DMoney was in attendance for the opening of spring practice and went into detail with his observations on the March 5th edition of the CanesInSight Podcast. Predictably, the first topic was star transfer QB Cam Ward.
“Cam Ward, he can sling it.” DMoney said. “I mean, the guy is as advertised as a passer. He was throwing it beautifully all day. What you saw on the Washington State film was his ability to throw those 50-50 balls, where it looks like the guy's covered, but he places it perfectly, allows the receiver to make a play. You saw that repeatedly, whether it was Restrepo, Jacoby George. He is able to put his receivers in a position to make plays. He hit Elijah Arroyo on a bucket throw. So Cam Ward, really the first impression was just, this guy can pass.”
DMoney noted that, while it’s extremely early, Ward seemed to play quicker than his predecessor, Tyler Van Dyke. Both possess strong arms, but Ward brings a level of finesse and precision that sets him apart.
Even with all the hype around Ward, there was plenty of intrigue around the player taking second-team snaps: Albany transfer Reese Poffenbarger.
“Poffenbarger, there's some mystery to it, because he's a guy that's coming from the FCS level. I think the first thing, when I'm looking at a guy that's making that leap is, are their physical skills translating? And with Poffenbarger, the arm strength was there right away. He was throwing it outside the numbers with some velocity and he was getting it there. And these very fast defensive backs did not have time to break on the ball. He was able to zip it in. So that's kind of the first checkmark. This guy has the arm strength. Yeah, he's 5'10", but he has some tools and he has some twitch. So that was good to see.”
Another smaller player that pleasantly surprised with his physical tools was freshman RB Chris Wheatley-Humphrey.
“Duke [Johnson] was standing right next to Wheatley-Humphrey. And they were about the same size. Wheatley-Humphrey was probably a little longer, taller. Not as big as Duke, but not as skinny as he was when he first got here. He's put on some weight and then he's got quickness. He's got athletic ability. Yeah, no pads, but you can see him move around and I've heard some good buzz about him. Now seeing him, I understand where that good buzz is coming from.”
Another player that stood out is Isaiah Horton, a 6'5" receiver who has transformed his physique in the offseason.
“I see this guy number two, 6'5", ripped. Looked like an NFL receiver, I'm like, who the **** is this guy? Turns out it's Isaiah Horton, changed his number. But I think most Canes fans are not gonna recognize Horton when they see him, because he's been so, he's worked so hard in the weight room. in the offseason. He clearly sees the opportunity with Colby Young out at that X (split end) Position, the ability to really stretch the field and provide a big body out there on the boundary.”
Two new receivers, Jojo Trader and Ny Carr, generated substantial hype during winter workouts and carried that success over to spring practice. Carr, in particular, consistently separated and caught the ball on Monday.
“Receiver is a production position. You go back and look at these guys that make it, they all seem to have crazy production in high school. That's one of those trends when you do studies, you see. Ny Carr was doing that at the highest level of Georgia football, and didn't miss a beat today, was out there making plays,”
Elija Lofton is another freshman who impressed in the opening practice. Despite not being the tallest player on the field, Lofton's powerful build and strength set him apart from his peers.
“He's somebody who is going to have a unique role. He can also carry the ball. I was told he could play halfback at University of Miami if needed.” Peter Ariz made the comparison to CJ Donaldson, who transitioned from a tight end to a running back at West Virginia. DMoney agreed but stressed that he likes him best as a fullback.
“You hear fullback and you think, ‘Oh, we're going to be Iowa. I don't want this old Big 10 football.’ But the San Francisco 49ers use a fullback. The Miami Dolphins use a fullback. You could be the most explosive modern offense and still have a fullback, especially a guy like Lofton who can not only block, but can catch and run and line up wide. He can do so much.”
Spring practice resumes Wednesday morning.
