Spring Spring PractiSe 9 : Closed scrimmage

It was interesting because the vibe from most stuff practice was that he was a good game manager. Nothing wow-ing people

Jake was new on campus and he was the gunslinger and a lot of people had TVD 3rd behind Garcia and King

Then TVD got in the game and got settled and dude was the epitome of a gunslinger and the furthest thing from a game manager lol

The practice stuff is great and the info is always appreciated. I just take it with a grain of salt at this point since there’s so much further to go with this new team

Definitely exciting

TVD for the first half of the UVa game was very .... Costa-ish

But when the lights turned on, he was the Las Vegas strip

Sometimes you just have to let guys play themselves into what they can be

( and for the record, Im a huge believe in Garcia, still)
 
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Every year we all know the holes coming into the off-season and somehow think they’ll be magically plugged by players getting better. Yes that can happen. But experience tells me to expect the worst while hoping for the best.

The things that pleasantly surprise me about Macho’s writeup and the other snippets I’ve read (no particular order) :
* Keontra
* Thaddeus
* JW closer to the line
* TVD accuracy and confidence
* George
* Arroyo (I knew he would be a stud just not so soon)

The things that didn’t surprise me:
* No clear Rambo replacement
* No breakaway talent at LB
* No true rush defender anywhere across DE, DT and LB that’s ready to go.
* Talent gaps especially behind the 1s

The things I had hoped we would fix but still haven’t:
* MLB
* NG with burst
* RT (I realize this one is debatable)

Maybe Couch and Porter can be 2/3 CBs and coaches can bring the other guys along during the season. Maybe Agude can get his technique down to get a step faster for sacks and pressures. Maybe Scaife or Campbell or McLaughlin or Oluwaseun can be that RT we need.

Still too many question marks and holes to be super confident about the season. Optimistic yes. Confident no. Good news is Mario knows all of the above too and is a relentless builder. We still have time.

"No breakaway talent at LB"

I am hoping that Chase fills that role.
 
TVD for the first half of the UVa game was very .... Costa-ish

But when the lights turned on, he was the Las Vegas strip

Sometimes you just have to let guys play themselves into what they can be

( and for the record, Im a huge believe in Garcia, still)
Agreed on Garcia! We have a “problem” we haven’t had in a loonnng time

I’m trying to temper my expectations of TVD with all the changes he’s going through headed into this next season but the kid really does have it all. Can’t friggin wait to watch him this year
 
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Agreed on Garcia! We have a “problem” we haven’t had in a loonnng time

I’m trying to temper my expectations of TVD with all the changes he’s going through headed into this next season but the kid really does have it all. Can’t friggin wait to watch him this year

this is like Craig Erickson waiting in the wings while Walsh did his thing.

And I still believe that Jacurri Brown, while having a VERY high physical ceiling, is still also very raw, and needs to be developed. Garcia can be plug-and-play immediately. Which is why I hope we have many more blowouts than last season so Jake can get some snaps this year
 
Alex, regarding Manny's usage of the IPF to me was another example of him making things easier for the player,s instead of harder -- which to me, is a part of conditioning the body and mind of a team.

This is the problem when you have someone in charge who yearns so badly to be liked by the players...

Plus it ultimately fails to prepare the players for the environment the games are played in.
To my knowledge none of our games are played in an indoor facility....unless we get Syracuse on the schedule.
 
Plus it ultimately fails to prepare the players for the environment the games are played in.
To my knowledge none of our games are played in an indoor facility....unless we get Syracuse on the schedule.

I recall hearing stories of Jimmy Johnson not wanting tents on the playing field to provide shade on Greentree Practice field because he wanted our guys to become accustomed to the heat/humidity, and the fact that they wouldn't have them during games at the Orange Bowl

Manny ran a football version of day care
 
this is like Craig Erickson waiting in the wings while Walsh did his thing.

And I still believe that Jacurri Brown, while having a VERY high physical ceiling, is still also very raw, and needs to be developed. Garcia can be plug-and-play immediately. Which is why I hope we have many more blowouts than last season so Jake can get some snaps this year
Also feels like we are gonna land a stud at QB this recruiting cycle as well. We seem to be in it for quite a few bigtime recruits

Exciting times brother! Far cry from the roster full of Gray Crows, Preston Dewey’s etc
 
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Also feels like we are gonna land a stud at QB this recruiting cycle as well. We seem to be in it for quite a few bigtime recruits

Exciting times brother! Far cry from the roster full of Gray Crows, Preston Dewey’s etc

Gray Crow may have had the most uninspiring recruiting video I had ever seen. At least Dewey made the Elite 11, and guys like Buck Ortega were good enough athletes to move to another position and be solid...
 
