From the Palm Beach Post...
Florida State talking to SEC about a possible jump according to http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifsource
by Tom D'Angelo
Florida State officials have been flirting with the SEC for several months and the discussion now are getting more serious, according to sources.
Rumors have been spreading that the SEC is poised to expand, first to 14 teams and then to 16, and the Seminoles and Texas A&M of the Big 12 could be the first two to jump.
“This is real,” said a source close to FSU.
Other schools being mentioned as possible SEC candidates: Clemson, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
Miami apparently is not on the SEC’s radar. The possibility of being left out if FSU bolts has the Hurricanes, “scared to death,” said a source.
Texas A&M appears to be the SEC’s first choice. The school is a good fit in many ways. Its facilities are first class and it’s a school with a lot of money. Adding the Aggies would allow the conference to gain a foothold in one of the richest states in the country for high school football and add two large television markets in Dallas and Houston.
Texas A&M is unhappy that Texas has created own television network and is unhappy with the Big 12 for bowing down to Texas when the Longhorns flirted with the idea of moving to the Pac-10.
Some believe the Aggies are more of a sure thing to join the SEC than any other school and Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe told the Austin-American Statesman he is treating reports of Texas A&M’s possible move “very seriously.”
The SEC has stayed quiet during this latest round of speculation. At SEC Media Days a couple weeks ago, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said he could add members if he wanted to in 15 minutes.
“I’m going to think about and do things that are in the long-term best interests of the SEC,” Slive said.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Razorback Practice Report: Tuesday, August 9
Petrino Working More on Running Game,
QB Mitchell Not Excelling So Far in Preseason
By Bud Baldwin
Sorry guys I am getting lax in my duty. These evening practices last until about 8 p.m., and by the time I have eaten, get a talking to by my wife, and do my honey-do's, it is hard for me to get motivated at 10 p.m. to write. My bad. Here is what I saw at Monday and Tuesday full-pad practices.
First I need to mention that even though they were in full pads, there has yet to be a scrimmage where people were actually tackled or knocked to the ground. The linemen are hitting each other, but I had been hoping to see something more. So in other words, the practices have been pretty much the same as the pre-pad practices.
The one thing I have noticed is that there seems to be more of an emphasis on the running game this year. In the last two years, a greater majority of the time has been spent on the passing game – probably a 75 to 25 pass-run ratio. This year, it seems to be more 60/40. I think Bobby Petrino knows we are solid at running back with Knile Davis, Ronnie Wingo, and Dennis Johnston. All look bigger and quicker and they appear to be getting equal reps. They have been practicing some option drills. Never saw those with Ryan Mallett here. Kiero Small, the new fullback, besides being a great blocker, is getting some running plays and making catches in the flat as well, especially on the goal line. You all will get a kick when you see him – a fire plug if there ever was one.
I think the added emphasis on running is probably three-fold. Possibly Petrino knows that if our running game would have been better last year, we could have probably beaten Alabama, so he wants to start early. Secondly, the line is suspect so far – during the scrimmage portion the quarterbacks seem to have less time than normal to get their passes off. Possibly this is because our pass rush is better. Finally, the quarterbacks seem to be behind from where they were last year. Again, maybe it is the pass rush and they have less time.
Regarding the quarterbacks, Tyler Wilson is definitely ahead. Brandon Mitchell isn’t vocal and doesn’t seem to cheer people or pat their butts. Wilson is doing all that. Mitchell’s passing is either really good or just bad. He misses the receivers more often than any of the quarterbacks in the passing drills where there isn’t a defense. In the drills with defensive backs, he seems to have decided where he is going to pass it before he has gone through his options. However, having said all that, when he is throwing well he is as good as Mallett. Brandon Allen is definitely third at this point and almost gets as many reps as Mitchell. His passing motion is different, but he is very accurate and seems to have picked up the offense pretty well. Also, we have seen fewer bombs being thrown this year as compared to the last two.
Of the wide receivers, I am still very impressed with Marquel Wade. He is the quickest of the bunch. Greg Childs still continues to drop more than his share of passes. Not sure what is going on there. Joe Adams and Jarius Wright are doing well, as is Coby Hamilton. We are loaded at wide outs and they switch in and out all the time.
One of the newcomers that I wanted to see is Kody Walker, the running back from Missouri. He is built like Broderick Green. He seems a little unsure about what to do and possibly that is holding him back. Petrino jumps him about not cutting inside when he would pop to the outside. Same problem Wingo had. They are both big but want to head for the sidelines.
The other newcomer I wanted to see is Andrew Peterson, the tight end from Texas. He is huge by far the biggest of tight ends. He has a massive lower body but appears to be slow and a little soft. I believe he has an ankle or knee bothering him. In one drill he runs ahead and a manager pops him with a pad and he turns and catches the ball. The manager is not big and it looks like he is getting the best of Peterson.
Colton Milles-Nash seems to be getting the most reps at tight end, more than Chris Gragg, possibly because his blocking abilities are better and we are going to need more protection at least early on until the line develops.
