I was sitting in the stands with everyone else. There was no availability as far as interviews afterward. There are no injury updates, we won't know about that until Tuesday. This is not going to be an article so much as my observations from what I saw over two hours.
*Good crowd on hand. My rough estimate is a couple thousand people. They had activities set up for kids up in the concourse and it looked like there was a decent crowd up there too in addition to the people in the stands.
*Connor Bazelak was back at practice so the minor illness they expected to last 24 hours was just that.
*Mookie Cooper and Jay Maclin were there but did not practice with the injuries that have been previously reported.
*Daniel Parker was not there. The team spokesperson told me he is sick. I do not know more than that.
*Tyler Badie left the field early in the workout. I did not see what happened, but he did not return and was not on the field for team drills or 11 on 11. As I said, no updates on injuries or anything so I don't know the situation there. He walked off under his own power without any assistance.
*Kyran Montgomery also left the field later on in the practice.
*I need to stress that both of these could be incredibly minor and they could be back at practice whenever the next practice is. I don't know. Just passing on what I saw happen.
*It appears most of the incoming class has earned a number. I did not spot Taj Butts and Davion Sistrunk by number so I'm going to guess they are still working toward that at this time. Pretty much everyone else I think I saw with a number on his jersey.
*There was a fair amount of rotation with the 1s and the 2s on both sides of the ball. I simply wrote down every player I saw take a snap with those units. It is possible I missed someone who subbed in, but I wrote down everything I could. Here's what I've got:
First team offense: Connor Bazelak, Elijah Young (again, Badie wasn't out there during 11 on 11), Barrett Banister, Tauskie Dove, Keke Chism, Messiah Swinson, Niko Hea, Javon Foster, Xavier Delgado, Case Cook, Mike Maetti, Hyrin White, Dawson Downing, Dominic Lovett, BJ Harris.
The only question here for me is if Mookie Cooper would be the starter in the slot. Badie will start at running back, Young is the No. 2. At tight end, it would be Parker and Hea in as the top two depending on the formation and the play. I think the offensive line is pretty set. I'd put my money on White and Foster being the tackles to start.
I think Dominic Lovett is going to see a whole lot of snaps.
First team defense: Chris Turner, Akial Byers, Darius Robinson, Trajan Jeffcoat, Kobie Whiteside, Isaiah McGuire, Blaze Alldredge, Devin Nicholson, Allie Green, Akayleb Evans, Ish Burdine, Ennis Rakestraw, Kris Abrams-Draine, Chris Shearin, Martez Manuel, Jaylon Carlies.
The linebackers are set without question. I think the safeties are set. I'd give the edge as the starting four up front to McGuire, Byers, Whiteside and Jeffcoat, but Robinson and Turner are going to play plenty. The interesting spot is corner. Green had a lot of time with the ones as did Burdine. They appear to have five or six guys for three spots and I don't really have a feel for who has the edge there.
Some of the guys I mentioned above mixed in with the twos at times as well. Below is everyone I haven't already mentioned who I saw taking reps with the twos in 11 on 11:
Second team offense: Tyler Macon, Brady Cook, Micah Wilson, Boo Smith, JJ Hester, Kibet Chepyator, Shawn Hendershott, Zeke Powell, Luke Griffin, Connor Tollison, EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Connor Wood.
Hester and Smith are probably the 6th and 7th receivers right now. As I type all that out, I realized I didn't see Chance Luper in 11 on 11. I marked him off on my roster as being there so either he was there but wasn't in 11 on 11 or I just missed him. Throw Luper in there and I think you're looking at eight receivers that could play a fair amount. Downing is probably the third back. I think the five above are likely the second-string line for the opener. Depth at tight end is a little concerning if Ryan Hoerstkamp or Gavin McKay isn't ready early, but again, remember Parker wasn't there.
Second team defense: Realus George, Daniel Robledo, Johnny Walker, Arden Walker, Mekhi Wingo, Chad Bailey, Jamie Pettway, Jalani Williams, Tyler Hibbler. I feel like Shawn Robinson may have been out there a little bit too, but I don't have him written down so I'm not positive.
Wingo is interesting. I think he'll get a shot to earn some playing time in some early games to see if he's going to redshirt or not. Hibbler is probably the same way as is Arden Walker.
*List of guys I saw doing kickoff returns: Elijah Young, Boo Smith, Kris Abrams-Draine, Dominic Lovett, BJ Harris, Jaylon Carlies. Also saw Smith and Carlies doing punt returns late, but honestly missed who all was back there in the opening period.
*Freshmen I saw working on special teams, which means they'll likely earn playing time: Daylan Carnell, Dameon Wilson. Add them to Cooper and Lovett as freshmen I expect to definitely see the field and likely not redshirt. There could definite be more (Walker, Wingo, Hibbler, Harris, Montgomery, a tight end).
*I didn't personally see Harrison Mevis miss a kick. I'm not sure I've ever seen him miss one under 50 yards. I'm sure it's happened, I just don't know that I remember seeing it.
*In the 11 on 11 stuff, the defense looked significantly better than the offense to me tonight. That doesn't mean it's always that way, it's just the way it looked to me tonight. The defensive line, in particular, seemed to be getting the better of the matchup with the first-team offensive line.
*Brady Cook and Barrett Banister hooked up three straight times in the two-minute drill to move the offense inside the 10-yard line for a Mevis chip shot. Banister simply makes plays. He won't be kept off the field. I don't know if he'll start, but he'll play a lot and with Cooper banged up, I'd put my money on Banister starting the opener in the slot. I think Cook will be the backup quarterback. I saw Tyler Macon get some second-team snaps, but it seemed to me like Cook got most of them.
