...via report on Bill Wagner's blog.
Showing posts with label jarod bryant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jarod bryant. Show all posts
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Scrimmage Debrief
It was a great day for the first scrimmage of the preseason at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday morning, as we finally got a break from the heat to enjoy some actual college football (as opposed to, you know, the CFL or something.) First off I'd suggest that everyone check out the official release from Scott S. over at NavySports.com, which includes quotes from Coach Johnson and a nice summery of the events. My thoughts are as followed:First and foremost, which players were the most impressive? I guess to answer that question we first have to take a scrimmage like this into context. Not only were some of Navy's best players not in the lineup for the day (minor precautionary reasons) but the purpose of the first scrimmage is to find out who can play on the team and who can't. Yes, Reggie Campbell was impressive every time he touched the football, but then again we already knew that. Today was less about getting the ball to the play makers and piling up points than it was about finding out how different groups of players work together and which guys from the second and third team have a shot at breaking out. As far as commenting on the first team offense goes, I will say that Kaipo looked sharp in the pocket today, and although he only completed half of his passes he seems to have more zip on the ball and more confidence in the pocket. It's also worth noting that he had some very good protection up front. Ballard ran strong as usual, and the first team offense line did a good job moving the first team defensive line back (for the most part.) The "D" did do a good job tightening up in the red zone as the scrimmage possessed, but it's more then fair to say the offense is ahead of the defense (as we expected.)
The second and third team offenses however seemed to struggle, particularly with basic concepts like taking care of the football. Readers of this site know that I am an unabashed fan of both Jarod Bryant and Troy Goss, but they each gave it back to the defense while playing with the first team (Jarod threw one to Blake Carter, Troy lost a fumble to Matt Nechak.) Blocking is still inconsistent with both the second and third teams, although their were some nice runs by the slotbacks, particularly Andre Byrd and Greg Shinego. Plebe Greg Jones also did some good things with the third team at slot back, as did Scott Oswald, who while still struggling with blocking assignments is getting better. The receivers need to show more poise and better hands while at the same time understanding their blocking assignments. There is a lot of raw talent on the second team, but it seems like a number of players are still struggling with the basic concepts of this offense.Alright, on to the important stuff. Possible risers in the depth chart? I think you have to start with two plebes, those being QB Ricky Dobbs and SB Andre Byrd. Dobbs saw time with the second team and looked impressive running the ball. He spent some time at NAPS so it's obvious that he has an understanding of the offense to compliment his great athletic ability. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him listed on the three deep when Monday's depth chart comes out. As for Andre Byrd, he's obviously an outstanding athlete as well and could have a bright future. He reminds me a lot of Reggie Campbell with his running style. His height (5'7ish) allows him to run low to the ground and his patience and quickness are unmatched by the other plebe slotbacks. He's someone to keep an eye on in the future. On defense, Michael Walsh may be entrenching his spot at right end, while Andy Lark has quietly moved up in the order of things and could contend for a backup job. I also think Ram Vela may be able to put himself in contention for the nickel back spot by camp's end.
As for the defensive side of the ball, well, I hate to use this cliche, but they did some good things and they did some not so good things. I thought big Nate Frazier had a very good day, and liked seeing the kind of penetration he was able to get. I know Antron wasn't in there to challenge him, but he was able to cause some serious disruption in the backfield. Chris Kahur-Pitters did some good things as well. I like our linebackers all around. Their were some pads popping and in general they flew to the football well. Coming off blocks quicker is still a concerns (especially against the first team), but for the most part they did a good decent job. Secondary shows some promise. I like Ram Vela at corner and it seems like he's made some major strides since spring, while plebe Wyatt Middleton showed some toughness in on tackles. While were on the subject of hitting, anyone know who layed the wood on Bobby Doyle to cause the fumble Thiel scored on? I don't remember seeing much of this, but apparently Jeff Deliz did some good things as well (2 tfl.) Just as a side note, I tend to focus on the offense more (as most fans do) and it's fairly easy for me to lose track of what's going on in the secondary unless the play is right in front of me.
All and all, this wasn't a bad first scrimmage. It wasn't great, but it wasn't "freaking awful" as Paul Johnson would say. Whenever you have a lot of plebes out on the field (as there were) poise is going to be an issue, as was the case today. The first team offense is still well ahead of the defense, but we all knew that coming into camp. The point is that our defense will be fine. By "fine" I don't mean shutting people out, but there is enough talent and aggressiveness here that teams aren't just going to roll right on down the field. As far as things getting stressed in practice this week, I think it's got to be decision making and taking care of the football on offense. I think Coach Johnson will use Dobbs' play to push Jarod and Troy, who in their own right did some good things today. I think there might also be some attention paid to blocking on the perimeter once the tape is reviewed. That and knowing where you are on the field, as I saw one to many guys run into each other and botch a quarterback-fullback exchange. On defense, it's got to be what it always is. Discipline, tackling, and flying to the football.