Gray Crow may have had the most uninspiring recruiting video I had ever seen. At least Dewey made the Elite 11, and guys like Buck Ortega were good enough athletes to move to another position and be solid...
I don’t even think Crow threw a pass in high school

Didn’t they run the triple option basically?

I just remember his highlights being handoffs mostly
 
I don’t even think Crow threw a pass in high school

Didn’t they run the triple option basically?

I just remember his highlights being handoffs mostly

reminds me of Kirby Freeman's tape, which consisted of a bunch of QB draws. I was like, 'OK, what are we getting, here?'
 
I didn't even know there was a family barbecue today. I just came by to watch practice. I get there, and there's hundreds of people on the field and I'm like 🤔🤷🏻‍♂️

Few notes...

*Couch is really coming into his own. He's by far our most technically sound DB. His press man skills are awesome. Spoke to his dad for a while. Let's just say, everybody is glad that Manny is gone. With these new coaches, Couch can now play his game. He's comfortable and feeling rejuvenated. Look for a solid season.

*Chaminade boys looked good today. Haye is starting to make a few plays and Thad was toting the rock hard today. Second practice in a row that I've seen solid performances from these two.

*Steele went with some 3 Safety looks with Blades, Huff and Tae playing deep. Huff got his pic while playing middle deep third.

*X murders people in one-on-ones. He be cooking Blades a$$ especially. He had a case of the dropsies today though. (in scrimmage period) Killed DB's to get open but then let a couple go through his hands.

*Ladson is not a guy IMO. He did make a nice contested catch today but other than that, he leaves a lot to be desired at times.

*Keontra had a nice interception. I love his game.

*Avantae is just a plain stud. He sticks out to me.

*Some of us have been saying it for a while, and a few of y'all don't want to hear it, but James Williams is not a deep Safety.🤷🏻‍♂️ Steele is using him properly though (IMO). I saw him near the LOS a lot today, covering TE's. He's a good player, but he has to be utilized correctly. He needs to be moved around.

*Dare I say it, but Arroyo might be an early round draft pick at TE. He's a **** stud and really stands out.

*Defense got a lot of pressure on the QB's today. It also looked like Steele may have put in some new wrinkles within the last week. Anytime a new coordinator arrives, you have to spoon feed the players.

*A lot of people around Greentree think that Jacurri and Skinner are going to be special. They stick out for sure. We got some young pups on this team (Brown, Skinner, Moss) who I'm really excited about. I can't wait to see their development.

*I actually spoke to an assistant coach about this, but one of the things that struck me is how bare we are on the front-7 in terms of talent. I don't know WTF Manny was doing, but more than half of those kids don't even look the part. They don't even look like someone you'd want walking off the bus when you're about to play an ACC component. So many of them are either too short, too stumpy, too fat, too skinny, too stiff, etc. That stuck out to quite a few people I spoke to today.

*My last point is why I want us to calm our expectations. We still need a couple recruiting classes to even look like a Miami team on OL, DL, LB and CB.

*You know the culture here is special when you have legends like Bain and Ed Reed wearing aprons and serving barbecue. I literally had the greatest Safety of all-time serve me barbecue chicken today and I stood 2 feet next to Alonzo Highsmith while I ate it. If I wasn't such a fat a$s I would have framed that piece of chicken instead of inhaling it.

*I spoke to more UM coaches in the past week than I did in 4 years under Manny. And the more I go around Greentree, the more stories I hear about that pompous cornball. Good riddance.

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great stuff.

as i follow the QB's closely, here's what i've been told by those that are out there watching the past 9 practices:

Jacurri is as physically gifted as anyone we've had. But he's a puppy. he's like a guy with a 95 mph fastball that needs to learn how to be a pitcher. he can zip out routes on one rep to guys and hit them between the eyes. the next rep he may bounce the same throw three yards short of his target. a work in progress, but the upside is clearly there.

Lashlee did a lot of great work last year, but the guys are making faster jumps with the Ponce/Gattis combo.

13's ankle injury was a lot worse than it was reported. it's only the past month where he's really been able to feel physically back to 100%. he's making good jumps in how he handles progressions and will make some great plays because he has good instincts and physical skills. but he still needs work on understanding schemes.

which leads me to 9 ... Mario mentioned it yesterday, but he's so proficient, it's going to drive how they think about their check with me's and audibles. there's a lot that they are throwing at him and he's taking it all in. Quote: "We got a ways to go, but. .... He's looking at being one one of the top QB's in next year's draft, if not the top QB, if he keeps this up."
 