The defense is looking very good from what I can tell. Byron Jones is playing the nose tackle, D.D. Jones is playing right tackle, Robert Thomas is at left tackle, Jake Bequette is next to him, and Tenarius Wright is on the other side. Bequette seems to be in pass coverage more than I have seen him the past. The linebackers are Jerry Franklin, Alonzo Highsmith, and Jerico Nelson. Corners are Darius Winston and Isaac Madison. Safetys are Tramain Thomas and Elton Ford. It is hard to keep track of the defense because defensive coordinator Willie Robinson is always alternating. Plus, it is hard to keep track of all the switches watching from 50 yards away at ground level.
They continue to work on special teams at least twice a practice -- punt or kickoff coverage, scoop and score, and returns. Adams and Wade are the best two on punt returns. Johnson and Wade will probably be the two deep guys on kickoffs. Both Dylan Breeding and Zach Hocker are doing very good as punter and kicker. Hocker is the back-up punter, and it is hard to believe that is where he thought his best chance to play was. Now as the back-up punter, he is far behind Breeding.
Well it is late and I need to sleep.
QB Mitchell Not Excelling So Far in Preseason
By Bud Baldwin
Sorry guys I am getting lax in my duty. These evening practices last until about 8 p.m., and by the time I have eaten, get a talking to by my wife, and do my honey-do's, it is hard for me to get motivated at 10 p.m. to write. My bad. Here is what I saw at Monday and Tuesday full-pad practices.
First I need to mention that even though they were in full pads, there has yet to be a scrimmage where people were actually tackled or knocked to the ground. The linemen are hitting each other, but I had been hoping to see something more. So in other words, the practices have been pretty much the same as the pre-pad practices.
The one thing I have noticed is that there seems to be more of an emphasis on the running game this year. In the last two years, a greater majority of the time has been spent on the passing game – probably a 75 to 25 pass-run ratio. This year, it seems to be more 60/40. I think Bobby Petrino knows we are solid at running back with Knile Davis, Ronnie Wingo, and Dennis Johnston. All look bigger and quicker and they appear to be getting equal reps. They have been practicing some option drills. Never saw those with Ryan Mallett here. Kiero Small, the new fullback, besides being a great blocker, is getting some running plays and making catches in the flat as well, especially on the goal line. You all will get a kick when you see him – a fire plug if there ever was one.
I think the added emphasis on running is probably three-fold. Possibly Petrino knows that if our running game would have been better last year, we could have probably beaten Alabama, so he wants to start early. Secondly, the line is suspect so far – during the scrimmage portion the quarterbacks seem to have less time than normal to get their passes off. Possibly this is because our pass rush is better. Finally, the quarterbacks seem to be behind from where they were last year. Again, maybe it is the pass rush and they have less time.
Regarding the quarterbacks, Tyler Wilson is definitely ahead. Brandon Mitchell isn’t vocal and doesn’t seem to cheer people or pat their butts. Wilson is doing all that. Mitchell’s passing is either really good or just bad. He misses the receivers more often than any of the quarterbacks in the passing drills where there isn’t a defense. In the drills with defensive backs, he seems to have decided where he is going to pass it before he has gone through his options. However, having said all that, when he is throwing well he is as good as Mallett. Brandon Allen is definitely third at this point and almost gets as many reps as Mitchell. His passing motion is different, but he is very accurate and seems to have picked up the offense pretty well. Also, we have seen fewer bombs being thrown this year as compared to the last two.
Of the wide receivers, I am still very impressed with Marquel Wade. He is the quickest of the bunch. Greg Childs still continues to drop more than his share of passes. Not sure what is going on there. Joe Adams and Jarius Wright are doing well, as is Coby Hamilton. We are loaded at wide outs and they switch in and out all the time.
One of the newcomers that I wanted to see is Kody Walker, the running back from Missouri. He is built like Broderick Green. He seems a little unsure about what to do and possibly that is holding him back. Petrino jumps him about not cutting inside when he would pop to the outside. Same problem Wingo had. They are both big but want to head for the sidelines.
The other newcomer I wanted to see is Andrew Peterson, the tight end from Texas. He is huge by far the biggest of tight ends. He has a massive lower body but appears to be slow and a little soft. I believe he has an ankle or knee bothering him. In one drill he runs ahead and a manager pops him with a pad and he turns and catches the ball. The manager is not big and it looks like he is getting the best of Peterson.
Colton Milles-Nash seems to be getting the most reps at tight end, more than Chris Gragg, possibly because his blocking abilities are better and we are going to need more protection at least early on until the line develops.
The defense is looking very good from what I can tell. Byron Jones is playing the nose tackle, D.D. Jones is playing right tackle, Robert Thomas is at left tackle, Jake Bequette is next to him, and Tenarius Wright is on the other side. Bequette seems to be in pass coverage more than I have seen him the past. The linebackers are Jerry Franklin, Alonzo Highsmith, and Jerico Nelson. Corners are Darius Winston and Isaac Madison. Safetys are Tramain Thomas and Elton Ford. It is hard to keep track of the defense because defensive coordinator Willie Robinson is always alternating. Plus, it is hard to keep track of all the switches watching from 50 yards away at ground level.
