Start of Spring Practice 3/26

[The Polish Irishman]

What is everybody looking forward to seeing? For me, it is the OLine and LBs. I look for the LBs to be the heart and soul of the defense this year. A bunch of talent on that group.

 

[mgriff]

I want to see the secondary, primarily Harrison Smith, to judge improvement. If improvement is shown it is another mark against the old regime, and gives me much more confidence for the team this year.

 

[BGIF]

What is everybody looking forward to seeing? ...

A mobile Crist. If he's not healthy and productive '09 will look like a great season by comparison.

 

[KPENN]

Dayne crist

 

[ryno 24]

Kelly and the tempo and style of the practices I am sick of seeing lazyness during weis no offense but kelly brings excitement

 

[BearGB]

Boy, do I have to choose one? Honestly, I could go through every position and truthfully tell you why I think this is the most interesting position group to watch during the spring.

I guess in a holistic way, the two things I would most like to see are:

a) Competition at all of the positions
b) Guys who were unable to shine in Charlie's scheme for a variety of reasons, fighting for a second chance

I honestly can't wait. I will try to talk with members of the team regularly to give us all an update from a player's perspective as to how the practices are going.

Cheers to the start of a new season!

 

[irishmarine]

I wanna see lane clelland play defense.

 

[NDty9]

Cierre Wood.... I wanna see if this kid can be explosive !

 

[NDinL.A.]

Choosing one is impossible!

I guess if I HAD to choose just one, it would be the linebackers. Is Filer finally going to play? Is Fleming going to be dominate? Is Te'o going to kill someone? What about Mac...is he going to be the other starter? Is Brian Smith going to be all talk and ride the pine or is he finally going to be a consistent playmaker? Now that we're using a 3-4, there's so many questions.

Also, interested to see how Shaq and Cierre do under the new coaching staff. And the secondary. And the D-Line. And the intensity. And the QB. And who will start on the O-line? And oh so many more questions...

 

[IrishInFl]

Duval Kamara. He was so good as a freshman. Can he have a Mo Stovall type senior season?

 

[bigedefense]

After listening to the PC, there is no way I could choose one position, or one player for that matter, to look at. It seems like Coach Kelly has shook everything up and there is going to be some new cream on top. And for those that don't buy in, they will sink to the bottom.

 

[kmoose]

Duval Kamara. He was so good as a freshman.

Actually, he wasn't. Everyone remembers some great catches that he made, and wants to remember that he had a great year. People have forgotten that he dropped quite a few easy passes.

 

[irishmarine]

from the sounds of him talking about oline not having to be big at the tackle position i would not be surprised one bit if trob is moved to tackle. i think his quote was something like"they dont have to be 6'7 now with the qb in the shotgun" "they can be 6'5 and mobile" to me that sounds like trob. i cant wait to see some practice film

 

[IrishInFl]

Actually, he wasn't. Everyone remembers some great catches that he made, and wants to remember that he had a great year. People have forgotten that he dropped quite a few easy passes.

But he was the team's leading receiver. If he can make strides, Kamara could have a Mo Stovall type breakthrough.

 

[kmoose]

But he was the team's leading receiver. If he can make strides, Kamara could have a Mo Stovall type breakthrough.

32 catches for 357 yards and 4 TDs may have led the team, but it's pretty average. If it weren't for a few circus catches that year, no one would have expected him to be anything other than role player.

 

[ryno 24]

Cierre Wood has a cast on his right hand as of ISD

 

[Riddickulous]

1. Dayne Crist.

2. Which wide receiver steps up to take the second receiver spot, if any? Also, how much faster will Michael Floyd be now that he's shed twenty pounds (I'm equal parts excited and worried about that)?

3. The linebackers.

 

[TDHeysus]

players im interested in this spring:

Anthony McDonald
Chris Watt
Alex Bullard
Zeke Motta
Carlo Calabrese

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

I am looking forward to seeing Kyle Rudolph. Another year older and wiser. I think he is going to really benefit from the change in system and coaching.

 

[D-BOE34]

What about Tyler Stockton? Havent heard much talk about him. Maybe I have missed something but I personally was really excited about what he can put towards the irish defense. Correct me if im wrong but I think he could jump in and play a strong role. Like I said though, someone please let me know if he is with the team, left the team, not been up to par, etc... I hope Nix comes in as a powerhouse who can pick up real quick and see some starting time right away! I just want to see improvement at every position, young players become main players, and our defense become a defense you fear to run on. If the backers step up and play hard inside it will force teams to become one dimensional spreading the field wide and forcing some passes to gain yardage. Obviously if our DB's play like last year it could be hell. Im not expecting complete shut down corners but if they hang in there then we can be great just by the fact that other teams will become "readable" per say.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

dboe34...try paragraphs

 

[Riddickulous]

It sounds like they are using a throwing machine in pass catching drills. They're throwing BULLETS at the receivers, you hear a loud smack whenever a player catches or drops the pass. It sounds like the thumping sound you would hear from a throwing machine before each throw.

 

[irish4ever]

It sounds like they are using a throwing machine in pass catching drills. They're throwing BULLETS at the receivers, you hear a loud smack whenever a player catches or drops the pass. It sounds like the thumping sound you would hear from a throwing machine before each throw.

Yeah, I noticed that too. It didn't appear to be overly accurate either, which is not necessarily a bad thing because it forced the receivers react a little more (by not always thrown in the indentical path each time).

 

[mick2]

haha no more student assistants lobbing ducks to the recievers in pass catching drills. that machine was shooting fastballs!!!

 

[Riddickulous]

Yeah, I noticed that too. It didn't appear to be overly accurate either, which is not necessarily a bad thing because it forced the receivers react a little more (by not always thrown in the indentical path each time).

NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Raymond Berry used to have his teammates throw inaccurate passes in practice to hone his skills. It works.

 

[faithfulfan]

I saw it posted on another site that Kerry Neal left practice yesterday on crutches. Anyone else hear this?

 

[irish4ever]

I saw it posted on another site that Kerry Neal left practice yesterday on crutches. Anyone else hear this?

I hope that it's not too serious, but if so it's better now than this fall.

 

[ryno 24]

That is difficult because it lets competition slip plus he could really make an impact this year

 

[Riddickulous]

That is difficult because it lets competition slip plus he could really make an impact this year

He was always best as an outside linebacker.

 

[faithfulfan]

He was always best as an outside linebacker.

Hopefully its only minor because I agree with you. I think him moving back to OLB could be what he needs to tap into that potential we saw a couple years ago.