De-fense! De-fense!
The defense played very tough. After allowing an opening drive touchdown and a field goal on the second drive, the defense stiffened and didn’t allow much of anything until very late in the practice. The defense as a whole looked really good. On the line and at linebacker, we are deep. Newcomers Rodney Garrott, Kevin Dix, and Torrey Davis all contributed a great deal and will be heard from this season. Brandt Thomas continues his hard work and great results on the D-line.
Offense
Greg Smith will really help open up the offense. Greg has great speed and can stretch the field. We will really miss Eric Johns at Tight End. I believe he was poised to have a great season. James Wilkerson continues with a solid performance at WR.
At RB, Drec Lindley and Calvin Middleton had the most success. Jamal Young could be a good change of pace at the running back position. Will Freelon and Jahron Brown be redshirted? It looks like we have some depth, but the battle for playing time at this position is not over.
The coaching staff may have to find a way to get Brooks Robinson the ball. He’s fast, and seems to rise to the occasion often in scrimmages.
Special Teams
No kickoffs during the scrimmage, but the kicking game will have to continue to improve. A blocked punt and a couple of missed field goals show the progress that still needs to be made.
All-in-all, I am very encouraged by the scrimmage. Looking forward to September 5th!
Showing posts with label Scrimmage Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scrimmage Review. Show all posts
Monday, August 17, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Fan Day and Scrimmage
I hope everyone had a great time today at Fan Day and watching the scrimmage. I really enjoyed talking with many of the parents, coaches and players. It was an honor getting to speak with several of the parents today...thank you for the job you have done with your sons. This team has some great senior leaders, and talent all around.
For those that didn't get to see the scrimmage - I'll have some pictures posted very soon. Check back, and you'll get to see some of the action. I'll also post some notes from the day, summarizing the scrimmage as well.
For those that didn't get to see the scrimmage - I'll have some pictures posted very soon. Check back, and you'll get to see some of the action. I'll also post some notes from the day, summarizing the scrimmage as well.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Random observations from the J-Day game
DEFENSE
Cornerback T.J. Heath stood out showing outstanding coverage skills. The Junior from Alexandria returned an interception for a touchdown. Heath plays with the attitude you like to see from a cover corner. Gamecockillustrated.com will have a full profile on Heath in the coming days.
Another member of the secondary that continues to stand out is Andre “Bo” Bailey. All he does is hit people and makes plays. Bailey is doing everything he can to make it impossible for the coaches to keep him off the field.
Josh Cain showed a knack for making things happen. He had an interception and a fumble recovery which he returned for a touchdown. Cain is able.
Carnell Clark – Seemed like the offense wanted to stay away from him, and who can blame them? A message to Gamecock fans: we have a special player in #26. Watch him on Saturdays this year and watch him on Sundays next year.
The defensive line continued to bring good pressure and showed the speed Coach Augustine emphasizes. JSU has some athletes on defense. Newcomer Anthony Lewis certainly made his presence felt. Lewis is a DIII transfer and will sit out the 2009season, but we look for great things from him in the future.
The linebackers looked very fast as well. Overall, this is a fast Gamecock defense that plays with intensity on every down. A prediction from Gamecockillustrated.com- this defense will: 1) GET OFF THE FIELD AFTER THIRD DOWN; 2) lead the OVC in big hits; 3) and have a secondary that feasts as a result of the pressure created by the front four and linebackers. All of these guys are confirmed playmakers: TJ Heath, AJ Davis, Morrell Jones, Brandt Thomas, Jamison Wadley, Carnell Clark, Alexander Henderson and Texas Garrot.
OFFENSE
As best we could tell,the first team offense at least at times consisted of the following:
OT: Curt Porter, Tyler Chambers
OG: Matt Jones, Tori Mobley
C: Reggie Wade
TE: Eric Johns
WRs: John Whiddon, Jeff Cameron and others that could not be identified based on #..
RB: Brandon George
QB: Marquis Ivory
Eric Johns continues to impress. The senior tight end had a great spring. His backup Justin Howard is a player as well.
Jeff Cameron showed he might be ready to be “the man” in the receiving corps for the Gamecocks. The senior from Tupelo led all receivers. Crowe appears very keen on the Gamecocks ability to pass the ball next season and we have not even seen what Tech transfer Greg Smith will bring to the table.
JSU can still improve in the running game. At least right now, it does not seem the Gamecocks have that running back that makes one get on the edge of their seats every time he touches the ball. That being said, Brandon George is a tough, hard working player that continuously earns the praise of his teammates and coaches. Jamal Young showed flashes of brilliance throughout the spring. Drec Lindley also had some nice runs.
There were way too many turnovers. 5 interceptions and a couple of fumbles. (both teams combined). Certainly, this can be attributed from the lack of continuity of playing with different combinations in Spring ball.
Brooks Robinson was really impressive at quarterback. He is a dual threat quarterback with a very good grasp on the offense. Robinson has good velocity on his passes, but also can throw a touch pass depending on the situation. His numbers would have been even better, but for a drop in the end zone on a 25 yard pass. Take away the interceptions, and Marques Ivory’s numbers look good as well. Ivory may be pressing some. Either way, the talent at quarterback for JSU does not end with Perrilloux.