They continue to work on special teams at least twice a practice -- punt or kickoff coverage, scoop and score, and returns. Adams and Wade are the best two on punt returns. Johnson and Wade will probably be the two deep guys on kickoffs. Both Dylan Breeding and Zach Hocker are doing very good as punter and kicker. Hocker is the back-up punter, and it is hard to believe that is where he thought his best chance to play was. Now as the back-up punter, he is far behind Breeding.
Well it is late and I need to sleep.
Monday, August 08, 2011
Razorback Practice Report: Sunday, August 7
Quarterbacks and Receivers Clicking,
Petrino and Smith Argue in Practice
By Bud Baldwin
Not a whole lot to tell from the veterans practice I attended this weekend primarily because they aren't in full pads, which happens at 6 p.m. Monday and I am planning to be there.
The offense continues to get better. I know quarterback and receivers pretty much throw all summer and sometimes there are defensive backs shadowing the receivers, but it isn't the same when there are linemen rushing you (even though up to now it has been tag football) and you are having to throw through linebackers and defensive backs going this way and that way.
I think it takes a while for the quarterbacks and receivers to get used to that and start recognizing the openings. But each day it appears they are getting more into game situations. It may be just me, but I think Tyler Wilson is separating himself from Brandon Mitchell in this area.
Although both quarterbacks have thrown some interceptions and passes that should have been interceptions, Wilson's mistakes are not as obvious as Mitchell's, who at times seems to throw it right to the defender where as I think Wilson's are more "I threw if to the guy but my pass was a little high or the receiver got out-muscled for the ball." Each day he seems to be getting better and his mistakes are fewer. Of course, yesterday he dropped a snap (his Achilles' heel).
The receivers are more comfortable now. They seem to be getting used to catching balls in crowds and look more comfortable running routes. To me, the most impressive receiver so far is Marquel Wade (#1). He makes difficult catches and knows what to do with it after he catches the ball. It is nice to see this from him and the other receivers.
I still remember Nutt’s receivers, who could make a difficult catch, but after the catch they would just fall down and not get anything after the catch. Remember London Crawford catching the ball against Florida and no one was around? He ran a few steps and just dropped it. These guys will do well making things happen after they catch it.
Colton Miles-Nash looks good at tight end. Right now our offensive line isn't as good as last year's, and the tight end will be called on to block more and Nash doesn't seem to shy away from that. He caught a few passes this weekend and appears to have good hands. It will be interesting to see how he does in pads.
Kiero Small popped Alonzo Highsmith yesterday when Highsmith was blitzing. I can’t wait to see him in fill pads. They also worked with him on the goal line catching the short fade route out of the backfield. He has good hands.
We have all known that Ronnie Wingo can catch the ball, but Knile Davis was a little suspect last year. Obviously, he has worked on this because I really think the running backs are going to get a lot of receptions this year.
Now that we are in full pads, it will be curious to see who emerges on the offensive line. Brey Cook is huge and after coming early and starting in spring, I really want to see him now that they will be in full pads.
The defensive line looks awesome, but they rotate players in and out so much it is hard to see (especially at ground level) which combination is most effective. I think the addition of Robert Thomas gives them a lot more options and will allow D.D. Lewis to move around a lot. Byron Jones seems planted in the middle along will Alfred Davis. Chris Smith (who I referred to last week as Chris Miller) is back in s and he wasn't told to get "get your ass off of my field."
The defensive backs look good as well. They get beat sometimes, but rarely with the first team do you see a wide receiver left all alone. Darius Winston looks bigger as do the safeties. Isaac Madison is still here. He seems like he is a seventh-year senior. He is not afraid to mix it up. One time he fell down and was slow getting up and I wondered if his knee will make it through the season
They have worked a lot on special teams. In fact, John L. Smith and Coach Bobby Petrino basically got into it about lanes. Smith taught it one way and Petrino wanted it another and they got into it with each other for a short time. Smith will jump a player pretty good and will make him do it over and over until he get the technique right, but when he does get it right Smith will really give him kudos.
They also worked on a scoop-and-score drill for about 10 minutes. Petrino will not forget that cost them the Ohio State game.
My only disappointment was that I did not make a newcomers practice. I was going to go Saturday, but I had been out in the heat all day and it was really hot. Yesterday I went, but they went inside the Walker Pavilion and I couldn't get in. They will be with the veterans from here on out.
Petrino and Smith Argue in Practice
By Bud Baldwin
Not a whole lot to tell from the veterans practice I attended this weekend primarily because they aren't in full pads, which happens at 6 p.m. Monday and I am planning to be there.
The offense continues to get better. I know quarterback and receivers pretty much throw all summer and sometimes there are defensive backs shadowing the receivers, but it isn't the same when there are linemen rushing you (even though up to now it has been tag football) and you are having to throw through linebackers and defensive backs going this way and that way.
I think it takes a while for the quarterbacks and receivers to get used to that and start recognizing the openings. But each day it appears they are getting more into game situations. It may be just me, but I think Tyler Wilson is separating himself from Brandon Mitchell in this area.
Although both quarterbacks have thrown some interceptions and passes that should have been interceptions, Wilson's mistakes are not as obvious as Mitchell's, who at times seems to throw it right to the defender where as I think Wilson's are more "I threw if to the guy but my pass was a little high or the receiver got out-muscled for the ball." Each day he seems to be getting better and his mistakes are fewer. Of course, yesterday he dropped a snap (his Achilles' heel).