That's it for now, at least until I can think of some more stuff I've probably forgotten and left out. I'll be back on Monday with some comments on the latest depth chart, and maybe even some thoughts on all this Maryland nonsense we keep hearing about.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Spring Game Report
The sun was shining on Saturday afternoon in Annapolis, Maryland, as Navy’s Blue team bested the Gold team in the intrasquad matchup at Navy-Marine Crops Memorial Stadium in front of, well, I’d say a few hundred folks, give or take. And while the game was more of a reward for the hard work of the past month or so, for what it’s worth I took some notes, and have recorded my impressions below.
I guess I’ll begin with the quarterbacks, since that’s where these reports usually start out. Both Kaipo-Noa and Troy Goss sat out, which made for an interesting matchup between Jarod Bryant on the Blue team and Greg Zingler on the Gold team. Both however, were marked with a degree of inconsistency, although one would think Zingler was much more inconsistent than Bryant. Jarod made some good throws, including the game’s only touchdown, going 9-15 for 135 yards on the day. As noted before, Bryant has really improved in the running the option, although he did make a few mistakes in the scrimmage, including a fumbled exchange and a couple of poor pitches. With all the talk about his arm strength, I think we as fans underestimate his athletic ability, and a performance like the one he had today reminds us that when it comes to eluding tacklers, Jarod is second to none on this team. He shows good quickness at hitting the hole, and really impressed me with his ball fakes and head fakes. His reads were shaky at times, and I thought he could have gone to the fullback more when the defense walked people up from the ends. While he’ll get another chance to challenge Kaipo during fall practice, he’s a solid number two quarterback for the time being. Zingler was, well, up and down. I thought when he threw the ball well his receivers failed to make plays, and when he threw the ball poorly bad things happened (five picks, although one was clearly not his fault.) He did not get a ton of help from the Gold team offensive line, but than again he held onto the football way too long at times and was unable to avoid sacks.
The fullbacks, as you can expect, played well as usual, although Adam Ballard left the game in the second quarter with a limp. Eric Kettani continued to impress, bouncing off tackles and picking his way through the Blue defense for. Kevin Campbell also did well, rushing for. 35 yards on 1 carries.
At the risk of making a statement much too broad, Reggie Campbell really seems like he’s on another planet in terms of pure, unadulterated athletic ability. Maybe it’s the fact that he out-jumped Jeff Deliz (who happens to be five inches taller than Reggie) on a pass downfield, or maybe it’s the fact that he simply eludes tackles at will, but the guy is special. He did not see a ton of time in the game, but, as always, he was electric whenever he touched the ball. Zerb Singleton played well in limited time as well, and Jon Forbes showed some good moves.
I was very much impressed with Greg Sudderth, who looks much more comfortable as a receiver than he did at defensive back. Sudderth showed us all why he was so highly touted out of High School during the Blue-Gold game, getting separation downfield and picking up tough yards after the catch. I think he’s going to solidify his spot as the team’s third receiver, and could even push an often injured Tyree Barnes for playing time in the fall. He certainly has the big-play potential in the receiving department, and is showing himself to be a decent downfield blocker.
Speaking of wide receivers, how about O.J. Washington? He nearly makes a great catch on the first play of the day, and avoided the obvious drops that plagued many of the backup wideouts. We all know he’s excellent blocker, but the strides he’s made in the receiving facet of his game have really come alive. He is clearly the number one guy at receiver, and is probably one of the only “sure things” on the offensive depth chart.
As mentioned before, the other wideouts played somewhat inconsistently. Nick Henderson did show the ability to create separation, but also fell down on a route which led to a pick. The blocking by the receivers could also improve as well/
Both teams showed a couple of different looks in the defensive backfield, and despite having a fairly quiet day, FS Jeff Deliz has probably earned the starting job with a solid overall spring. 5-7 Darius Terry showed some ability at corner with an interception, as did rising senior Jordan Reagan. I’m really high on Reagan, who is also one of the fastest players on the team. He’s a smart player with good athleticism who also shows the ability to come off the edge on blitzes. He recorded one interception in the game, and has put himself in a position to further challenge for playing time this fall.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of watching the game was the battle that was going on between NT Nate Frazier and C Antron Harper. And when I say battle, I’m not exaggerating. These guys have gone after it all spring, with the 5-11 Harper really taking it to the highly touted 6-3 Frazier. Frazier made some good plays in the backfield as the game progressed, but you could really see him having problems with Harper early, even when the converted center was isolated on him. This is great news for both players, who will instrumental on their respected parts of the line next year.
The play between the “O” and “D” lines was, in my estimation anyway, very back and forth. I guess that’s what you can expect in a game like this, which Johnson has continually said was “just for fun.” Still, the offensive lines on both teams committed several penalties, including some silly false starts that must be corrected.
At linebacker, Clint Sovie continued to distinguish himself, as did Jon Alvarado, who shows a real ability to read plays and come off of blocks. He finished the day with 13 tackles and two sacks. Matt Humiston was also impressive, and has the athletic ability necessary to anchor the outside linebacker position. Jesse Iwuji, Scott Reider, and Arti Pauls all made some eye-opening hits, as did Ross Pospisil, who had eight tackles and two sacks.
Overall, it was a good day to get out and watch a little football, and considering the team avoided any major injuries, a good day in the development of this particular team.
