AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > April > 04
Friday, April 4, 2008
Tarrant makes an impression
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday morning’s scrimmage marks the midway point of Georgia Tech’s spring football practice, so I guess it’s not too early to nominate a guy as having been a pleasant surprise.
I might pick Jerrard Tarrant, the redshirt freshman from Carrollton. I don’t
Tarrant moved ahead of Mario Butler to work at first-team cornerback on Wednesday, and he’s also getting practice time as a punt returner and kickoff returner. He was on The AJC’s Top 50 prospects in Georgia list in 2007.
Today was the first day I’ve seen Tech practice kickoffs. In addition to Tarrant, Tyler Melton and Correy Earls were back deep fielding kickoffs. Melton, Tarrant, Roddy Jones, Jamaal Evans and Andrew Smith practiced punt returns.
It’s raining out here, but practice goes on. The blog doesn’t, though. I don’t want to short out the AJC’s computer.
Wow, what a downpour. It sent the dozens of coaches who are here for this weekend’s coaching clinic scrambling for the practice field’s lone shelter. Practice continued, of course. Only lightning stops that.
The defense has been working nickel formation all day, with linebacker Kyle Jackson on the sideline and Tarrant playing the nickel or “Husky” position, and Butler and Jahi Word-Daniels at the corners.
On offense, Joseph Gilbert is getting a lot of time at guard, with A.J. Smith (elbow) not practicing.
I spoke with a high school coach from Ohio who was very impressed with David Brown, who has been working at right tackle. He said Brown is an excellent fit for that position in Paul Johnson’s offense. Tackles coach Todd Spencer just got so excited about Brown’s block on the last running play Spencer ran down the field to slap hands with him.
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