The receivers are more comfortable now. They seem to be getting used to catching balls in crowds and look more comfortable running routes. To me, the most impressive receiver so far is Marquel Wade (#1). He makes difficult catches and knows what to do with it after he catches the ball. It is nice to see this from him and the other receivers.
I still remember Nutt’s receivers, who could make a difficult catch, but after the catch they would just fall down and not get anything after the catch. Remember London Crawford catching the ball against Florida and no one was around? He ran a few steps and just dropped it. These guys will do well making things happen after they catch it.
Colton Miles-Nash looks good at tight end. Right now our offensive line isn't as good as last year's, and the tight end will be called on to block more and Nash doesn't seem to shy away from that. He caught a few passes this weekend and appears to have good hands. It will be interesting to see how he does in pads.
Kiero Small popped Alonzo Highsmith yesterday when Highsmith was blitzing. I can’t wait to see him in fill pads. They also worked with him on the goal line catching the short fade route out of the backfield. He has good hands.
We have all known that Ronnie Wingo can catch the ball, but Knile Davis was a little suspect last year. Obviously, he has worked on this because I really think the running backs are going to get a lot of receptions this year.
Now that we are in full pads, it will be curious to see who emerges on the offensive line. Brey Cook is huge and after coming early and starting in spring, I really want to see him now that they will be in full pads.
The defensive line looks awesome, but they rotate players in and out so much it is hard to see (especially at ground level) which combination is most effective. I think the addition of Robert Thomas gives them a lot more options and will allow D.D. Lewis to move around a lot. Byron Jones seems planted in the middle along will Alfred Davis. Chris Smith (who I referred to last week as Chris Miller) is back in s and he wasn't told to get "get your ass off of my field."
The defensive backs look good as well. They get beat sometimes, but rarely with the first team do you see a wide receiver left all alone. Darius Winston looks bigger as do the safeties. Isaac Madison is still here. He seems like he is a seventh-year senior. He is not afraid to mix it up. One time he fell down and was slow getting up and I wondered if his knee will make it through the season
They have worked a lot on special teams. In fact, John L. Smith and Coach Bobby Petrino basically got into it about lanes. Smith taught it one way and Petrino wanted it another and they got into it with each other for a short time. Smith will jump a player pretty good and will make him do it over and over until he get the technique right, but when he does get it right Smith will really give him kudos.
They also worked on a scoop-and-score drill for about 10 minutes. Petrino will not forget that cost them the Ohio State game.
My only disappointment was that I did not make a newcomers practice. I was going to go Saturday, but I had been out in the heat all day and it was really hot. Yesterday I went, but they went inside the Walker Pavilion and I couldn't get in. They will be with the veterans from here on out.
Friday, August 05, 2011
Award for Best Use of Fake Iron Bowl Tickets
Razorback Practice Report:
Thursday, August 4
Coaches Don't Spare the Cursing as Players
Sweat it Out in First Practice on Intramural Fields
By Bud Baldwin
I went to the 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. veterans practice.
The venue – I had not been down to the intramural fields since 1978 and was amazed. The area is completely fenced and has a lot of light poles. When you walk in the area, the thing that hits you is that as a coach you have to love this place because it is so vast.
There was one football field that runs parallel to Razorback Road. Then there is an area of about 70 yards of open grass area where the blocking sleds and other equipment for the linemen are kept. Then there is a second field that runs perpendicular to Razorback Road – again a 100-yard field. Both fields have goalposts.
The grass was in excellent shape considering the heat we have had (my own backyard with Bermuda grass is entirely brown and I run the sprinkler system every day for 20 minutes). The first field has two sets of bleachers – maybe about five rows holding about 25 people. There is one set on the second field. They have a yellow rope around the field for the fans to stay behind, and there is at least a 20-yard cushion between the field and the fans.
As a person who has gone to many practices, I have grown used to seeing things up close and personal. At the old practice fields, you can see what is going on everywhere because there was a hill to sit on, but not now because you are at ground level. It makes it harder to see what is going on when the offense and defense go against each other. It is especially hard to see the lineman because they seem packed together. They had the offense on field #1 and the defense on field #2, and they are far apart.
When I arrived, the quarterbacks and wide receivers were running patterns. There were a lot of dropped balls. Each quarterback got equal reps here. Marquel Wade (#1) made some spectacular one-handed grabs. One brought a loud cheer from the fans in attendance (probably about 300).
Next I watched the tight ends. Only three were there – Chris Gragg (#80), Austin Tate (#87), Colton Nash (#6). Even though Nash and Tate are both listed as 6’6”, Nash looks taller. Garrett Uekman (#88) worked with newcomers and wasn’t here.
When the first-team offense started running plays together, the line was Grant Freeman (#79) at strong tackle (he looks like he is 6”10”), Alvin Bailey (#67) at strong guard, Travis Swanson at center, Grant Cook (#72 ) at weak guard, and Jason Peacock (#71) at weak tackle. I was surprised to not see Brey Cook starting here. Peacock doesn’t appear to have really quick feet, and when he was facing Jake Bequette he was beaten on every pass play. Cook played some guard as well but seemed to spend more time with the second team. Mitch Smothers, a true freshman, practiced with the veterans as well.
