Spring game 4/21 @ 7 pm (Parking lots open @ Noon) | Page 8 | The Boneyard

Spring game 4/21 @ 7 pm (Parking lots open @ Noon)

@exit4....So based on the stats and observations it seems like the following kids didn't have much of an impact. Maybe the ball just didn't come their way or maybe it's a sign of things. I wouldn't read too much into the spring game stats. I think the staff was trying to get some good film on everyone as they continue to evaluate. I will say this, there was an exciting buzz in the stadium last night. Lashlee's offense moves fast and once guys start to settle in, it's going to be exciting to watch. They are going to spread the ball around and make the defense play the WHOLE field.

-gilmartin and Hahn didn't register much on D for tackles either. Surprisely neither did Britton, although he got hurt. I was very impressed with Hahn. He's big, athletic and nearly picked off a couple slip screens from his safety position. Britton was very disruptive until he left the field. Gilmartin didn't do anything that stood out but he'll be in the mix.

-haven't read anything about shafenacker, Campbell or cespedes making an impression. I'll speak on the OL as a whole (both groups). I thought the pass pro was pretty good. There were a couple sacks but mostly due to coverage. I don't recall, defenders being unblocked in pass pro. Run blocking is still a work in progress. I thought it was better in the second half and allowed Vickers and Hopkins to get into the second level.

-TE position didn't get targeted very much. Not much for Bloom or Myers. Holman? The TEs were targeted a few times, they weren't completed much. On the targets to Myers, he was open and overthrown. The good news....Myers looks healthy and I love the energy he plays with. Bloom was targeted a few times. He dropping two that I recall, but made one sweet one-handed catch and got upfield. I don't recall seeing Holman targeted.

-At Wr looks like Mason Donaldson who had been making his way into spring camp videos didn't have a catch. Same with Tyler Davis. The WR corp has a chance to be very good and very involved in the offense. I was very impressed with their ability to stretch the defense and make plays. Mayala, Beals, and Skanes can all get yards after the catch. McLean and Davis are huge targets and will be involved, along with Coney. I don't believe Donaldson played. To me, it looked like he was the player in a walking boot on the sideline. All the WR were targeted and made plays. Davis looked very comfortable playing WR and had a few nice receptions in the second half.

-Jason Thompson didn't seem to get too many touches. Thompson played a lot and saw quit a few plays with the first offense. He was the first RB in after Newsome to start the game. He was involved in both the run and pass game. It was pretty clear that the staff likes Hopkins in goal line situations. He and Vickers had some nice runs in the second half. Newsome probably saw the least game action of the RBs. But, he did has a nice blitz pickup on a pass play in the second half. RE got on him about keeping his head up, but he stopped the blitzer from getting to the QB (I believe it was Stapleton blitzing off the edge). When Williams arrives, there will be a lot of competition among this group for playing time.

A few final thoughts....

I liked what I saw from Sherriffs and Bisack. This team can win with Sherriffs. He looked very comfortable running the uptempo system. He made progression reads in the pass game and because the pass pro was pretty good, stayed in the pocket, as well. There were a few nice plays where he avoided a defender to extend plays, as well. The deep ball (although he did lay one in perfectly to Mayala on the 80-yd TD) is still his Achilles heel. I also felt that some of the sacks that were blown dead (red jersey), he would have avoided if play was live. Bisack runs the offense well, but I don't think he wins the job. He's not as athletic as Sherriffs, but he can sling it. He forced a few balls into coverage and missed a few opportunities deep, but he competes. He did have a bad fumble at the mesh point (w/ Hopkins) that the defense recovered for a TD. Sherriffs heads into fall as the QB, in my opinion. Pindell, Washington, and McAfee will all come in and try to take it. I think all three will make a strong push.

If the OL continues to develop and improve, this team will make huge strides this year.

I was also very impressed with Will Rishell (QB/K) on XPs and FGs. Great to see a kid who was never really given the opportunity under the last staff to have an impact as a RS SR. He pushed a 47-yd FG left, but it had the distance. He has big shoes to fill, but seems to have the leg and stones to do it. Kicking may be a position the staff looks to add depth, via transfer or walk-on.
 
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I was probably most impressed with Shirreffs ability to step up into the pocket when he was feeling pressure. He did this on a number of occasions, and then found a receiver downfield. He still throws a shaky deep ball that is often times over the wrong shoulder of the WR, but he looked a lot better.
 
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uconnphil2016 said:
I was probably most impressed with Shirreffs ability to step up into the pocket when he was feeling pressure. He did this on a number of occasions, and then found a receiver downfield. He still throws a shaky deep ball that is often times over the wrong shoulder of the WR, but he looked a lot better.
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... because he knew he wasn't going to get his clock cleaned w/ the red jersey on.
 
huskymedic said:
... because he knew he wasn't going to get his clock cleaned w/ the red jersey on.
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Obviously, but I still think it shows a conscious effort to stay in the pocket. He's taken a beating from Edsall in dropping down to second team and w/ some of RE's comments to the press. He's a tough kid and knows he needs to change, and I think he's doing it.
 
