--West Virginia head coach Neal Brown said that Nicco Marchiol was sick today. A really good turnout for the coaches clinic and it's a big recruiting day with a lot of people in the stadium. He thought they had good energy and the punt team got some really good looks. Competition period and special teams they are making strides on that side of the ball. They went about 35 live reps with the ones and not quite 30 with the twos. The twos were a little bit limited because they had those young quarterbacks out there. The defensive line had the best day and Sean Martin showed some flashes of what he could be with his speed and length he can push on the pocket. DaeDae Hawkins had a nice day as well and they need the interior tackles like Mike Lockhart and Hammond Russell to play well. Jared Bartlett is controlling his body better. Josiah Trotter and James Heard showed some flashes while Keyshawn Cobb and Aubrey Burks played well. CJ Donaldson on offense got some live work and he'll continue to work on his body but he has big time ability. He had a couple explosive runs and showed good patience and is a load to tackle. Garrett Greene wasn't as accurate in the live reps as he's been. The tight ends are getting more action and receiver wise Devin Carter has played well and Preston Fox had a couple nice plays.
--Cortez Braham is coming along he didn't have his best day today but he's been really consistent. They have caught the ball well to this point and Braham is going to be one of their most improved players and somebody they can count on. Jeremiah Aaron has to continue to put it together and Jarel Williams is getting better. Rodney Gallagher is going to have some opportunities in the slot but they need to add a wide receiver as well. It's real clear what you can and can't do with freshmen before they arrive they can do zoom meetings and workouts, but they try to leave the guys alone to let them play their spring sports. Gallagher is doing the program and they've got plenty of time to learn what to do.
--What you have to do in spring ball more than fall camp you can't get caught up looking at the whole unit. On the first team offense today they had a lot of different guys. You have to be careful not to get really caught up and you can't be emotional after spring practices because it's about growth and getting better. You have to be careful not to look at the whole thing and focus on individual wise who is getting better.
--What they paid attention to is West Virginia since joining the Big 12 what's equaled success and some other teams that are similar to what they have done. Drive starters, they weren't good offensively at the initial play of the drive and they importance of it. They've got goals they want to hit and explosive plays are the same way. You explain why you're measuring it and you see where you are today and where you need to go.
--From a penalty standpoint once you got into team it was pretty clean. Half line drill are working on receivers and tight ends blocking and defensive backs getting off blocks. Operation wise they had one procedure penalty on the offense, didn't have any turnovers during the live piece of it.
--Third and medium from 3-6, they categorize that and they have a way to communicate that it's third and medium. They've taught it in the winter, teaching it in meetings and practicing it and what you hope is the offense tends to try to play the sticks so quick game, screens, rpos and the linebackers need to think in RPO windows. Third and four on offense the mentality doesn't change but third and nine you need to change what you're doing at offensive tackle. You'll see a wider rush and the twist games.
--Yes, you study any of those groups that make a quick turnaround.
--Hudson Clement caught a touchdown, CJ Donaldson had one.
--They've done it Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday the half line drill where it's a way in a quick amount of time to block and try to get off blocks. You have to understand tempo, aiming points for blocks and blocking. The defense was more aggressive today.
--Donaldson was somebody they expected him to play more at slot. Physically he was ready to play but he played a different position. His coming out party was the first full scrimmage of camp and they couldn't tackle him. Having him in fall camp and he has elite ability so it lifts the others around him. He has to stay healthy and his practice habits have to get better but he has a chance. He is growing his game and he doesn't have a lot of reps logged so every full speed rep he gets he's going to continue to get better. They can move him around and do what he's done his whole life where he can catch balls and move around. It's the exact opposite for him.
--Eddie Vesterinen is consistent and he works extremely hard and has a great motor. He is really good on special teams for us and he is coachable. Jairo Faverus over a three year period has maybe made as big of a jump as anybody they've had. He is going to be a plus special team's player for us. This is a big spring for Victor he needs to continue to come on.
--Practice Tuesday and Thursday this week and take a four day break. They will get two more opportunities and then the spring game. They'll do more 11-on-11 work because they should understand what to do and then it's about team reps.
--Johnny Williams won't play in the fall but he is what they thought he was going to be. He showed on Thursday and has a couple really good pass sets. Mo Hamilton has a lot of ability but he just needs reps. He is going to benefit from team reps. Sully Weidman reminds him of where Tomas Rimac was a year ago. His good plays you like where he's at and his negative plays are all fundamentally based are really bad. They just need to clean that up. His hands are wide and he puts his head down at times, but if they can clean those up he can help.
--CJ Donaldson is generally intelligent. He understands sports. He has a natural feel for understanding the spacing element in the pass game. Where he's been doing that for most of his life he understands that and he just takes in information. He enjoys sports.
--Thursday was a real practice, Saturday was a real practice and Friday was just for the coaches clinic. All fundamental work yesterday and a bunch of special teams circuits.
--Michael Hayes is powerful and has only missed one the entire spring so far.
--They can get better blocking at the running back spot. Pass protection they are fine but the perimeter stuff they have to get better.