Tyler Wilson was the quarterback and Knile Davis was the running back. Kiero Small (#36) was the fullback. He is the junior-college transfer from California. He is listed at 5’10”, 255 pounds. He may be 255, but if he is 5’10’ then I am 6’3” (I am 5’9’). He might be 5”8”. The guy is a bowling ball. One of his legs is bigger than my waist. I think it is significant he started from the get go. He hustled and seems to know he is there to knock someone down. He is quick and caught a pass in the scrimmage.
All of the running backs looked fast and big. Davis, Ronnie Wingo, and Dennis Johnson flew through the holes. Johnson and Davis looked especially quick.
Finally the offense moved to field #2 to go against the defense, so for us fans that meant a 5-minute walk.
It was hard to see who was playing on the defensive line because we were at field level 30 yards away.
Bequette was the left end. Robert Thomas, Bryan Jones, and D.D. Lewis all played interior lineman. And Chris Smith played the other end. All moved in and out of the line. Alfred Davis didn’t see much action probably because they weren’t hitting -- the emphasis was on passing. Linebackers were Jerico Nelson, Jerry Franklin, and Alonzo Highsmith (JUCO guy). Highsmith (#45) has huge legs but appears to move very well. Darius Winston and Isaac Madison were the cornerbacks, and Tramain Thomas and Elton Ford were the safeties.
As usual, there was a lot of screening and cussing by the coaches led by Coach Bobby Petrino. In a previous life, he must have been a sailor or a contractor because he can fling the words around. Chris Miller caught it first when Coach P screamed at him, “Get your ass off the field.” He must have been loafing. However, others got it as well, especially the receivers. Both Jarius Wright and Greg Childs dropped very catchable balls and were screamed at by several coaches. John L. Smith later screamed at Chris Miller and said, “You are killing this team!” Miller did not have a pleasant day. There were plenty of “GDs” and “get your ass” mixed in with every play.
As far as the scrimmage went, Wilson probably got 50 percent of the reps followed by Brandon Mitchell and Brian Buehner (#16). Buehner seemed to have to scramble more. Both Wilson and Mitchell threw some good and bad passes. Neither looked like an all star, but both looked good. I believe with Wilson at quarterback, we are going to see the backs catch a lot more passes. He doesn’t seem to force the ball into places that Ryan Mallett would (Mitchell does). I have always thought Wilson sees the field better than Mallett, and he spreads the ball around everywhere. Marquel Wade and Joe Adams looked the best of the receivers. Neither dropped a ball and both made some amazing catches and runs. Of course, nobody is in pads.
They took a break about 55 minutes into the practice, and you could hear the coaches screaming “Hydrate” a lot. They practiced field goals toward the end.
As a side note, one of the graduate assistants approached me to check out what I was writing. That was a first. I showed him my scribbles and he said OK.
As fans, we caught a break because it was overcast and cooler. If the sun would have been out, we would have been staring directly into the sun. That’s it. I plan to return Friday.
Sweat it Out in First Practice on Intramural Fields
By Bud Baldwin
I went to the 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. veterans practice.
The venue – I had not been down to the intramural fields since 1978 and was amazed. The area is completely fenced and has a lot of light poles. When you walk in the area, the thing that hits you is that as a coach you have to love this place because it is so vast.
There was one football field that runs parallel to Razorback Road. Then there is an area of about 70 yards of open grass area where the blocking sleds and other equipment for the linemen are kept. Then there is a second field that runs perpendicular to Razorback Road – again a 100-yard field. Both fields have goalposts.
The grass was in excellent shape considering the heat we have had (my own backyard with Bermuda grass is entirely brown and I run the sprinkler system every day for 20 minutes). The first field has two sets of bleachers – maybe about five rows holding about 25 people. There is one set on the second field. They have a yellow rope around the field for the fans to stay behind, and there is at least a 20-yard cushion between the field and the fans.
As a person who has gone to many practices, I have grown used to seeing things up close and personal. At the old practice fields, you can see what is going on everywhere because there was a hill to sit on, but not now because you are at ground level. It makes it harder to see what is going on when the offense and defense go against each other. It is especially hard to see the lineman because they seem packed together. They had the offense on field #1 and the defense on field #2, and they are far apart.
When I arrived, the quarterbacks and wide receivers were running patterns. There were a lot of dropped balls. Each quarterback got equal reps here. Marquel Wade (#1) made some spectacular one-handed grabs. One brought a loud cheer from the fans in attendance (probably about 300).
Next I watched the tight ends. Only three were there – Chris Gragg (#80), Austin Tate (#87), Colton Nash (#6). Even though Nash and Tate are both listed as 6’6”, Nash looks taller. Garrett Uekman (#88) worked with newcomers and wasn’t here.