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Not only did the offense impress, but the visuals alone suggest more Belichick hoodie and less Bobby Crantaloons. Good mojo.

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Exit 4 said:
So based on the stats and observations it seems like the following kids didn't have much of an impact. Maybe the ball just didn't come their way or maybe it's a sign of things.

-in a game without carrezola, Murphy, Brouse, Freeborn, Okounam and Garson didn't register a whole lot of tackles. Tom Tabor did have 3 tackles however.

-gilmartin and Hahn didn't register much on D for tackles either. Surprisely neither did Britton, although he got hurt.

-haven't read anything about shafenacker, Campbell or cespedes making an impression.

-TE position didn't get targeted very much. Not much for Bloom or Myers. Holman?

-At Wr looks like Mason Donaldson who had been making his way into spring camp videos didn't have a catch. Same with Tyler Davis.

-Jason Thompson didn't seem to get too many touches.

All of the above is what I have pieced together from other acccounts- feel free to correct me or share your thoughts.
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not sure on tackle totals for Hahn but he did have an impact, mult pass break ups and almost a pick six. I thought he played pretty well.

Cespedes is absolutely massive now, I kept my eye on him a little bit to see how he did. nothing great but not bad either.

TE were targeted a few times, both bloom and Meyers had some nice catches but a few drops as well. I would say they were targeted much more than usual in our previous Offenses. (at one point, im fairly sure it was tommy Meyers mom, a woman started jumping up and down after he made a catch over the middle yelling "they threw to the tight end over the middle!" over and over lol)

Tyler Davis did ok, I think he was targeted maybe 5/6 times. made two catches I think but had opportunity for at least 1/2 more. I think they may try and work him into the offense because he is going to be such a miss match for DB's to cover size wise.

finally I know the stats don't look great but I know he converted on 2 separate 3rd downs for good chunks of yardage, he ran extremely hard and was pretty quick. a lot of people I was sitting around made comments on how well he ran so it may not have translated on the stat sheet but I was impressed. all and all I was pretty happy with what we saw from the Offense and I think we have a lot to look forward to.
 
Did anyone else see RE chewing out Omar Fortt? he had a late hit on tommy meyers late in the game that was well out of bounds. right after the ref was giving it to him Edsall walked up from the defensive backfield and basically barked at him on and off for the next few plays, pretty demonstrative a few different times.
 
ZOOCONN said:
... TE were targeted a few times, both bloom and Meyers had some nice catches but a few drops as well. I would say they were targeted much more than usual in our previous Offenses. (at one point, im fairly sure it was tommy Meyers mom, a woman started jumping up and down after he made a catch over the middle yelling "they threw to the tight end over the middle!" over and over lol)
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Definitely was entertaining but much like preseason in most sports hard to predict season from exhibitions, as last year big take away was the monster year Ron Johnson was going to have as lost weight and looked fast with a long TD run.

However lot to love about the new offense, tempo, uses the whole field, unpredictable and lot of guys involved. Just making the defense spread out will open up the running game as can not put 8 or 9 in box like last year. QB's both looked sharp and Shirreffs seemed to be comfortable in this style of offense but expect Pindell to win the job shortly after arriving on campus. Nice stable of running kicks, Hopkins looks like what Johnson was supposed to be, he gets to the hole fast where with Johnson hole was closed by the time he got there. Vickers looked good too and Newsome will be fresh from sharing the load. Excited about wide receivers as they are fast, love Dixon speed and using McLean as big target. Tight ends while not focal point will be involved and Myers looked real sharp running routes and blocking. This offense with quick spread and quick reads will put less stress on line than Diaco offense did. They did well pass blocking for most part although did not have to deal with lot of blitzes, more concerned about run blocking but that will improve with more work in fall camp and return of Crozier and Hopkins as them and Peart will be heart of line but will need to figure out who will be the other two starters. Leone and DeGeorge look to have the best upside of the remaining linemen, not sure if ready and how comfortable to have combination of two redshirt and/or true freshmen starting from game one.

While feeling good about offense, actually now more concerned about defense heading into season. Expect them to be more attacking than they were last night but there were lot of open spaces in the pass defense and tackling was little suspect. While there are many solid starters on line (Fatusaki, Carrezola, Ornsby) and linebackers (Joseph, Diggs and Stapleton) and except Summers to bounce back and Bell despite biting on flea flicker aside to be solid, am concerned about secondary specifically and overall depth and inexperience overall as need to be able rotate linemen and backers so fresh in 4th quarter. Would not mind seeing a 5th year senior transfer come in somewhere on defense. I have feeling there will be some struggles in first half of season as even with improved offense, can not expect to win too many big 12 type shootouts but Crocker and Edsall will figure it out as season moves along.

Not enough to get good feel from special teams but between Tarbutt and Rishell will figure out kicking game, punter more of a concern but looking forward to some of these track stars return kicks.

All in all a very nice spring game. Cautious optimism based on competent coaching who are allowed to coach, attacking instead of passive offense that will other team on heels and some true young playmakers that we might figure out to win anough games to go bowling.
 
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Bloom had a nice one handed catch and I did witness Gilmartin dishing out a couple thumping hits
 
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