*This is the last practice action we'll get to see. I tried to take note of every single thing I could. It's still not everything and you should take none of this as gospel, but hopefully it gives you guys some decent insight two weeks out from the opener.
*Good crowd on hand. My rough estimate is a couple thousand people. They had activities set up for kids up in the concourse and it looked like there was a decent crowd up there too in addition to the people in the stands.
*Connor Bazelak was back at practice so the minor illness they expected to last 24 hours was just that.
*Mookie Cooper and Jay Maclin were there but did not practice with the injuries that have been previously reported.
*Daniel Parker was not there. The team spokesperson told me he is sick. I do not know more than that.
*Tyler Badie left the field early in the workout. I did not see what happened, but he did not return and was not on the field for team drills or 11 on 11. As I said, no updates on injuries or anything so I don't know the situation there. He walked off under his own power without any assistance.
*Kyran Montgomery also left the field later on in the practice.
*I need to stress that both of these could be incredibly minor and they could be back at practice whenever the next practice is. I don't know. Just passing on what I saw happen.
*It appears most of the incoming class has earned a number. I did not spot Taj Butts and Davion Sistrunk by number so I'm going to guess they are still working toward that at this time. Pretty much everyone else I think I saw with a number on his jersey.
*There was a fair amount of rotation with the 1s and the 2s on both sides of the ball. I simply wrote down every player I saw take a snap with those units. It is possible I missed someone who subbed in, but I wrote down everything I could. Here's what I've got:
First team offense: Connor Bazelak, Elijah Young (again, Badie wasn't out there during 11 on 11), Barrett Banister, Tauskie Dove, Keke Chism, Messiah Swinson, Niko Hea, Javon Foster, Xavier Delgado, Case Cook, Mike Maetti, Hyrin White, Dawson Downing, Dominic Lovett, BJ Harris.
The only question here for me is if Mookie Cooper would be the starter in the slot. Badie will start at running back, Young is the No. 2. At tight end, it would be Parker and Hea in as the top two depending on the formation and the play. I think the offensive line is pretty set. I'd put my money on White and Foster being the tackles to start.
I think Dominic Lovett is going to see a whole lot of snaps.
First team defense: Chris Turner, Akial Byers, Darius Robinson, Trajan Jeffcoat, Kobie Whiteside, Isaiah McGuire, Blaze Alldredge, Devin Nicholson, Allie Green, Akayleb Evans, Ish Burdine, Ennis Rakestraw, Kris Abrams-Draine, Chris Shearin, Martez Manuel, Jaylon Carlies.
The linebackers are set without question. I think the safeties are set. I'd give the edge as the starting four up front to McGuire, Byers, Whiteside and Jeffcoat, but Robinson and Turner are going to play plenty. The interesting spot is corner. Green had a lot of time with the ones as did Burdine. They appear to have five or six guys for three spots and I don't really have a feel for who has the edge there.
Some of the guys I mentioned above mixed in with the twos at times as well. Below is everyone I haven't already mentioned who I saw taking reps with the twos in 11 on 11:
Second team offense: Tyler Macon, Brady Cook, Micah Wilson, Boo Smith, JJ Hester, Kibet Chepyator, Shawn Hendershott, Zeke Powell, Luke Griffin, Connor Tollison, EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Connor Wood.
Hester and Smith are probably the 6th and 7th receivers right now. As I type all that out, I realized I didn't see Chance Luper in 11 on 11. I marked him off on my roster as being there so either he was there but wasn't in 11 on 11 or I just missed him. Throw Luper in there and I think you're looking at eight receivers that could play a fair amount. Downing is probably the third back. I think the five above are likely the second-string line for the opener. Depth at tight end is a little concerning if Ryan Hoerstkamp or Gavin McKay isn't ready early, but again, remember Parker wasn't there.
Second team defense: Realus George, Daniel Robledo, Johnny Walker, Arden Walker, Mekhi Wingo, Chad Bailey, Jamie Pettway, Jalani Williams, Tyler Hibbler. I feel like Shawn Robinson may have been out there a little bit too, but I don't have him written down so I'm not positive.
Wingo is interesting. I think he'll get a shot to earn some playing time in some early games to see if he's going to redshirt or not. Hibbler is probably the same way as is Arden Walker.
*List of guys I saw doing kickoff returns: Elijah Young, Boo Smith, Kris Abrams-Draine, Dominic Lovett, BJ Harris, Jaylon Carlies. Also saw Smith and Carlies doing punt returns late, but honestly missed who all was back there in the opening period.
*Freshmen I saw working on special teams, which means they'll likely earn playing time: Daylan Carnell, Dameon Wilson. Add them to Cooper and Lovett as freshmen I expect to definitely see the field and likely not redshirt. There could definite be more (Walker, Wingo, Hibbler, Harris, Montgomery, a tight end).
*I didn't personally see Harrison Mevis miss a kick. I'm not sure I've ever seen him miss one under 50 yards. I'm sure it's happened, I just don't know that I remember seeing it.
*In the 11 on 11 stuff, the defense looked significantly better than the offense to me tonight. That doesn't mean it's always that way, it's just the way it looked to me tonight. The defensive line, in particular, seemed to be getting the better of the matchup with the first-team offensive line.
*Brady Cook and Barrett Banister hooked up three straight times in the two-minute drill to move the offense inside the 10-yard line for a Mevis chip shot. Banister simply makes plays. He won't be kept off the field. I don't know if he'll start, but he'll play a lot and with Cooper banged up, I'd put my money on Banister starting the opener in the slot. I think Cook will be the backup quarterback. I saw Tyler Macon get some second-team snaps, but it seemed to me like Cook got most of them.
*This is the last practice action we'll get to see. I tried to take note of every single thing I could. It's still not everything and you should take none of this as gospel, but hopefully it gives you guys some decent insight two weeks out from the opener.
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