AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > August > 01
Friday, August 1, 2008
Seems like a good time to hit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m standing on the hill overlooking practice, and thinking, “Man, I haven’t seen any injured players yet in two-plus days.”
Of course, there hasn’t been any real contact yet, but the past couple years that I’ve been around you’d always see a smattering of players over on the side, “The Beach,” area as it has come to be called working out, stretching, doing whatever. By now, there would usually be some muscle pulls and the like keeping few players on the sideline.
But not so far. Is that because there are fewer injuries, or because players are more concerned that they can’t afford to miss time under a new coach? Are they sucking it up more?
And then I realize I don’t see senior David Brown, who has been working at No. 1 RT since mid-spring. R.-Fr. Clyde Yandell has been working there today, and sophomore Luke Snider, a walk-on from Norcross, behind him. I can’t find Brown anywhere. So I’ll check on that. EDIT: He’s at his grandfather’s funeral.
Also, although, I don’t see him out here, I just learned that backup FB Matt Kamp of Milton High, a junior, is out for the season with a lower leg injury.
So much for initial thoughts.
Quick hitters …
It’s more exciting out here when all the pads are on. And they’re not … yet.
Fr. A-back Marcus Wright can really run. He’s uber fast. But. He roasted safety Mario Edwards on a pattern straight up the seam, left Edwards literally spinning in his track, and a perfect pass was delivered. Wright dropped it. EDIT: he dropped a couple more later.
Fr. Tyler Melton keeps catching balls, and running nice routes. Paul Johnson was complimentary after practice. Said he’ll play this year.
Roddy Jones is almost always, maybe always always, one of the No. 1 A-backs. It appears to be that Greg Smith and Andrew Smith are splitting work at the other No. 1 A-back spot.
A.J. Smith has worked at No. 2 RG, and No. 1 LG, where Jason Hill continues to get most of the work.
It’s not quite as hot as Wednesday, but it ain’t air-conditioned, either.
S Morgan Burnett is wearing a soft cast on his left wrist. He broke it in the spring, and didn’t even know it. It bothered him long enough they checked, and it was broken. He anticipates wearing a soft cast when the season begins, too.
Practice is at 9:45 tomorrow, and the Great Jacket Encounter is at 3, kids festivities beginning outside the stadium on Callaway Plaza at 2. You can get autographs and pictures, etc. No charge for admission. Try to park in the Peters parking deck. The plan for players to wear the old uniforms and thereby keep the new ones in the dark until the Aug. 19 unveiling have been shelved. Players will be in the new unis. Maybe that has something to do with the fact new jerseys are already on sale in some places. Or, maybe not.
Coach Johnson on Wednesday mentioned a new depth chart coming out today. I’m told that does not necessarily mean it will be made available for public consumption. That remains unclear. EDIT: Not for public consumption.
More contact today, but not a lot, than Wednesday and Thursday. Players are in shells. Full gear Sunday or Monday.
Matt
