Spring Practice 2019 | Page 7 | The Boneyard

Spring Practice 2019

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Fuller UConn offensive lineman Nino Leone excited to be in the center of things (update on Rose @ TE and injuries in link)

>>A shoulder injury sidelined Nino Leone during the 15 UConn spring practices a year ago. It’s safe to say that junior offensive lineman is making up for lost time at this year’s spring camp. After starting all 12 games at guard during the 2018 season, Leone has moved over to center to replace Ryan Crozier, who started 27 times at center over the last three seasons.

“It’s been a fun experience,” Leone said. “This is the first time playing the position and I’m just getting used to switching the stance very slightly. It’s a larger role making calls and making sure everything is being communicated on the line. It hasn’t been much of a challenge in studying it. I am familiar with the plays, but it is interesting to see how you impact everybody else on the line and how people rely on you more. I am glad to take on this spot to help out.”<<

>>The emergence of redshirt freshman guard Christian Haynes gives UConn a chance to play Leone at center and get its best five offensive linemen on the field together. Haynes had one of the most memorable plays in Thursday’s practice as he had a pancake block against 280-pound defensive tackle Caleb Thomas. <<

>>True freshman defensive lineman Eric Watts continues to work with the starters while senior Kyle Williams, a former Hamden Hall star, is currently starting at cornerback. <<
 
HuskyGooner124 said:
I like that Andre Dixon cameo at the end!
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I noticed the same thing. A guy that battled through adversity and some of his own troubles while at UConn but really left his mark for sure. Never hurts to have guys like him around the program.
 
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Travis Jones dropping weight is going to be a big plus for the team but also his future. Watching some NFL combine today he really helped getting his body right for being an impact player on defense. You could see his potential last year but his size prevented him from making more plays. Think Donald, Wilkins, Lawrence. It is the quickness that pays off. Watts stood out on tape and he could be a solid player this year. On defense we will be better I have no doubt. Watching Leone last year I thought he was our best O-lineman. Learning to play center could be a good career move for him as well.
 
jdb50 said:
Travis Jones dropping weight is going to be a big plus for the team but also his future. Watching some NFL combine today he really helped getting his body right for being an impact player on defense. You could see his potential last year but his size prevented him from making more plays. Think Donald, Wilkins, Lawrence. It is the quickness that pays off. Watts stood out on tape and he could be a solid player this year. On defense we will be better I have no doubt. Watching Leone last year I thought he was our best O-lineman. Learning to play center could be a good career move for him as well.
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I would also be interested to see if Ryan Fines could drop some weight and become the player he was supposed to be out of high school. All those P5 offers must have meant he had something back then. He was a gigantic disappointment last year, clearly overweight. If he could drop 30 lbm and develop a little quickness, he might become a surprising force.
 
If you get too big you become a blocking dummy for the O- lineman. Fines needs to make this change as well. D tackle does not mean slow in today's game.
 
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MIssed this Ostrout piece the other day: UConn football's new defensive coordinator is making a fiery impression early

>>He has only been on the job here just over a month and the Huskies are only half-way through their allotment of spring practices, but Spanos is already making an impression on the UConn defenders. That’s no doubt in part because Spanos is a little fiery on the practice field.

“A little?” safety Tyler Coyle, the junior from Windsor, said in mock surprise. “He’ll get you going in the morning, now.”<<

>>“Obviously I didn’t control last year. What we’re doing right now is focusing on our technique, our alignments, communication, just fundamental football,” Spanos said. “We’re trying to move the line of scrimmage back, tackling, and getting opportunities at the ball.”

As for his style of coaching, Spanos dismisses the notion that it is contrived or unique. He’s just being himself. “People make labels. All I know is I’ve worked with a lot of good coaches and I have my own identity. I really just coach the way that I would like to be coached,” Spanos said. “You just have to be yourself and make sure the players understand what you want to do and they apply it, and also they have to have fun.”<<
 
huskymedic said:
As for his style of coaching, Spanos dismisses the notion that it is contrived or unique. He’s just being himself. “People make labels. All I know is I’ve worked with a lot of good coaches and I have my own identity. I really just coach the way that I would like to be coached,” Spanos said. “You just have to be yourself and make sure the players understand what you want to do and they apply it, and also they have to have fun.”
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Please let this man do his job Randy. Stay away and keep your hands out of it. I know you feel the need to take control of everything but trust your coordinators!!
 
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Best peek yet of Spring practice. Love watching these guys lock up and see who moves who. That's football :)
 
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blue93 said:
I appreciate the effort to provide offseason content... but yeah they need to stop these plays of the day
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I like seeing them so we see what they are doing in practice. At least we are seeing something. Look at it this way.. ball was knocked out of his hands.. good for the defense!!
 
I think they are specifically choosing "plays of the day" that don't show up the other team. If you've noticed, none of the plays have been that spectacular for either side. Either that, or the reality is there's a really small sample of good plays to work with.
 
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