Here is what I'm hearing from this morning's practice. Disclaimer: these are not my observations, I am just a messenger.
- Some of this may sound a lot like Tuesday, as a group of players have been consistently standing out.
- At quarterback, Ryan Williams continues to do good work underneath. Jacory Harris and Steve Morris are big play passers, but Williams can kill you softly. His ball placement is excellent and he is consistent.
Crow is improving at a nice pace. It is extremely early, but he is further along than Dewey right now. That's not a knock on Dewey (he missed a lot of time and is understandably rusty) but Crow is impressing a few people who didn't have high expectations for him. One comparison I heard for him as far as body type and attitude is Gino Torretta. Doesn't mean he'll be as good as him, but I thought it was interesting.
- Clements continues to be solid. He doesn't look particularly fast or electric when he does it, but he's always getting it done. Good football player.
- The one word I keep hearing about the receivers is reliable. Not just reliable receivers, but reliable young men. Dorsett, Scott and Crawford (who is working almost exclusively in the slot) are former quarterbacks who do some of their best work in areas of the field that Streeter and Benjamin shied away from. Things may change when bullets go live, but I suspect they are just those types of players. (For those wondering, Dorsett was a youth football QB-- think back to the FSU game). Hurns is injured but he's the same type of player, both in playing style and mentality. Interestingly enough, he also played some QB at Carol City.
Scott in particular has become the big play guy of the group. He caught a nice touchdown on a slant from Williams and continues to make things happen. As many of you will see in the open scrimmages, Scott is an impressive-looking receiver who passes the eye-test with flying colors. His hands aren't as reliable as the other three yet, but he is making spectacular catches on a consistent basis and can run with the ball.
- Maybe it's because of the lack of receiver depth and Ryan Williams' playing style, but Asante Cleveland has been a huge part of the offense so far. His upper body has caught up with his lower body in terms of development, and he is still an athletic target with soft hands. He has made a lot of plays in traffic with guys draped all over him.
- Seantrel Henderson and Jermaine Johnson continue to impress. Seantrel at one point buried Shayon Green and Luther Robinson in embarrassing fashion. If these two stay focused and healthy, I would not be surprised if they are the starting tackles against BC. Jeremy Lewis has also shown flashes and even got snaps at center (which probably isn't his position, but shows they are trying to get him more involved).
- Kelvin Cain is also getting more snaps and showing his versatility as a pass rusher in odd fronts. He is also our best cover linebacker. It is very early and these two could still pull a Storm, but Cain and Seantrel seem to have reacted well to the suspension.
- Curtis Porter is a man at defensive tackle. Between him, Darius Smith and Corey King (who is out for the spring), there is a lot more physical strength at DT than last year.
- Ladarius Gunter continues to start alongside Finnie at corner and perform well. Larry Hope also made some nice plays and Ray Ray continues to catch the eye of observers that were previously down on him. Brandon McGee has been up and down and got chewed out at one point.
- We have a walk-on punter who made some impressive punts. Trying to track down a name on him. We also have a tall graduate assistant working with the offensive linemen, which is a positive sign. Good to see another voice there with Kehoe.
- Steve Morris still has a positive attitude and is encouraging his teammates. He says he will be fine and should be ready to throw full-on by the end of spring.
- Tons of former players were at practice for Pro Day. James Bryant is up to 270 and was playing DT in the Canadian Football League.
- One last note: Uncle Luke is upset with the University of Miami. There was a misunderstanding over an offer to Northwestern safety Nate Taylor and he is not happy about it. Keep an eye on that.
- Some of this may sound a lot like Tuesday, as a group of players have been consistently standing out.
- At quarterback, Ryan Williams continues to do good work underneath. Jacory Harris and Steve Morris are big play passers, but Williams can kill you softly. His ball placement is excellent and he is consistent.
Crow is improving at a nice pace. It is extremely early, but he is further along than Dewey right now. That's not a knock on Dewey (he missed a lot of time and is understandably rusty) but Crow is impressing a few people who didn't have high expectations for him. One comparison I heard for him as far as body type and attitude is Gino Torretta. Doesn't mean he'll be as good as him, but I thought it was interesting.
- Clements continues to be solid. He doesn't look particularly fast or electric when he does it, but he's always getting it done. Good football player.
- The one word I keep hearing about the receivers is reliable. Not just reliable receivers, but reliable young men. Dorsett, Scott and Crawford (who is working almost exclusively in the slot) are former quarterbacks who do some of their best work in areas of the field that Streeter and Benjamin shied away from. Things may change when bullets go live, but I suspect they are just those types of players. (For those wondering, Dorsett was a youth football QB-- think back to the FSU game). Hurns is injured but he's the same type of player, both in playing style and mentality. Interestingly enough, he also played some QB at Carol City.
Scott in particular has become the big play guy of the group. He caught a nice touchdown on a slant from Williams and continues to make things happen. As many of you will see in the open scrimmages, Scott is an impressive-looking receiver who passes the eye-test with flying colors. His hands aren't as reliable as the other three yet, but he is making spectacular catches on a consistent basis and can run with the ball.
- Maybe it's because of the lack of receiver depth and Ryan Williams' playing style, but Asante Cleveland has been a huge part of the offense so far. His upper body has caught up with his lower body in terms of development, and he is still an athletic target with soft hands. He has made a lot of plays in traffic with guys draped all over him.
- Seantrel Henderson and Jermaine Johnson continue to impress. Seantrel at one point buried Shayon Green and Luther Robinson in embarrassing fashion. If these two stay focused and healthy, I would not be surprised if they are the starting tackles against BC. Jeremy Lewis has also shown flashes and even got snaps at center (which probably isn't his position, but shows they are trying to get him more involved).
- Kelvin Cain is also getting more snaps and showing his versatility as a pass rusher in odd fronts. He is also our best cover linebacker. It is very early and these two could still pull a Storm, but Cain and Seantrel seem to have reacted well to the suspension.
- Curtis Porter is a man at defensive tackle. Between him, Darius Smith and Corey King (who is out for the spring), there is a lot more physical strength at DT than last year.
- Ladarius Gunter continues to start alongside Finnie at corner and perform well. Larry Hope also made some nice plays and Ray Ray continues to catch the eye of observers that were previously down on him. Brandon McGee has been up and down and got chewed out at one point.
- We have a walk-on punter who made some impressive punts. Trying to track down a name on him. We also have a tall graduate assistant working with the offensive linemen, which is a positive sign. Good to see another voice there with Kehoe.
- Steve Morris still has a positive attitude and is encouraging his teammates. He says he will be fine and should be ready to throw full-on by the end of spring.
- Tons of former players were at practice for Pro Day. James Bryant is up to 270 and was playing DT in the Canadian Football League.
- One last note: Uncle Luke is upset with the University of Miami. There was a misunderstanding over an offer to Northwestern safety Nate Taylor and he is not happy about it. Keep an eye on that.