We observed at least three scrimmages in the Spring. They were all marked by intensity from the coaches and the players. They are on a mission. Next stop- Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. We will see you there.
JSU 86 & JSU 88
Cornerback T.J. Heath stood out showing outstanding coverage skills. The Junior from Alexandria returned an interception for a touchdown. Heath plays with the attitude you like to see from a cover corner. Gamecockillustrated.com will have a full profile on Heath in the coming days.
Another member of the secondary that continues to stand out is Andre “Bo” Bailey. All he does is hit people and makes plays. Bailey is doing everything he can to make it impossible for the coaches to keep him off the field.
Josh Cain showed a knack for making things happen. He had an interception and a fumble recovery which he returned for a touchdown. Cain is able.
Carnell Clark – Seemed like the offense wanted to stay away from him, and who can blame them? A message to Gamecock fans: we have a special player in #26. Watch him on Saturdays this year and watch him on Sundays next year.
The defensive line continued to bring good pressure and showed the speed Coach Augustine emphasizes. JSU has some athletes on defense. Newcomer Anthony Lewis certainly made his presence felt. Lewis is a DIII transfer and will sit out the 2009season, but we look for great things from him in the future.
The linebackers looked very fast as well. Overall, this is a fast Gamecock defense that plays with intensity on every down. A prediction from Gamecockillustrated.com- this defense will: 1) GET OFF THE FIELD AFTER THIRD DOWN; 2) lead the OVC in big hits; 3) and have a secondary that feasts as a result of the pressure created by the front four and linebackers. All of these guys are confirmed playmakers: TJ Heath, AJ Davis, Morrell Jones, Brandt Thomas, Jamison Wadley, Carnell Clark, Alexander Henderson and Texas Garrot.
OFFENSE
As best we could tell,the first team offense at least at times consisted of the following:
OT: Curt Porter, Tyler Chambers
OG: Matt Jones, Tori Mobley
C: Reggie Wade
TE: Eric Johns
WRs: John Whiddon, Jeff Cameron and others that could not be identified based on #..
RB: Brandon George
QB: Marquis Ivory
Eric Johns continues to impress. The senior tight end had a great spring. His backup Justin Howard is a player as well.
Jeff Cameron showed he might be ready to be “the man” in the receiving corps for the Gamecocks. The senior from Tupelo led all receivers. Crowe appears very keen on the Gamecocks ability to pass the ball next season and we have not even seen what Tech transfer Greg Smith will bring to the table.
JSU can still improve in the running game. At least right now, it does not seem the Gamecocks have that running back that makes one get on the edge of their seats every time he touches the ball. That being said, Brandon George is a tough, hard working player that continuously earns the praise of his teammates and coaches. Jamal Young showed flashes of brilliance throughout the spring. Drec Lindley also had some nice runs.
There were way too many turnovers. 5 interceptions and a couple of fumbles. (both teams combined). Certainly, this can be attributed from the lack of continuity of playing with different combinations in Spring ball.
Brooks Robinson was really impressive at quarterback. He is a dual threat quarterback with a very good grasp on the offense. Robinson has good velocity on his passes, but also can throw a touch pass depending on the situation. His numbers would have been even better, but for a drop in the end zone on a 25 yard pass. Take away the interceptions, and Marques Ivory’s numbers look good as well. Ivory may be pressing some. Either way, the talent at quarterback for JSU does not end with Perrilloux.
We observed at least three scrimmages in the Spring. They were all marked by intensity from the coaches and the players. They are on a mission. Next stop- Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. We will see you there.
JSU 86 & JSU 88
Monday, April 6, 2009
SATURDAY’S SCRIMMAGE
It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville. Here are some thoughts from the 100+ play scrimmage:
The following players looked particularly good:
Eric Johns - Eric had multiple catches and knows what to do with the ball after he catches it. Johns is a potential all OVC tight end.
Jamaal Young - The Gamecocks have a home run hitter. Young juked one guy on a punt return and proceeded to take it to the house. He also had a couple of nice runs, including a 30 yarder that was nullified by a penalty.
Patrick Tatum - the Auburn transfer boomed some punts and also had some deep kickoffs, a marked improvement over last year. He also shanked one, but it’s early.
Andre Bailey - Ed. Note- we are assuming that #6 on the Red Team was Andre Bailey. This reserve corner was laying the wood all day long and also had an interception.. I had not heard of him before Saturday, but he was all over the place.
Ryan Perrilloux - it’s a tribute to how good this guy is that you think he’s having an off day and then learn that he was 14-19. Perrilloux’s competitive intensity was on display many times during the scrimmage.
Rodney Garrot - if you don’t know his name yet, you will. Garrot could not be stopped and seems to be the answer to the Gamecocks’ pass rushing needs. Santez Mays was also very active.
Jared Stewart - was all over the place on defense. Stewart is starting to show why he was offered by Georgia Tech, Memphis and Kentucky.
