AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 05
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Blogmania strikes Tech practice
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s just so much I can’t contain it. Check here later today for practice updates (this is going to be a long file by Tech blog standards).
First, additions to the early Sunday practice blog, then questions answered off it:
With shoulder pads added today, there was more rocket fuel in the one-on-one pass-rushing drills. I’ve always liked watching that stuff, dating back to when I covered the Falcons and Chuck Smith used to get so amped up.
Did I mention that Bob Whitfield’s kid showed up Thursday to join tryouts at my son’s football league? He’s the biggest boy out of more than 100, about double my son’s weight (seriously), and my son is slightly above average for a 10-year-old (about 86 pounds). No weight limit to play in our league, but if you weigh more than 115 you can’t carry the ball, advance a turnover, or play anywhere other than interior line.
I digressed. Am I prone to do that or what? Prone! I wish I was prone right now. Anybody tired as me? Could go for some prawns, too. Oh, where was I?
In those pass-rushing drills, new starting DT Vance Walker was getting major take-off. He had rocket fuel for sure.
I was wondering if when a team has so many returning starters, like Tech (eight on defense, seven on offense although one of the departures was TE which hardly matters given the way TEs were deployed last season) if coaches are able to install systems faster. So I asked.
“We can put things in faster, but the execution is still rusty,” said coach Chan Gailey. “We’re getting it in faster, and it hurts the younger guys because it goes so fast. But the great thing is that after [Monday], I bet 80 percent of everything is in on both sides of the ball so then we can start repetition for the next 10 to 12 practices.”
Hmmm.
A few recruits were around this weekend: Chamblee OL Omoregie Uzzi and Henry County WR Chris Jackson (who already has committed) were casting about Sunday. Saturday, Buford LB T.J. Pridemore was on campus and at practice.
Now, for answers. I could use a few, by the way, Like when your wife …
Bad idea, huh?
I will not give daily quarterback updates, but I’ll comply today to that request. No one looked as good Sunday on offense, quarterbacks included, as on Saturday. I admit, I wasn’t zoned in on linemen in full team work, but the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and especially stand-in TE Austin Barrick slipped back.
Why? Not hard to figure part of the reason. Players added shoulder pads Sunday, so there was more hitting and more noise, both of which favor defense.
I would say that from my naked eyes’ observation, Calvin Booker slipped less than starter Taylor Bennett, but Bennett was so impressive Saturday that one shouldn’t read too much into that. Once, when Booker was flushed from the pocket, he flooded right, and threw in the intermediate flat for WR Correy Earls. High, not catchable, as Earls was upended jumping for it. Kind of a nasty fall.
Booker jogged out to Earls, helped him up and said, “I’ve got to get that ball to you next time.” That was an unusual sight.
Freshman QB Josh Nesbitt struggled. See the notebook for details.
On the matter of what the offense looks like … more one-back stuff, as OC John Bond has said. Yes, more spreading the ball around, like Bond said. And guess what? Tech has some screen passes in the playbook! Seriously.
Let’s talk cornerbacks. In my view, Jahi Word-Daniels and Avery Roberson will end up the starters, not that that is a revelation. I think the backups will be Pat Clark and R-Fr. Dominique Reese, who looks to have improved light years from last season, when he was converted from HS QB (out of Auburn, Ala.).
But I still won’t say Clark is a lock to be the nickel back. He started out there last year, but didn’t finish (although he played more very late in the season than in the middle). I wonder, with the return this year of S Joe Gaston, not to mention the addition of Fr.-S Morgan Burnett, if one of them might replace S Jamal Lewis in nickel situations as he slides into the nickel spot? It happened late last season, and when Lewis was a sophomore (although he was a CB then, not a safety).
That’d be a bummer for Pat Clark. I’m just saying it appears possible.
And gtland03, no, this doesn’t mean I think Lewis is moving to CB in the base defense only to be replaced by Burnett in the starting lineup. Not at all. And I don’t think Burnett is moving to CB, either.
Jamal Lewis is an All-ACC safety. Djay Jones is pretty good there, too, although Lewis is in a class by himself.
Tech needs to develop more depth at CB, though. Where last year Avery Roberson could swing from CB to S, the Jackets this year might need somebody to swing from S to CB.
That’s what happens when you lose senior CB Kenny Scott, and the top young CB on the roster last year — the guy being groomed to move into the rotation in 2007 — splits in mid-spring, and heads for the real heat, to live within earshot of Cuba.
Laurence Marius, I hope life is good in Margaritaville, and you and the girlfriend you so missed are doing fine. The Jax could use you.
Later,
Matt Winkeljohn
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Tech’s Jamal jammin’; Peek’s not
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
HELLO BLOGMEISTERS!
Just thought I ‘d greet you the way Tenuta is emoting today. He’s back on his game, loud and rowdy — which is good. But TE Colin Peek is still not practicing. That’s not.
Tenuta had good things to say to CB Jahi Word-Daniel, who appears to me to be moving more comfortably in tight spaces than I remember last year. Jahi’s knee must be feeling swell. I’ll have to ask him soon. He looks bigger, too, but in a good way, like my man A.J. Smith.
Watching the DBs in one-on-one drills against WRs, there is a clear drop-off between CBs and Ss, as should be expected. There appear to be two exceptions, one that I noticed first yesterday and again today, and another that just jumped out at me.
Jamal Lewis, a former CB of course and still a candidate (I think) to play nickel back, covers like a CB, which is to say he drops his hips better when it comes time to change direction and he has a better sense than the other safeties of when to cushion and when to close.
The other exception? Hint: He’s a true freshman, and he’s wearing Reggie Ball’s old number.
Yeah, North Clayton’s Morgan Burnett. He had two nice matches against Fr. WR D.J. Donley. Won them both. Tenuta was dead silent each time. I think when a true freshman is impressive like that, especially more than once, he doesn’t want the kid getting a big head. Where he complimented Word-Daniels earlier, he’s very spare in his compliments for younger players. Plus, I think he wants to see it over and over and over and over.
Fellow Fr. Mario Butler, a CB, not as far along in the very early going.
The lads are in shoulder pads today for the first time, just barely missing a hardy rain shower that came through right before practice. That cooled the temperature, but now the humidity is heinous because the air isn’t moving a lick. No real hitting yet, 1:10 into practice.
There has been a sighting, but not by me, of Chamblee OL Omoregie Uzzi, a target of Tech and Georgia among others. I’ll look for him later.
Two most impressive freshmen walk-ons so far: Cartersville WR Robert (R.B) Clyburn, a 6-4 kid who reminds my of Brian Finneran with his body movements. Kicker Scott Blair, who has crushed most of his kickoffs the past two days. I mean well into or through the end zone. Then again, he wanked a couple back-to-back yesterday.
I’ll ask more about Peek later, but he’s been lifting weights, doing sit-ups, etc., over here on the side. I suspect no shoulder, back or abdominal injury based on what he’s been doing, and may — I stress may — detect an ever-so-slight limp. No notable wraps on his legs, though. Perhaps a strained ligament in the lower leg?