When the first-team offense started running plays together, the line was Grant Freeman (#79) at strong tackle (he looks like he is 6”10”), Alvin Bailey (#67) at strong guard, Travis Swanson at center, Grant Cook (#72 ) at weak guard, and Jason Peacock (#71) at weak tackle. I was surprised to not see Brey Cook starting here. Peacock doesn’t appear to have really quick feet, and when he was facing Jake Bequette he was beaten on every pass play. Cook played some guard as well but seemed to spend more time with the second team. Mitch Smothers, a true freshman, practiced with the veterans as well.
Tyler Wilson was the quarterback and Knile Davis was the running back. Kiero Small (#36) was the fullback. He is the junior-college transfer from California. He is listed at 5’10”, 255 pounds. He may be 255, but if he is 5’10’ then I am 6’3” (I am 5’9’). He might be 5”8”. The guy is a bowling ball. One of his legs is bigger than my waist. I think it is significant he started from the get go. He hustled and seems to know he is there to knock someone down. He is quick and caught a pass in the scrimmage.
All of the running backs looked fast and big. Davis, Ronnie Wingo, and Dennis Johnson flew through the holes. Johnson and Davis looked especially quick.
Finally the offense moved to field #2 to go against the defense, so for us fans that meant a 5-minute walk.
It was hard to see who was playing on the defensive line because we were at field level 30 yards away.
Bequette was the left end. Robert Thomas, Bryan Jones, and D.D. Lewis all played interior lineman. And Chris Smith played the other end. All moved in and out of the line. Alfred Davis didn’t see much action probably because they weren’t hitting -- the emphasis was on passing. Linebackers were Jerico Nelson, Jerry Franklin, and Alonzo Highsmith (JUCO guy). Highsmith (#45) has huge legs but appears to move very well. Darius Winston and Isaac Madison were the cornerbacks, and Tramain Thomas and Elton Ford were the safeties.
As usual, there was a lot of screening and cussing by the coaches led by Coach Bobby Petrino. In a previous life, he must have been a sailor or a contractor because he can fling the words around. Chris Miller caught it first when Coach P screamed at him, “Get your ass off the field.” He must have been loafing. However, others got it as well, especially the receivers. Both Jarius Wright and Greg Childs dropped very catchable balls and were screamed at by several coaches. John L. Smith later screamed at Chris Miller and said, “You are killing this team!” Miller did not have a pleasant day. There were plenty of “GDs” and “get your ass” mixed in with every play.
As far as the scrimmage went, Wilson probably got 50 percent of the reps followed by Brandon Mitchell and Brian Buehner (#16). Buehner seemed to have to scramble more. Both Wilson and Mitchell threw some good and bad passes. Neither looked like an all star, but both looked good. I believe with Wilson at quarterback, we are going to see the backs catch a lot more passes. He doesn’t seem to force the ball into places that Ryan Mallett would (Mitchell does). I have always thought Wilson sees the field better than Mallett, and he spreads the ball around everywhere. Marquel Wade and Joe Adams looked the best of the receivers. Neither dropped a ball and both made some amazing catches and runs. Of course, nobody is in pads.
They took a break about 55 minutes into the practice, and you could hear the coaches screaming “Hydrate” a lot. They practiced field goals toward the end.
As a side note, one of the graduate assistants approached me to check out what I was writing. That was a first. I showed him my scribbles and he said OK.
As fans, we caught a break because it was overcast and cooler. If the sun would have been out, we would have been staring directly into the sun. That’s it. I plan to return Friday.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Rushing From Judgement
July 29, 2011 — If you follow Alabama or Auburn football with any degree of interest, you’ve by now heard of T-Town Menswear and its gregarious owner Tom, who’s been “dressing players for the Alabama football team for years.”
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Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
In defense of Jim Tressell
By Dick "The Coach" Betts
Just about everybody I know has asked me in person or by text or e-mail or semaphore flags or smoke signals for the last couple of months what I think of the "Tressell thing." I repeatedly said I would wait until more came out because I knew more was to follow.
But when Tressell was asked to resign I have to tell you I was shocked. I was shocked for a lot of reasons but the biggest reason was the The Ohio State University was so willing to turn it's back on, and walk away from, the best college football coach in America. The President of the University and the Athletic Director had time and again given their full support and backing to Jim Tressell and then Sports Illustrated comes out with a witch hunt article of half truths and old news and Gordon Gee and Gene Smith and the rest of the Trustees caved like a surrounded Math Professor at a pantie raid, "I give, I give, just don't blemish my good name."
Jim Tressell has been the best football coach in the fifty years I have followed Ohio State football. John Cooper could recruit but he just never got the whole Ohio State/Michigan thing. Nobody loved Ohio State more than Earle Bruce but there was a reason they called him Old 9 and 3 Earle. And for most of my young adult life I thought Woody Hayes was God himself. But Tressell was better than all of them. He wasn't just a great football coach, he was a great man. He raised money for just about every charity in Columbus and was a lifelong supporter of all things military. Talk to any coach that ever coached with him, for him, or even against him and you will not hear one unkind word about Jim Tressell. Every one of them say they would want their son's to play for Coach Tressell. What did he do on the field in his ten years at Ohio State? Well, he won seven Big Ten titles and took his teams to eight BCS Bowl games. He played in three National Championship games (that's 30%) and won the 2002 game in double overtime against a Miami team that came into the game with a 34 game win streak. And, oh yeah, he was nine and freakin' one against Meeeshitagin! Woody never did that. Earle never did that. And John Cooper for damn sure never did that. And just this month the football team had the highest APR (Academic Progress Rate) for academics of any of the top 25 teams in the country. They graded out at 985. Stanford came in at 977. Jim Tressell is the best college football coach in America and Gee and Smith shit canned him like a pair of old underwear with more skid marks than the Indy 500 race track. It's like Danny DeVito divorcing Julia Roberts. What the hell were they thinking? They'll never find another one as good as the one they had.
