Day 13: Offense In-depth
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:50 am
The offense looked like the walking wounded Wednesday when the Florida Gators went through their last full contact practice before Saturday’s Orange and Blue Debut. There are four scholarship players at receiver right now for practice and maybe the spring game and the offensive line has been down as many as four regulars. Still, the practices and the game must go on and Wednesday, the offense won the scrimmage although the defense had its moments to shine.
Here is a look at the offense on Florida’s last day of scrimmaging for the spring.
QUARTERBACKS: Tim Tebow, Cam Newton, John Brantley
What I Liked: The running of the quarterbacks seems better. I understand that no Gator fans really worry about how well Tebow runs with the ball, but the decision to keep or hand off the ball in an inside option is very important in this offense ... The decisions by all three quarterbacks in that department seem to be going very well and Brantley, in particular, has stood out in making some nice runs ... The two-minute offense at the end of practice was really nice by the quarterbacks. Tebow scored on his first one and Newton and Brantley did well, but didn’t quite stick it in the end zone until Newton hit David Nelson on the last play of the practice on a very long throw on the left side for a touchdown.
What I Didn’t Like: Tebow looks so nonchalant sometimes it appears as if he is throwing in slow motion. He all but telegraphed a short stop route that Wondy Pierre-Louis jumped for a touchdown today. He had another ball tipped in the middle of the field and intercepted by Brandon Spikes. It just appears that he was getting rid of the ball slow today and trying to aim it or something. He has also gotten into a habit of under-throwing deep receivers knowing it is easier for them to come back to the ball. That is fine on the sidelines with one defender, but it is difficult to get away with in the middle of the field where there is safety help ... Newton didn’t have a great day and threw a few worm burners that no one could catch ... All three threw deep balls into coverage today.
RUNNING BACKS: Chris Rainey, Kestahn Moore, Brandon James, Mon Williams, Emmanuel Moody
What I Liked: When the team periods started it was Rainey out there with the first unit and he didn’t disappoint. On the first play of the fourth down series, Rainey took a hand off and ran wide left, stutter-stepped a defender that was in the backfield and then cut up field quickly, at that time it was over and he raced 57 yards for a touchdown. The next two times he was given the ball within two or three yards of a first down and he put his head down and really earned the short yardage for a first down both times. They are trying him in every scenario right now and he is performing ... Moore had a couple of nice runs in the 9-on-7 running drill. He does seem to have a little extra get-up this year.
What I Disliked: Moody fumbled and he had to do a 100 yards of up-downs after practice. Rainey was the most successful at inside running today --- he of 175 pounds or so, that is worrisome ... The backs were really kind of hot and cold today ... The offense won the practice, but I thought the defense had their best overall day against the run today
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: Deonte Thompson, Aaron Hernandez, David Nelson, Louis Murphy, Justin Williams, Tate Casey, Riley Cooper, Butch Rowley
David Nelson was the star today and caught a couple of long passes and a few short ones that he was able to make nice catches on ... Deonte Thompson had a wow catch and run when he caught a little underneath route and turned up the juices really quick to get to the end zone from the red zone area ... Tate Casey had a couple of nice grabs today including one in the two minute drill where he probably amassed 40 yards on the play ... Aaron Hernandez continues to play really hard and make plays when called upon ... Riley Cooper made a terrific catch on a deep throw from Tebow where he had to come back for it and in between two defenders that lost track of the ball.
What I Disliked: The numbers at receiver are getting scary thin ... Four scholarship receivers (Thompson, Cooper, Nelson, and Williams) were all that could make it through practice Wednesday … They had to use Brandon James and Chris Rainey a bunch just to get lineups on the field. They did fine considering they were probably ready to keel over at the end of practice.
OFFENSIVE LINE: LT Phil Trautwein, LG James Wilson/Carl Johnson, C Maurkice Pouncey, RG Mike Pouncey, RT Jason Watkins
LT Kyle Newell, LG Carl Johnson, C Corey Hobbs, RG Jim Barrie, RT Marcus Gilbert
What I Liked: James Wilson is really a beast. I watched him drive Lawrence Marsh 10 yards and land on him during the 9-on-7 running drill. Wilson has really progressed more than I would have ever thought out there on the field since his injury has held him back ... Maurkice Pouncey had another great day snapping the ball ... The offensive line has taken to the under the center part of the offense. They are certainly running that offense more, but it is still mainly in the short yardage. However, every practice they do seem to burn the defense with a play action deep pass from the under the center snapping. That means the offensive line is blocking well ... The offensive line absolutely manhandled the defensive line in the one on one drills on the far side during practice. It got so bad they were taunting the defense,
What I Didn’t Like: Again, the offense must have dominated the individual drills because I thought the defense really took it to them in pass rush today ... Jermaine Cunningham whipped Trautwein really bad on one play and honestly it is the first time I have seen Trautwein miss all spring. Carlos Dunlap was a beast out there. Duke Lemmens was getting into the action and making life miserable for the offensive line. All in all the offensive line had a terrible day pass blocking ... Corey Hobbs had a couple of bad snaps that caught the ire of Coach Addazio ... I have to comment on the injuries here too. Trautwein can’t go all the time. Maurice Hurt is injured and out. Jim Tartt is missing. James Wilson still can’t do too many reps. Carl Johnson had cramps and was a little banged up as well. It is amazing they can do what they do sometimes because from a numbers standpoint they are really outmanned.
ODDS AND ENDS:
Player of the Day: David Nelson caught two long passes and made it look easy out there today. He told me after practice that it is the first time he has felt healthy in a while, and boy do they need him.
