Eli Drinkwitz just held his second press conference since fall camp started on Saturday afternoon. He was pretty open about how camp is going and what improvements he's seen.
1. Addressing the injury report.
Tight ends Brett Norfleet and Jordon Harris are a bit banged up but neither are hurt enough that they won't be available for Week 1 versus Murray State. In fact, both should be back sometime next week.
Running back Kewan Lacy is dealing with a soft tissue injury. He left one practice early in the week (Wednesday) before missing the next day (Thursday) and then returning on the third day (yesterday/Friday). He didn't participate in the team's scrimmage today.
Some nicks and bruises will happen. Sprains and things of that nature happen in camp, but the team is relatively healthy and there isn't anyone who will (at this moment) miss any game time.
2. Saturday scrimmage notes.
The team held their second scrimmage of the week on Saturday with Drinkwitz alluding to getting mixed results.
The first-team defense started fast versus the first-team offense by holding them to field goals in the first two red zone drives.
Then the second-team offense, led by quarterback Drew Pyne, scored on the second-team defense via a passing touchdown to Manning, who had six catches for about 100 yards and two touchdowns on the day according to Drinkwitz.
The second-team defense held them to a three-and-out the next time down and eventually forced a safety at some point.
3. Freshmen ballers and a position change.
Austyn Dendy committed as an ATH. He began camp with the safeties but in the scrimmage Saturday he recorded 80 yards and a touchdown and has now been moved to the running back room permanently.
That's an interesting switch for him. But this year seems to be about having as many playmakers get the ball in their hands. The team doesn't want to rely on a handful of guys to make plays. That's why the punt return and kick return battles have so many contenders.
Cornerback Trajen Greco and linebacker Jeremiah Beasley have seemingly been among the top freshmen. Drinkwitz said the pair have "stood out and can find their role on special teams."
Whit Hafer and Jude James have been taking most of the tight end reps that would've gone to Norfleet and Harris. Drinkwitz said, "They're continuing to elevate their game which we'll look back in Week 5 and 6 and we'll be really appreciative of."
4. Two position battles have seemingly been decided.
Drinkwitz said the competition is still open at running back and left tackle but in reality, the door is shut for those positions. Nate Noel seems to be in line to be the starting running back beating out Marcus Carroll. Meanwhile, Marcus Bryant has taken almost all of the first-team reps at left tackle, edging out Jayven Richardson.
Noel was a guy who made a lot of waves in spring ball, but the expectation was that fall camp would benefit Carroll a little more and make this more of a competition. While Carroll hasn't had a bad camp, Noel's speed, experience and receiving chops proved to be enough to (unofficially) be named the RB1. Noel didn't scrimmage on Saturday because of load management. Carroll had five carries during the outing.
Carroll was the nation's 10th-leading rusher a year ago. So, expect him to get some burn still and be a short yardage back in addition to regular snaps he may see as the RB2.
Bryant winning the starting left tackle spot was more of
5. Daniel Blood, Joshua Manning and Nic DeLoach are impressing the coaching staff.
For the last few days. wide receivers Daniel Blood and Joshua Manning and cornerback Nic DeLoach and Joshua Manning have been mentioned as standouts.
Manning's big day was one of the most noteworthy things of the scrimmage. He is really pushing for offensive snaps this year. His ability to make contested catches with his frame makes me wonder if he can be a goal-line threat.
Drinkwitz called Blood, "really good" for his performance throughout camp and he's been very consistent as a yards-after-catch guy. He's another slot guy behind Luther Burden and Mekhi Miller and he may be pushing for more offensive reps this season, too.
DeLoach may be one of the pleasant surprises of camp. He's been getting a lot of work with the first-team defense and has been splitting first-team reps with Toriano Pride. At 6-foot and 175 pounds, he provides a long and rangy corner.
"He's a really good athlete. He can run, he's very smart and is an instinctual player," Drinkwitz said. "He just doesn't have a ton of confidence because he hasn't had to do it on the main stage, but like we've told him if you can cover Theo Wease, Mookie Cooper, Luther Burden, Mekhi Miller, Josh Manning, and Marquis Johnson, you can cover anybody. So, I think that has built his confidence.
6. Drinkwitz is confident that his two-deep is ready.
Drinkwitz hasn't shied away from how impressed he is with players like Pyne, offensive lineman Jayven Richardson, Blood, Manning and others. Drinkwitz is so impressed with the supporting cast, that he said he, "feels pretty confident that we're two-deep at just about every position."
That's a telling sign. At some positions like offensive line and quarterback, where the starters play almost every single snap of the season, a quality two-deep at those positions, are preferred but not required because they may not need to play. But for most positions, it's important to have a good two-deep.
At defensive tackle and linebacker, having quality backups who can serve as quasi-starters is very important as evidenced by last season. The team had four starting quality defensive tackles and at linebacker when Chad Bailey and Ty'Ron Hopper got hurt it had Chuck Hicks and Triston Newson ready to go.
There will be more from Drinkwitz's press conference in upcoming stories but here are some thoughts on what he said about how camp gone through two weeks.
7. Kicker Blake Craig will be fine.
Craig went 6-of-7 during the scrimmage with his lone miss being from 51 yards out. On his next two kicks, he made a 51-yarder and another kick to end practice. Drinkwitz said he's proud of how Craig has battled throughout camp and has been putting in the work.
