and kicks:
Didn’t catch it all, but these guys for sure:
Cam Johnson
Keyon Brooks
Ja’Veon Marlow
Allan George
J.R. Tran-Reno
Jamauri Wakefield
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