**As has been previously reported, the defense definitively got the better of the offense in Saturday’s scrimmage. However, the offense was missing two fullbacks and two tight ends which can certainly lead to a lack of continuity.
**The Gamecocks really struggled to run the ball early in the scrimmage. As the day progressed, however, Brandon George started to make some nice runs. George seems to be the type of back that gets stronger during the game. He is not afraid of contact.
**Jonathan Nwilgoh, Travis Grandy and Nolan Grange are all relative newcomers who received considerable playing time with the first and second team defense.
**Keginald Harris, a backup safety, looks to have superb speed. Gamecock insider Greg Spence and others are really keen on Harris’ future. Harris drew serious interest from Ole Miss before signing with the Gamecocks in 2008.
**All-American Candidate Carnell Clark had one hit that probably caused a false start at the track meet;
**Al Chamazhad booted a field goal that appeared to be about 40 yards;
** Brooks Robinson might be pushing Ivory a bit for the #2 quarterback spot. Although they were inconsistent, they are both good runners and passers.
**The pass rush was dominant.
**Tight End Justin Howard was actually playing fullback. This is likely a temporary move, but the coaches are really excited about Howard’s size and athleticism.
**To sum it up, it was a hard hitting scrimmage. Even when execution lagged, the intensity seemed present. It will be fun to watch how this team progresses.
JSU 88
The following players looked particularly good:
Eric Johns - Eric had multiple catches and knows what to do with the ball after he catches it. Johns is a potential all OVC tight end.
Jamaal Young - The Gamecocks have a home run hitter. Young juked one guy on a punt return and proceeded to take it to the house. He also had a couple of nice runs, including a 30 yarder that was nullified by a penalty.
Patrick Tatum - the Auburn transfer boomed some punts and also had some deep kickoffs, a marked improvement over last year. He also shanked one, but it’s early.
Andre Bailey - Ed. Note- we are assuming that #6 on the Red Team was Andre Bailey. This reserve corner was laying the wood all day long and also had an interception.. I had not heard of him before Saturday, but he was all over the place.
Ryan Perrilloux - it’s a tribute to how good this guy is that you think he’s having an off day and then learn that he was 14-19. Perrilloux’s competitive intensity was on display many times during the scrimmage.
Rodney Garrot - if you don’t know his name yet, you will. Garrot could not be stopped and seems to be the answer to the Gamecocks’ pass rushing needs. Santez Mays was also very active.
Jared Stewart - was all over the place on defense. Stewart is starting to show why he was offered by Georgia Tech, Memphis and Kentucky.
**As has been previously reported, the defense definitively got the better of the offense in Saturday’s scrimmage. However, the offense was missing two fullbacks and two tight ends which can certainly lead to a lack of continuity.
**The Gamecocks really struggled to run the ball early in the scrimmage. As the day progressed, however, Brandon George started to make some nice runs. George seems to be the type of back that gets stronger during the game. He is not afraid of contact.
**Jonathan Nwilgoh, Travis Grandy and Nolan Grange are all relative newcomers who received considerable playing time with the first and second team defense.
**Keginald Harris, a backup safety, looks to have superb speed. Gamecock insider Greg Spence and others are really keen on Harris’ future. Harris drew serious interest from Ole Miss before signing with the Gamecocks in 2008.
**All-American Candidate Carnell Clark had one hit that probably caused a false start at the track meet;
**Al Chamazhad booted a field goal that appeared to be about 40 yards;
** Brooks Robinson might be pushing Ivory a bit for the #2 quarterback spot. Although they were inconsistent, they are both good runners and passers.
**The pass rush was dominant.
**Tight End Justin Howard was actually playing fullback. This is likely a temporary move, but the coaches are really excited about Howard’s size and athleticism.
**To sum it up, it was a hard hitting scrimmage. Even when execution lagged, the intensity seemed present. It will be fun to watch how this team progresses.
JSU 88
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Gamecock Scrimmage
I went to the scrimmage today at 1 PM, and wanted to share a few random thoughts.
Ryan Perrilloux looked sharp today. He looks like he is in top form - the most sought after quarterback in the nation coming out of high school. He led the team to 3 first half touchdowns (by my count - just a practice scrimmage, so no scoreboard). Great reads, great passes. I think we'll see the advantage of having our qb at spring practice this year.
Alphonso Freeney went down with an apparent knee injury. We hope it's not too serious, but no official word yet.
First half - not many yards available between the tackles. Second half was different. Offensive line opened some holes and looked good.
Brandon George had a good practice.
We have some backs that can make the tackler miss. Hopefully, we'll find ways to get them the ball in open space. Remember the name Jamal Young. I think we will see some amazing things from him before too long.
We had at least three completed passes over 40 yards. I'm going by memory, which is getting shorter these days.
Overall, it was a very encouraging day. The O-Line is working well together. Next week, I'm thinking of going back and focusing more on the defense. It's an open scrimmage at Paul Snow Stadium at 1 PM. See you there?
JSU 86
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