He didn't give off the impression there was anything to worry about regarding the redshirt freshman.
1. Addressing the injury report.
Tight ends Brett Norfleet and Jordon Harris are a bit banged up but neither are hurt enough that they won't be available for Week 1 versus Murray State. In fact, both should be back sometime next week.
Running back Kewan Lacy is dealing with a soft tissue injury. He left one practice early in the week (Wednesday) before missing the next day (Thursday) and then returning on the third day (yesterday/Friday). He didn't participate in the team's scrimmage today.
Some nicks and bruises will happen. Sprains and things of that nature happen in camp, but the team is relatively healthy and there isn't anyone who will (at this moment) miss any game time.
2. Saturday scrimmage notes.
The team held their second scrimmage of the week on Saturday with Drinkwitz alluding to getting mixed results.
The first-team defense started fast versus the first-team offense by holding them to field goals in the first two red zone drives.
Then the second-team offense, led by quarterback Drew Pyne, scored on the second-team defense via a passing touchdown to Manning, who had six catches for about 100 yards and two touchdowns on the day according to Drinkwitz.
The second-team defense held them to a three-and-out the next time down and eventually forced a safety at some point.
3. Freshmen ballers and a position change.
Austyn Dendy committed as an ATH. He began camp with the safeties but in the scrimmage Saturday he recorded 80 yards and a touchdown and has now been moved to the running back room permanently.
That's an interesting switch for him. But this year seems to be about having as many playmakers get the ball in their hands. The team doesn't want to rely on a handful of guys to make plays. That's why the punt return and kick return battles have so many contenders.
Cornerback Trajen Greco and linebacker Jeremiah Beasley have seemingly been among the top freshmen. Drinkwitz said the pair have "stood out and can find their role on special teams."
Whit Hafer and Jude James have been taking most of the tight end reps that would've gone to Norfleet and Harris. Drinkwitz said, "They're continuing to elevate their game which we'll look back in Week 5 and 6 and we'll be really appreciative of."
4. Two position battles have seemingly been decided.
Drinkwitz said the competition is still open at running back and left tackle but in reality, the door is shut for those positions. Nate Noel seems to be in line to be the starting running back beating out Marcus Carroll. Meanwhile, Marcus Bryant has taken almost all of the first-team reps at left tackle, edging out Jayven Richardson.
Noel was a guy who made a lot of waves in spring ball, but the expectation was that fall camp would benefit Carroll a little more and make this more of a competition. While Carroll hasn't had a bad camp, Noel's speed, experience and receiving chops proved to be enough to (unofficially) be named the RB1. Noel didn't scrimmage on Saturday because of load management. Carroll had five carries during the outing.
Carroll was the nation's 10th-leading rusher a year ago. So, expect him to get some burn still and be a short yardage back in addition to regular snaps he may see as the RB2.
Bryant winning the starting left tackle spot was more of
5. Daniel Blood, Joshua Manning and Nic DeLoach are impressing the coaching staff.
For the last few days. wide receivers Daniel Blood and Joshua Manning and cornerback Nic DeLoach and Joshua Manning have been mentioned as standouts.
Manning's big day was one of the most noteworthy things of the scrimmage. He is really pushing for offensive snaps this year. His ability to make contested catches with his frame makes me wonder if he can be a goal-line threat.
Drinkwitz called Blood, "really good" for his performance throughout camp and he's been very consistent as a yards-after-catch guy. He's another slot guy behind Luther Burden and Mekhi Miller and he may be pushing for more offensive reps this season, too.
DeLoach may be one of the pleasant surprises of camp. He's been getting a lot of work with the first-team defense and has been splitting first-team reps with Toriano Pride. At 6-foot and 175 pounds, he provides a long and rangy corner.
"He's a really good athlete. He can run, he's very smart and is an instinctual player," Drinkwitz said. "He just doesn't have a ton of confidence because he hasn't had to do it on the main stage, but like we've told him if you can cover Theo Wease, Mookie Cooper, Luther Burden, Mekhi Miller, Josh Manning, and Marquis Johnson, you can cover anybody. So, I think that has built his confidence.
6. Drinkwitz is confident that his two-deep is ready.
Drinkwitz hasn't shied away from how impressed he is with players like Pyne, offensive lineman Jayven Richardson, Blood, Manning and others. Drinkwitz is so impressed with the supporting cast, that he said he, "feels pretty confident that we're two-deep at just about every position."
That's a telling sign. At some positions like offensive line and quarterback, where the starters play almost every single snap of the season, a quality two-deep at those positions, are preferred but not required because they may not need to play. But for most positions, it's important to have a good two-deep.
At defensive tackle and linebacker, having quality backups who can serve as quasi-starters is very important as evidenced by last season. The team had four starting quality defensive tackles and at linebacker when Chad Bailey and Ty'Ron Hopper got hurt it had Chuck Hicks and Triston Newson ready to go.
There will be more from Drinkwitz's press conference in upcoming stories but here are some thoughts on what he said about how camp gone through two weeks.
7. Kicker Blake Craig will be fine.
Craig went 6-of-7 during the scrimmage with his lone miss being from 51 yards out. On his next two kicks, he made a 51-yarder and another kick to end practice. Drinkwitz said he's proud of how Craig has battled throughout camp and has been putting in the work.
He didn't give off the impression there was anything to worry about regarding the redshirt freshman.
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