Prospects in Attendance: There were three prospects of note in attendance --- Tampa Alonso defensive lineman DeMonte McAllister, Cross City Dixie County RB Rodney Scott and Snellville (GA) Brookwood OT Kellen Williams
Here is a look at the offense on Florida’s last day of scrimmaging for the spring.
QUARTERBACKS: Tim Tebow, Cam Newton, John Brantley
What I Liked: The running of the quarterbacks seems better. I understand that no Gator fans really worry about how well Tebow runs with the ball, but the decision to keep or hand off the ball in an inside option is very important in this offense ... The decisions by all three quarterbacks in that department seem to be going very well and Brantley, in particular, has stood out in making some nice runs ... The two-minute offense at the end of practice was really nice by the quarterbacks. Tebow scored on his first one and Newton and Brantley did well, but didn’t quite stick it in the end zone until Newton hit David Nelson on the last play of the practice on a very long throw on the left side for a touchdown.
What I Didn’t Like: Tebow looks so nonchalant sometimes it appears as if he is throwing in slow motion. He all but telegraphed a short stop route that Wondy Pierre-Louis jumped for a touchdown today. He had another ball tipped in the middle of the field and intercepted by Brandon Spikes. It just appears that he was getting rid of the ball slow today and trying to aim it or something. He has also gotten into a habit of under-throwing deep receivers knowing it is easier for them to come back to the ball. That is fine on the sidelines with one defender, but it is difficult to get away with in the middle of the field where there is safety help ... Newton didn’t have a great day and threw a few worm burners that no one could catch ... All three threw deep balls into coverage today.
RUNNING BACKS: Chris Rainey, Kestahn Moore, Brandon James, Mon Williams, Emmanuel Moody
What I Liked: When the team periods started it was Rainey out there with the first unit and he didn’t disappoint. On the first play of the fourth down series, Rainey took a hand off and ran wide left, stutter-stepped a defender that was in the backfield and then cut up field quickly, at that time it was over and he raced 57 yards for a touchdown. The next two times he was given the ball within two or three yards of a first down and he put his head down and really earned the short yardage for a first down both times. They are trying him in every scenario right now and he is performing ... Moore had a couple of nice runs in the 9-on-7 running drill. He does seem to have a little extra get-up this year.
What I Disliked: Moody fumbled and he had to do a 100 yards of up-downs after practice. Rainey was the most successful at inside running today --- he of 175 pounds or so, that is worrisome ... The backs were really kind of hot and cold today ... The offense won the practice, but I thought the defense had their best overall day against the run today
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: Deonte Thompson, Aaron Hernandez, David Nelson, Louis Murphy, Justin Williams, Tate Casey, Riley Cooper, Butch Rowley
David Nelson was the star today and caught a couple of long passes and a few short ones that he was able to make nice catches on ... Deonte Thompson had a wow catch and run when he caught a little underneath route and turned up the juices really quick to get to the end zone from the red zone area ... Tate Casey had a couple of nice grabs today including one in the two minute drill where he probably amassed 40 yards on the play ... Aaron Hernandez continues to play really hard and make plays when called upon ... Riley Cooper made a terrific catch on a deep throw from Tebow where he had to come back for it and in between two defenders that lost track of the ball.
What I Disliked: The numbers at receiver are getting scary thin ... Four scholarship receivers (Thompson, Cooper, Nelson, and Williams) were all that could make it through practice Wednesday … They had to use Brandon James and Chris Rainey a bunch just to get lineups on the field. They did fine considering they were probably ready to keel over at the end of practice.
OFFENSIVE LINE: LT Phil Trautwein, LG James Wilson/Carl Johnson, C Maurkice Pouncey, RG Mike Pouncey, RT Jason Watkins
LT Kyle Newell, LG Carl Johnson, C Corey Hobbs, RG Jim Barrie, RT Marcus Gilbert
What I Liked: James Wilson is really a beast. I watched him drive Lawrence Marsh 10 yards and land on him during the 9-on-7 running drill. Wilson has really progressed more than I would have ever thought out there on the field since his injury has held him back ... Maurkice Pouncey had another great day snapping the ball ... The offensive line has taken to the under the center part of the offense. They are certainly running that offense more, but it is still mainly in the short yardage. However, every practice they do seem to burn the defense with a play action deep pass from the under the center snapping. That means the offensive line is blocking well ... The offensive line absolutely manhandled the defensive line in the one on one drills on the far side during practice. It got so bad they were taunting the defense,
What I Didn’t Like: Again, the offense must have dominated the individual drills because I thought the defense really took it to them in pass rush today ... Jermaine Cunningham whipped Trautwein really bad on one play and honestly it is the first time I have seen Trautwein miss all spring. Carlos Dunlap was a beast out there. Duke Lemmens was getting into the action and making life miserable for the offensive line. All in all the offensive line had a terrible day pass blocking ... Corey Hobbs had a couple of bad snaps that caught the ire of Coach Addazio ... I have to comment on the injuries here too. Trautwein can’t go all the time. Maurice Hurt is injured and out. Jim Tartt is missing. James Wilson still can’t do too many reps. Carl Johnson had cramps and was a little banged up as well. It is amazing they can do what they do sometimes because from a numbers standpoint they are really outmanned.
ODDS AND ENDS:
Player of the Day: David Nelson caught two long passes and made it look easy out there today. He told me after practice that it is the first time he has felt healthy in a while, and boy do they need him.
Prospects in Attendance: There were three prospects of note in attendance --- Tampa Alonso defensive lineman DeMonte McAllister, Cross City Dixie County RB Rodney Scott and Snellville (GA) Brookwood OT Kellen Williams