--They're doing a better job staying in their gaps defensively but it comes down to pad level and using their hands. They held their gaps better and way less wasted movement at linebacker and they are getting downhill and being more decisive. And they have taken some off the secondary and they are thinking less and playing faster.
--The TCU game was the last football time Donaldson had. He didn't do any running back stuff until late June but he just needs live reps, playing against a defense, feeling blocks and reading blocks. That's why the spring is important for him because he needs those live reps.
--CJ is 240 pounds and he has heavy hands. He's only going to continue to get stronger. He has the ability to be a plus blocker.
--Cortez Braham is coming along he didn't have his best day today but he's been really consistent. They have caught the ball well to this point and Braham is going to be one of their most improved players and somebody they can count on. Jeremiah Aaron has to continue to put it together and Jarel Williams is getting better. Rodney Gallagher is going to have some opportunities in the slot but they need to add a wide receiver as well. It's real clear what you can and can't do with freshmen before they arrive they can do zoom meetings and workouts, but they try to leave the guys alone to let them play their spring sports. Gallagher is doing the program and they've got plenty of time to learn what to do.
--What you have to do in spring ball more than fall camp you can't get caught up looking at the whole unit. On the first team offense today they had a lot of different guys. You have to be careful not to get really caught up and you can't be emotional after spring practices because it's about growth and getting better. You have to be careful not to look at the whole thing and focus on individual wise who is getting better.
--What they paid attention to is West Virginia since joining the Big 12 what's equaled success and some other teams that are similar to what they have done. Drive starters, they weren't good offensively at the initial play of the drive and they importance of it. They've got goals they want to hit and explosive plays are the same way. You explain why you're measuring it and you see where you are today and where you need to go.
--From a penalty standpoint once you got into team it was pretty clean. Half line drill are working on receivers and tight ends blocking and defensive backs getting off blocks. Operation wise they had one procedure penalty on the offense, didn't have any turnovers during the live piece of it.
--Third and medium from 3-6, they categorize that and they have a way to communicate that it's third and medium. They've taught it in the winter, teaching it in meetings and practicing it and what you hope is the offense tends to try to play the sticks so quick game, screens, rpos and the linebackers need to think in RPO windows. Third and four on offense the mentality doesn't change but third and nine you need to change what you're doing at offensive tackle. You'll see a wider rush and the twist games.
--Yes, you study any of those groups that make a quick turnaround.
--Hudson Clement caught a touchdown, CJ Donaldson had one.
--They've done it Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday the half line drill where it's a way in a quick amount of time to block and try to get off blocks. You have to understand tempo, aiming points for blocks and blocking. The defense was more aggressive today.
--Donaldson was somebody they expected him to play more at slot. Physically he was ready to play but he played a different position. His coming out party was the first full scrimmage of camp and they couldn't tackle him. Having him in fall camp and he has elite ability so it lifts the others around him. He has to stay healthy and his practice habits have to get better but he has a chance. He is growing his game and he doesn't have a lot of reps logged so every full speed rep he gets he's going to continue to get better. They can move him around and do what he's done his whole life where he can catch balls and move around. It's the exact opposite for him.
--Eddie Vesterinen is consistent and he works extremely hard and has a great motor. He is really good on special teams for us and he is coachable. Jairo Faverus over a three year period has maybe made as big of a jump as anybody they've had. He is going to be a plus special team's player for us. This is a big spring for Victor he needs to continue to come on.
--Practice Tuesday and Thursday this week and take a four day break. They will get two more opportunities and then the spring game. They'll do more 11-on-11 work because they should understand what to do and then it's about team reps.
--Johnny Williams won't play in the fall but he is what they thought he was going to be. He showed on Thursday and has a couple really good pass sets. Mo Hamilton has a lot of ability but he just needs reps. He is going to benefit from team reps. Sully Weidman reminds him of where Tomas Rimac was a year ago. His good plays you like where he's at and his negative plays are all fundamentally based are really bad. They just need to clean that up. His hands are wide and he puts his head down at times, but if they can clean those up he can help.
--CJ Donaldson is generally intelligent. He understands sports. He has a natural feel for understanding the spacing element in the pass game. Where he's been doing that for most of his life he understands that and he just takes in information. He enjoys sports.
--Thursday was a real practice, Saturday was a real practice and Friday was just for the coaches clinic. All fundamental work yesterday and a bunch of special teams circuits.
--Michael Hayes is powerful and has only missed one the entire spring so far.
--They can get better blocking at the running back spot. Pass protection they are fine but the perimeter stuff they have to get better.
--They're doing a better job staying in their gaps defensively but it comes down to pad level and using their hands. They held their gaps better and way less wasted movement at linebacker and they are getting downhill and being more decisive. And they have taken some off the secondary and they are thinking less and playing faster.
--The TCU game was the last football time Donaldson had. He didn't do any running back stuff until late June but he just needs live reps, playing against a defense, feeling blocks and reading blocks. That's why the spring is important for him because he needs those live reps.
--CJ is 240 pounds and he has heavy hands. He's only going to continue to get stronger. He has the ability to be a plus blocker.