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I didn’t mind taking him, I just pushed back on all the Rambo comparisons people kept trying to make.

Rambro was productive at Oklahoma, he just needed an opportunity to start, Ladson has been less productive than Dee Wiggins & hasn’t lived anywhere near up to the HS hype.

What I hoped for was that we took two WR’s out the Portal back in January, really wish we could’ve landed Antwane Wells.
Brother, Wells tape had me droolin out the corner of my mouth. Him and TVD….smh.
 
I recall hearing stories of Jimmy Johnson not wanting tents on the playing field to provide shade on Greentree Practice field because he wanted our guys to become accustomed to the heat/humidity, and the fact that they wouldn't have them during games at the Orange Bowl

Manny ran a football version of day care
Butch did the exact same thing....(learnt from JJ)
 
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Manny was a bum. And i keep saying it. Look how many short players we have at so many positions. No not everyone as to be prototypical but they must have the ability to grow and fill out. Manny was a fan pretending to be a Head coach. We have alot of players who shouldn't be on the roster. Which is why they gonna hit the portal hard. I could see 15 players transferring.
 
It’s him. He played extremely high last year too.
When i was telling ppl this...they werent getting it...Its kind of has always been this game....He has a nice swim move that he uses ALOT. When it doesnt work he can get washed fairly easily...hence me saying Nesta was the best dt we had last year.

They are going to have to coach it some out of him but his film from high school it was what he did and last year as a freshman as well. He needs to lower his pad level a bit
 
It’s displaced aggression towards the people who reported it and have access. LT is being coached properly now, so his bad habits are standing out and being addressed, that’s it, it’s a GREAT thing.

Dudes have to get used to the changes Mario is gonna bring in every single facet. Drummond on Greentree is GREAT news. Mario communicating with Luke is GREAT news. All the players back is GREAT news. There is no coincidence that these things were not occurring while we sucked. There’s two or three sides to every story. Mario loved the U so much that he is making sure not to fight on a possible lie like Slim Charles suggested or the events of the Red Summer of 1919. I’m sooooo glad he is our Coach, this is one of those reasons why, that would usually not be recognized. It takes nothing from you to respect people. It takes nothing but simple gestures to unite the community around this U. Show them that they will be acknowledged and they are valued. Do we not understand what the alternative to doing this is. Haven’t y’all had enough of the fake bravado stuff??? In its most simplest and honest form, some of Luke’s arguments had legs, but his execution in calling attention to it and articulating it was HORRIBLE!

I’m so glad this dude is our coach. In any other community, you have to go thru the men to get their sons. Mario is ok with this. He is ok with Footballville having access and a voice. We about to make it where the kids down there don’t want to hear ish about or from no **** SEC schools. Ain’t that what we all wanted?? It just takes mutual respect and an open ear.
i cant stand Luke, but even i know its better to have him on our side then not.
 
It’s displaced aggression towards the people who reported it and have access. LT is being coached properly now, so his bad habits are standing out and being addressed, that’s it, it’s a GREAT thing.

Dudes have to get used to the changes Mario is gonna bring in every single facet. Drummond on Greentree is GREAT news. Mario communicating with Luke is GREAT news. All the players back is GREAT news. There is no coincidence that these things were not occurring while we sucked. There’s two or three sides to every story. Mario loved the U so much that he is making sure not to fight on a possible lie like Slim Charles suggested or the events of the Red Summer of 1919. I’m sooooo glad he is our Coach, this is one of those reasons why, that would usually not be recognized. It takes nothing from you to respect people. It takes nothing but simple gestures to unite the community around this U. Show them that they will be acknowledged and they are valued. Do we not understand what the alternative to doing this is. Haven’t y’all had enough of the fake bravado stuff??? In its most simplest and honest form, some of Luke’s arguments had legs, but his execution in calling attention to it and articulating it was HORRIBLE!

I’m so glad this dude is our coach. In any other community, you have to go thru the men to get their sons. Mario is ok with this. He is ok with Footballville having access and a voice. We about to make it where the kids down there don’t want to hear ish about or from no **** SEC schools. Ain’t that what we all wanted?? It just takes mutual respect and an open ear.
Excellent Post (But will never forgive Luke for the BS he played on Butch. Not that anytime would've been acceptable, but to do it when Butch had all that on his plate was beyond BS)
 
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