I’ll be back later to share more thoughts on both the Spring Game and Spring Practices in general. Until then you can read the official release of the game from Navysports.com or head over for continued coverage at GoMids.com.
I guess I’ll begin with the quarterbacks, since that’s where these reports usually start out. Both Kaipo-Noa and Troy Goss sat out, which made for an interesting matchup between Jarod Bryant on the Blue team and Greg Zingler on the Gold team. Both however, were marked with a degree of inconsistency, although one would think Zingler was much more inconsistent than Bryant. Jarod made some good throws, including the game’s only touchdown, going 9-15 for 135 yards on the day. As noted before, Bryant has really improved in the running the option, although he did make a few mistakes in the scrimmage, including a fumbled exchange and a couple of poor pitches. With all the talk about his arm strength, I think we as fans underestimate his athletic ability, and a performance like the one he had today reminds us that when it comes to eluding tacklers, Jarod is second to none on this team. He shows good quickness at hitting the hole, and really impressed me with his ball fakes and head fakes. His reads were shaky at times, and I thought he could have gone to the fullback more when the defense walked people up from the ends. While he’ll get another chance to challenge Kaipo during fall practice, he’s a solid number two quarterback for the time being. Zingler was, well, up and down. I thought when he threw the ball well his receivers failed to make plays, and when he threw the ball poorly bad things happened (five picks, although one was clearly not his fault.) He did not get a ton of help from the Gold team offensive line, but than again he held onto the football way too long at times and was unable to avoid sacks.
The fullbacks, as you can expect, played well as usual, although Adam Ballard left the game in the second quarter with a limp. Eric Kettani continued to impress, bouncing off tackles and picking his way through the Blue defense for. Kevin Campbell also did well, rushing for. 35 yards on 1 carries.
At the risk of making a statement much too broad, Reggie Campbell really seems like he’s on another planet in terms of pure, unadulterated athletic ability. Maybe it’s the fact that he out-jumped Jeff Deliz (who happens to be five inches taller than Reggie) on a pass downfield, or maybe it’s the fact that he simply eludes tackles at will, but the guy is special. He did not see a ton of time in the game, but, as always, he was electric whenever he touched the ball. Zerb Singleton played well in limited time as well, and Jon Forbes showed some good moves.
I was very much impressed with Greg Sudderth, who looks much more comfortable as a receiver than he did at defensive back. Sudderth showed us all why he was so highly touted out of High School during the Blue-Gold game, getting separation downfield and picking up tough yards after the catch. I think he’s going to solidify his spot as the team’s third receiver, and could even push an often injured Tyree Barnes for playing time in the fall. He certainly has the big-play potential in the receiving department, and is showing himself to be a decent downfield blocker.
Speaking of wide receivers, how about O.J. Washington? He nearly makes a great catch on the first play of the day, and avoided the obvious drops that plagued many of the backup wideouts. We all know he’s excellent blocker, but the strides he’s made in the receiving facet of his game have really come alive. He is clearly the number one guy at receiver, and is probably one of the only “sure things” on the offensive depth chart.
As mentioned before, the other wideouts played somewhat inconsistently. Nick Henderson did show the ability to create separation, but also fell down on a route which led to a pick. The blocking by the receivers could also improve as well/
Both teams showed a couple of different looks in the defensive backfield, and despite having a fairly quiet day, FS Jeff Deliz has probably earned the starting job with a solid overall spring. 5-7 Darius Terry showed some ability at corner with an interception, as did rising senior Jordan Reagan. I’m really high on Reagan, who is also one of the fastest players on the team. He’s a smart player with good athleticism who also shows the ability to come off the edge on blitzes. He recorded one interception in the game, and has put himself in a position to further challenge for playing time this fall.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of watching the game was the battle that was going on between NT Nate Frazier and C Antron Harper. And when I say battle, I’m not exaggerating. These guys have gone after it all spring, with the 5-11 Harper really taking it to the highly touted 6-3 Frazier. Frazier made some good plays in the backfield as the game progressed, but you could really see him having problems with Harper early, even when the converted center was isolated on him. This is great news for both players, who will instrumental on their respected parts of the line next year.
The play between the “O” and “D” lines was, in my estimation anyway, very back and forth. I guess that’s what you can expect in a game like this, which Johnson has continually said was “just for fun.” Still, the offensive lines on both teams committed several penalties, including some silly false starts that must be corrected.
At linebacker, Clint Sovie continued to distinguish himself, as did Jon Alvarado, who shows a real ability to read plays and come off of blocks. He finished the day with 13 tackles and two sacks. Matt Humiston was also impressive, and has the athletic ability necessary to anchor the outside linebacker position. Jesse Iwuji, Scott Reider, and Arti Pauls all made some eye-opening hits, as did Ross Pospisil, who had eight tackles and two sacks.
Overall, it was a good day to get out and watch a little football, and considering the team avoided any major injuries, a good day in the development of this particular team.
I’ll be back later to share more thoughts on both the Spring Game and Spring Practices in general. Until then you can read the official release of the game from Navysports.com or head over for continued coverage at GoMids.com.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
