My belated Saturday scrimmage notes

Submitted by Bodogblog on

Sorry I know there are several other threads, but given our junkie nature I thought many would still want to see.  Plus I disagree w/ some of the other scrimmage updates.  Pardon any spelling errors, have to post this and get to work

QBs:
- Nothing original on Denard: looks comfortable, made some nice throws, seems in charge of the O.  Wouldn't want to have to tackle him
- It doesn't look like they have any intention of redshirting DG. Looked great, made one very poor decision. He can't have the O down yet, can he?
- Tate ran with the 3's, but later with the 1's and 2's.  He has the best touch of the three, though the least zip.  Still feel most comfortable with him at the helm, though Denard did nothing to lessen my confidence in him.  Tate did NOT overthrow any fades: on 3 pass plays from the 2 yard line, he threw the ball away (the one running play was stuffed).  Great because 1) this was the first string D, and they had everyone covered, 2) Tate did not try to shoehorn the ball in.  He's taking care of the ball.  Rejoice.  He had one classic improvised TD pass where he motioned the receiver over, and the lone long pass of the scrimmage was on the money.  The receiver dropped it / pass interference. 
- Unfortunately, it still looks to me like none of the 3 are naturals at the zone read.
- At the end of the scrimmage, RR has them run laps around the field.  Denard first every time by a wide margin.  Tate working hard, but last nearly every time (sometimes getting in front of DG).  In an offense when the QB is expected to run, this explains the wings thing.  Denard is in outstanding shape.

RB's - Also differ here, I didn't think Hopkins looked as great as everyone else did.  Not a diss (dis? sp?) on his play - he ran very hard - but I didn't see the world beater others did.  Much like the other scrimmages, all the RBs looked good, but none really stood out.  We have options in Cox and Shaw.  Though V. Smith, as reported, looks great - no noticeable effects from the injury.

Yes, Kelvin Grady everywhere.  He looks calm, matter-of-fact and natural.  WTF after being nearly invisible in the spring.  We have lots and lots and lots of slots

Huyge and D'stein are your starting tackles at the moment.  And I'm fine with that.  Omameh is gd beast, and Schilling looks all-conference.

Defense: They look more smash-mouth in the Front 7.  Moundros starts in the middle, looks like he's been playing there for a while.  A run stuffer certainly.  Middle zone coverage?  Not enough data.  Ezeh also stuffed the run and took on blocks at Mouton's spot.  Roh will be a beast, but given almost all of the throws were short, his pass rush didn't have time to get home.

Vlad will hit you, but we all knew that.  Cam Gordon is going to be very good, I think.  Big boy.  He was in position to make two great tackles, but unfortunately didn't wrapup and was pulled off the field.  Later returned with the 1's.  Going to take some time

JT Floyd looks good, Rogers looks big.  Teric Jones and Christian are your 2's.  Talbott and Avery don't look undersized, and don't look overwhelmed.  Again, hard to judge corner play given the nature of the throws.  But Christian has a way of moving that reminds one of Woodson.  He moves like he knows he's good.  I think Marvin Robinson will be helping the team very soon.

We look Bend But Don't Break, which we all knew, and we'll have to be at least early

Field goals looked a bit worse than average.  Hagerup boomed one, short-legged two

Based on pathetically little evidence: It did appear that Big Will was running with the 3's, but he also looks very tough to block.  Don't know if he's turned the corner to actually making plays yet.  Davion Rogers is skinnier than you imagine.  Open that time capsule up in 2011 at least if you're hoping to see him play.   Jake Ryan looks like a good MLB at some point.  Josh Furman passes the eyeball test.  Didn't see Carvin Johnson on the field, and was looking for him (may have been banged up).  Noticed a #67 jersery (Nathan Brink?) more often than I noticed LaLota in the second and third teams.  Shook RR's hand, seems like a good man.

Overall, O looks great and D not bad.  I am beyond excited for this season.

Comments

Bodogblog

August 23rd, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^

It was late notice, they only sent the invite 10 days or so beforehand.  But still.  I think the crowd is a little upper crust, but hopefully gets many of them out of the bowl.  I'm a stander and a screamer, so I'm probably going to piss some people off up there

Another really nice touch: inside the bowl, they only allowed the player's families, and some invited guest families from Mott hospital.  RR has embraced that affiliation and run with it, which somehow makes me proud in an odd way (even though I have nothing to do with it whatsoever).  The families went out on the field afterward, and RR stayed shaking everyone's hand.  Hugs for the moms.  Somtimes forget that the HC meets dozens of people in an event like that, or even in a normal day, and has to make everyone feel special.  RR sent a lot of people away with smiles on their faces

Touchdown... N…

August 23rd, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^

on Tate. I was at the scrimmage on Saturday and completely disagree with recent diary post written by pullin4blue in regards to the QBs. Even though he ran with the 3's at the start, he did not over throw any recievers but instead threw it out of bounds to avoid a INT (i was in the corner where it happened so I saw the play develop).

Tate still has the best arm and was the best passer of the group, but shoelace has the wheels so who knows at this point.

victors2000

August 23rd, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^

Just like everybody else, I can't get enough of knowing about these guys. I like what I'm hearing about Denard and the front line and hopefully whomever starts as the superback will be competent at the very least. I think our receivers are season and will be great weapons as well.

Defensively I am holding my breath; with the youth and the dearth of depth I think there are going to be peaks and valleys with this unit.

GO BLUE!!!

Tha Quiet Storm

August 23rd, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^

wondering how in the hell James Rogers came out of nowhere and seems to be a starting CB as of right now?  I don't know whether I should be encouraged that maybe he has had a senior year breakthru, or if I should be worried that Cullen Christian can't beat out a senior who has flipped back and forth from WR to CB his whole career without getting much PT at either spot.

CrankThatDonovan

August 23rd, 2010 at 12:40 PM ^

Rogers ran with the ones at the spring game because Woolfolk didn't play.  At the time, people wondered why Rogers got the nod instead of Turner. 

Also, one should never be concerned that a freshman can't beat out a senior, especially when that freshman has been with the team for two weeks.

Magnus

August 23rd, 2010 at 12:51 PM ^

I'd still bet on Cullen Christian being the starter by the end of the season, but don't count out James Rogers.  In his limited playing time at WR, he was actually pretty effective (21 yards per catch, IIRC) and he's always been a good athlete.  Maybe this is finally his Big Chance and he's going to take advantage of it.

bronxblue

August 23rd, 2010 at 12:49 PM ^

Thanks for the breakdown.  It sounded like there were conflicting reports on the QBs, so another insight is helpful.  I always thought the D-line would be the strength of the unit, and that appears to be true.  I do wonder about the Big Otter, but he is still pretty young and DTs sometimes take longer to develop because they go from being the biggest and strongest guys on the field in HS to actually competing against good OL's in college.

pee on freep

August 23rd, 2010 at 1:46 PM ^

"...we have lots and lots and lots of slots."

This would make for a great T-shirt...  The Cat in the Hat (but the hat has wings) and the text "We have lots and lots and lots of slots".

I want one.  Can anyone hook that up?

Swazi

August 23rd, 2010 at 2:56 PM ^

If the offense is as great as most people thinks it should be, and the D is making some stops on them, this is a great sign for the season.  I can't wait for UConn.