AUGUST 1 (Tuesday-practice No. 6)
The team spent most of the day outside; temps were low-to-mid-80s. There was probably more drill-oriented work today and some 7-on-7 stuff here and there, and probably a little less 11-on-11 today than most days, and certainly less than yesterday. So with that, there wasn’t as much to offer today as some others, and Billy will add some thoughts to this later.
- -I thought WR Logan Humphries was the standout of the day. He took a long throw from QB Ken Seals in one-on-one coverage and turned it into about an 80-yard score, and I think caught another long score from Seals, too, and another long pass from someone. (I feel like one of these came in 11-on-11, another in 7-on-7s and another maybe in just one-on-one drills, but I may be wrong and it’s my fault for not taking better notes. I didn’t see Humphrires do a lot the first 3-4 practices but that guy has really come on this week and, along with WR Junior Sherrill, is going to push for time if he keeps doing this.
- I wrote about this yesterday, but I can’t underscore how much better the depth and athleticism are at receiver compared to two years ago. WR Will Sheppard should be one of the best in the league at the top, and the fact that Humphries is probably a third-teamer today behind WR Quincy Skinner and WR Daevon Walker is telling. Walker’s had a pretty nice last week after a slow start and while I’d like to see a little more from Skinner, I feel like the other guys are maybe getting a little more opportunity to show what they can do because Skinner’s a third-year guy. But I can’t ever remember a time where you had three receivers vying for one spot, and all of them had shown something, and the difference between “1” and “3” didn’t look like much to the untrained eye.
- You can never watch practice without trying to put it in context, and I think the glowing reports about the receivers beg some questions on the other side. And here is some context: CJ Taylor and Jaylen Mahoney haven’t played much (Taylor hasn’t played at all) and I’m fairly certain that the perpetual highlight reel the group has put up the last few days would look differently if those guys had been there. (And sometimes it’s backup corners getting burned, too.) Do I feel the secondary gets better once those guys get back? Yes. Do I think they’re better there when they’re back there, and perhaps inserting Truedell Berry at the other corner (which is who I think starts opposite BJ Anderson)? Yes. How much better? That’ probably the biggest mystery, and I’m not sure we really will know until that Wake Forest game. |
DE Darren Agu had a nice stop behind the line of scrimmage on a running play today. People have asked about Linus Zunk, I perceive the gap between those guys at end to be significant and Brayden Bapst is the 3 there. I’m not saying Zunk has been bad, he just hasn’t stood out to be one way or the other so far, and I wonder if you could see either Miles Capers, or BJ Diakate, or someone at the Star spot flipped to the other side, although that would give Vanderbilt a pair of smallish defensive ends. And of course, Nate Clifton can still play outside, and Christian James could also when he’s back.
- Some guys who have mostly been held out so far; I don’t perceive there’s much serious here but I mention them in case you’re wondering, “Why have I not heard more about (X)?” That list includes Diakate, DB Jameson Wharton (that’s a later development), DL Jacob Katona, S Steven Sannienola, LB Errington Truesdell, OL Anthony Miles. I’m sure I’m missing a name or two here.
Billy should add some thoughts tonight, and we'll be back at it tomorrow.
The team spent most of the day outside; temps were low-to-mid-80s. There was probably more drill-oriented work today and some 7-on-7 stuff here and there, and probably a little less 11-on-11 today than most days, and certainly less than yesterday. So with that, there wasn’t as much to offer today as some others, and Billy will add some thoughts to this later.
- -I thought WR Logan Humphries was the standout of the day. He took a long throw from QB Ken Seals in one-on-one coverage and turned it into about an 80-yard score, and I think caught another long score from Seals, too, and another long pass from someone. (I feel like one of these came in 11-on-11, another in 7-on-7s and another maybe in just one-on-one drills, but I may be wrong and it’s my fault for not taking better notes. I didn’t see Humphrires do a lot the first 3-4 practices but that guy has really come on this week and, along with WR Junior Sherrill, is going to push for time if he keeps doing this.
- I wrote about this yesterday, but I can’t underscore how much better the depth and athleticism are at receiver compared to two years ago. WR Will Sheppard should be one of the best in the league at the top, and the fact that Humphries is probably a third-teamer today behind WR Quincy Skinner and WR Daevon Walker is telling. Walker’s had a pretty nice last week after a slow start and while I’d like to see a little more from Skinner, I feel like the other guys are maybe getting a little more opportunity to show what they can do because Skinner’s a third-year guy. But I can’t ever remember a time where you had three receivers vying for one spot, and all of them had shown something, and the difference between “1” and “3” didn’t look like much to the untrained eye.
- You can never watch practice without trying to put it in context, and I think the glowing reports about the receivers beg some questions on the other side. And here is some context: CJ Taylor and Jaylen Mahoney haven’t played much (Taylor hasn’t played at all) and I’m fairly certain that the perpetual highlight reel the group has put up the last few days would look differently if those guys had been there. (And sometimes it’s backup corners getting burned, too.) Do I feel the secondary gets better once those guys get back? Yes. Do I think they’re better there when they’re back there, and perhaps inserting Truedell Berry at the other corner (which is who I think starts opposite BJ Anderson)? Yes. How much better? That’ probably the biggest mystery, and I’m not sure we really will know until that Wake Forest game. |
DE Darren Agu had a nice stop behind the line of scrimmage on a running play today. People have asked about Linus Zunk, I perceive the gap between those guys at end to be significant and Brayden Bapst is the 3 there. I’m not saying Zunk has been bad, he just hasn’t stood out to be one way or the other so far, and I wonder if you could see either Miles Capers, or BJ Diakate, or someone at the Star spot flipped to the other side, although that would give Vanderbilt a pair of smallish defensive ends. And of course, Nate Clifton can still play outside, and Christian James could also when he’s back.
- Some guys who have mostly been held out so far; I don’t perceive there’s much serious here but I mention them in case you’re wondering, “Why have I not heard more about (X)?” That list includes Diakate, DB Jameson Wharton (that’s a later development), DL Jacob Katona, S Steven Sannienola, LB Errington Truesdell, OL Anthony Miles. I’m sure I’m missing a name or two here.
Billy should add some thoughts tonight, and we'll be back at it tomorrow.