And for what? Because he didn't report that he got an e-mail from an old ex player that said some of his players might be trading things for tattoos? Are you kidding? Every coach in the SEC is having a belly laugh over that one. No agents involved? No recruits being paid? No grade issue? No grade changing? No drugs? He lost his job over THAT? Where you work is it normal for people that do everything at the highest level for ten years and then make one mistake to be fired? Just wondering.
This mess all started with five players that knew the rules but chose to ignore them. They thought the rules were for others. They were above them. They were starters. They were important. They didn't need to put up with that petty shit, they were somebody, by God. And what's a Championship ring more or less? They had three of them. And that is the thing that bothers me the most of all in this whole stinking mess with the players. How could you sell a pair of gold pants? As Charlton Heston once said, you'd have to rip them from my cold, dead hands. You know that they will spend the rest of their lives regretting the day they sold those rings and gold pants. Good.
I've been reading letters from his players and they are eye opening. He made them read books and do book reports and read the reports to the team. These books were not about football but about character building and how to be a better person. He not only knew all 120 players and walk-ons but he knew all of their parents and all of their brothers and sisters BY NAME. He cared about his players and their families. He had the players constantly work with Out Reach programs and visit hospitals to see sick children and veterans. He is the kind of man you want your son to know. He started every day with a team prayer and asked every player what they were going to do that day to get better as a person. He also happens to be the best college football coach in America.
And now, because a few idiots who thought they were above following the rules, and because an e-mail that stated that might be the case wasn't turned over to the compliance people and because the gutless administration once again got weak-kneed and turned their backs on the promises they made, we are without the best college football coach in America. ESPN and Sports Illustrated are happy because they brought down the head coach of Ohio State football and the rest of us true die hard fans are heart broken. It is what it is, so where do we go from here?
Well, if it were up to me I'd start with the Compliance Department. It is headed by a man named Doug Archie. He and his entire staff would be history. I mean, what were these people doing for the last few years while players were trading trinkets for tats and getting special deals on cars? Every car deal has to be approved by Compliance. So how can there be problems there? And if guys are getting deals on tattoos someone is talking about it. It is the job of the people in Compliance to find out about those things. If they are not, they are not doing their job. Granted, they have a thousand athletes to worry about in a multitude of sports but I don't think they are to worried about anyone getting special benefits like a free tattoo on the fencing team Captain for selling his autographed epee.
Next would be the Athletic Director, Gene Smith, who oversees Compliance and who, along with E. Gordon Gee, asked Coach Tressell to resign. And Gee should join him. They asked Coach Tressell to leave because that's what would be best for The University. Well guys, time to man up and do what's best for The University; leave. I admired them both for years, now they just nauseate me.
I have no idea who the next football coach will be at Ohio State. Luke Fickell bleeds scarlet and gray. He is 37 years old, as energetic as a jackrabbit in heat and is Ohio State's best recruiter. He has been considered their best assistant coach for years and would be the ideal guy if he could just win every game. Fickell will get his shot this year but unless he wins at least 11 games I don't think they will give it to him. Ohio State is one of the top five jobs in the country. They can get anyone they want. They can get Stoops, Pelini, Meyer, anyone. I just hope it's not Gee and Smith doing the picking.
Ohio State is bigger than all of this. It's just our turn. The squeaky clean sweater vest screwed up and the media had a feeding frenzy. It will all pass. In a few months Luke Fickell will be running out onto the field in The Horseshoe and the sun will be shinning and Akron will get pounded and the Buckeyes will be on the road to another November date with Ann Arbor and her Meeeshitagin Wolverettes.
One thing is for sure. No matter where Jim Tressell goes or what he does he will always have a fan in Bolivar, Ohio.
Just about everybody I know has asked me in person or by text or e-mail or semaphore flags or smoke signals for the last couple of months what I think of the "Tressell thing." I repeatedly said I would wait until more came out because I knew more was to follow.
But when Tressell was asked to resign I have to tell you I was shocked. I was shocked for a lot of reasons but the biggest reason was the The Ohio State University was so willing to turn it's back on, and walk away from, the best college football coach in America. The President of the University and the Athletic Director had time and again given their full support and backing to Jim Tressell and then Sports Illustrated comes out with a witch hunt article of half truths and old news and Gordon Gee and Gene Smith and the rest of the Trustees caved like a surrounded Math Professor at a pantie raid, "I give, I give, just don't blemish my good name."
Jim Tressell has been the best football coach in the fifty years I have followed Ohio State football. John Cooper could recruit but he just never got the whole Ohio State/Michigan thing. Nobody loved Ohio State more than Earle Bruce but there was a reason they called him Old 9 and 3 Earle. And for most of my young adult life I thought Woody Hayes was God himself. But Tressell was better than all of them. He wasn't just a great football coach, he was a great man. He raised money for just about every charity in Columbus and was a lifelong supporter of all things military. Talk to any coach that ever coached with him, for him, or even against him and you will not hear one unkind word about Jim Tressell. Every one of them say they would want their son's to play for Coach Tressell. What did he do on the field in his ten years at Ohio State? Well, he won seven Big Ten titles and took his teams to eight BCS Bowl games. He played in three National Championship games (that's 30%) and won the 2002 game in double overtime against a Miami team that came into the game with a 34 game win streak. And, oh yeah, he was nine and freakin' one against Meeeshitagin! Woody never did that. Earle never did that. And John Cooper for damn sure never did that. And just this month the football team had the highest APR (Academic Progress Rate) for academics of any of the top 25 teams in the country. They graded out at 985. Stanford came in at 977. Jim Tressell is the best college football coach in America and Gee and Smith shit canned him like a pair of old underwear with more skid marks than the Indy 500 race track. It's like Danny DeVito divorcing Julia Roberts. What the hell were they thinking? They'll never find another one as good as the one they had.
And for what? Because he didn't report that he got an e-mail from an old ex player that said some of his players might be trading things for tattoos? Are you kidding? Every coach in the SEC is having a belly laugh over that one. No agents involved? No recruits being paid? No grade issue? No grade changing? No drugs? He lost his job over THAT? Where you work is it normal for people that do everything at the highest level for ten years and then make one mistake to be fired? Just wondering.
This mess all started with five players that knew the rules but chose to ignore them. They thought the rules were for others. They were above them. They were starters. They were important. They didn't need to put up with that petty shit, they were somebody, by God. And what's a Championship ring more or less? They had three of them. And that is the thing that bothers me the most of all in this whole stinking mess with the players. How could you sell a pair of gold pants? As Charlton Heston once said, you'd have to rip them from my cold, dead hands. You know that they will spend the rest of their lives regretting the day they sold those rings and gold pants. Good.
I've been reading letters from his players and they are eye opening. He made them read books and do book reports and read the reports to the team. These books were not about football but about character building and how to be a better person. He not only knew all 120 players and walk-ons but he knew all of their parents and all of their brothers and sisters BY NAME. He cared about his players and their families. He had the players constantly work with Out Reach programs and visit hospitals to see sick children and veterans. He is the kind of man you want your son to know. He started every day with a team prayer and asked every player what they were going to do that day to get better as a person. He also happens to be the best college football coach in America.
And now, because a few idiots who thought they were above following the rules, and because an e-mail that stated that might be the case wasn't turned over to the compliance people and because the gutless administration once again got weak-kneed and turned their backs on the promises they made, we are without the best college football coach in America. ESPN and Sports Illustrated are happy because they brought down the head coach of Ohio State football and the rest of us true die hard fans are heart broken. It is what it is, so where do we go from here?
Well, if it were up to me I'd start with the Compliance Department. It is headed by a man named Doug Archie. He and his entire staff would be history. I mean, what were these people doing for the last few years while players were trading trinkets for tats and getting special deals on cars? Every car deal has to be approved by Compliance. So how can there be problems there? And if guys are getting deals on tattoos someone is talking about it. It is the job of the people in Compliance to find out about those things. If they are not, they are not doing their job. Granted, they have a thousand athletes to worry about in a multitude of sports but I don't think they are to worried about anyone getting special benefits like a free tattoo on the fencing team Captain for selling his autographed epee.
Next would be the Athletic Director, Gene Smith, who oversees Compliance and who, along with E. Gordon Gee, asked Coach Tressell to resign. And Gee should join him. They asked Coach Tressell to leave because that's what would be best for The University. Well guys, time to man up and do what's best for The University; leave. I admired them both for years, now they just nauseate me.
I have no idea who the next football coach will be at Ohio State. Luke Fickell bleeds scarlet and gray. He is 37 years old, as energetic as a jackrabbit in heat and is Ohio State's best recruiter. He has been considered their best assistant coach for years and would be the ideal guy if he could just win every game. Fickell will get his shot this year but unless he wins at least 11 games I don't think they will give it to him. Ohio State is one of the top five jobs in the country. They can get anyone they want. They can get Stoops, Pelini, Meyer, anyone. I just hope it's not Gee and Smith doing the picking.
Ohio State is bigger than all of this. It's just our turn. The squeaky clean sweater vest screwed up and the media had a feeding frenzy. It will all pass. In a few months Luke Fickell will be running out onto the field in The Horseshoe and the sun will be shinning and Akron will get pounded and the Buckeyes will be on the road to another November date with Ann Arbor and her Meeeshitagin Wolverettes.
One thing is for sure. No matter where Jim Tressell goes or what he does he will always have a fan in Bolivar, Ohio.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Interesting take on Ohio State situation
Below is a blog by a former OSU basketball player and what his opinion is on some of the current Buckeye troubles.
Club Trillion
Club Trillion
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