Auburn 24 KSU 10
This will be a battle of the felines. Whose curiosity will be their downfall? KSU knows they must take some chances. Although the Tigers are fast on defense, look for KSU to get a couple big plays to keep it interesting. But, don’t be surprised if it costs them a couple turnovers also. The 2nd half will start too close for comfort for most AU fans. But look for their traditional running game start to wear down the ‘Purple Cats’ from Kansas.
Bama 34 W. Carolina 7
Another set of Purple Cats invade the state this Saturday. These are from North Carolina and will barely muster a purr. This will be a good audition for St. Saban. It will be interesting to see Bama’s new, high-powered offense on display. Even more interesting will be if the Catamounts can generate a sustainable drive against this Crimson ‘D’ with many questions to answer.
LSU 28 Miss. St. 9
The cowbells will be ringing early this Thursday night in Starkville. Shouldn’t take very long before the ‘Fat Lady’ tunes up either. While Croom’s Dawgs will be scrappy, these Fightin’ Tigers won’t show any quit. MSU tacks on a late TD and misses the 2-point conversion to make it ‘respectable’.
Cal 27 Tennessee 24
Cal’s defense will have their hands full with Ainge under 2nd-year offensive coordinator, David Cutcliffe. But, the Bears will be ready to return the favor for last year’s blowout in Knoxville. Tennessee won’t have much time to shake off a tough loss with Southern Miss and Florida their next 2 games.
Florida 40 W. Kentucky 10
The coronation of ‘Tebow the Great’ begins this Saturday in Gainesville. The ‘3 Daves’ of Lincoln-Financial will shout his name from the mountaintops as he completely dismantles this 1-AA powerhouse. The Hilltoppers are barely a mole hill for what seems to be another promising season for the ‘Greators’, until the Vols come to town in week 3.
UGA 27 Oklahoma St. 13
2nd-year starter, Matt Stafford, will look to lead an unproven offensive line against the Cowboys from Tornado Country. With the Cowboys still riding an impressive bowl win against the mighty Tide of ’06, their confidence will keep it interesting for a half. The Dawgs will look to establish their running game with a 2+ touchdown lead before the Pokes kick a meaningless FG with time winding down.
Arkansas 31 Troy 7
With an open week to follow, Arkansas season will have to wait until the 3rd week before it begins at Alabama. I don’t think we’ll see much from the Hogs this week, whether unintentional or not. Forget the VCR. A PBS original will generate more excitement.
Kentucky 42 E. Kentucky 14
Not much defense on display in Lexington this weekend. Andre Woodson will put up some Heisman numbers.
Ole Miss 14 Memphis 13
Another opening day struggle will resemble more of a pillow fight in the River City. The Memphis Kitties will put up another valiant effort before continuing a long tradition of losing seasons. What’s worse is their victors won’t even finish September above .500.
S. Carolina 36 La Lafayette 6
The Gamecocks tune up for their road trip to Georgia next weekend.
***UPSET SPECIAL***
Richmond 17 Vandy 16
It’s hard to find a real upset special this week. But, I’ll go with the hapless Commodores. They have become everyone’s favorite surprise team this year. But, we all know their luck. When things are looking up for Vandy that usually means they’ll falter. And, with Bama lurking around the corner, don’t be surprised if Vandy plays very uninspired this weekend. Will the Spiders actually beat this Vandy team? Probably not. But, don’t be surprised if it’s close.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Offense...Random Thoughts
Haven't had the chance to go to practice much lately. I caught the last 20 minutes the other day, but didn't get to see much. So, based on what I'm hearing and what I've seen, I decided to post a few random thoughts.
Tristan Davis
It's unfortunate that his turf toe wound up being a broken toe. However, we saw how a "turf" toe hobbled K. Irons all last year. For Tristan to be effective, he has to be at full speed. So, I'm glad to see we're taking all necessary precautions as soon as possible. We probably won't have him for KSU and USF. But, he'll have plenty of time to rest before we enter the Swamp. Could be a "secret" weapon for us.
OLine
Now, this has been a soap opera. First of all, a true freshman has held the 1st string slot longer than anyone at RT this fall?! You've got to be kidding me! I know Ziemba is a phenom. But, what's the deal with Daniels and Gonzales? I can understand, to some extent, McCain's dropoff being new to the whole position. But to have an incoming freshman beat you out is amazing! I, for one, hope he hangs on to the spot. I'm tired of seeing veterans feel like it's their turn and not putting out the effort, i.e. Leon Hart. And speaking of Leon, he's gone back home to take care of "family matters" with his mom? Not sure about that either. Boy, I hope he's got his head on straight. I'd hate for him to leave the team or something. I wish we'd stop using him as a backup center. He really needs to get his guard position down. I think Berry and Pugh can be an adequate backup at center. Once Hart returns, I hope to see Berry get a shot at RT. I really think he can contribute more as an every-down lineman vs. a utility man. Here's how I hope things shake out. Personally, I think either Ziemba or Pugh will not redshirt.
RT - Berry/Ziemba, McCain
RG - Hart, Eddins
C - Bosley, Berry/Pugh
LG - Green, Isom
LT - Dunlap, Gonzales
WR
Loaded, loaded, loaded! While I wouldn't say we're as talented as USC, I think we've got a great group of talent at this position, both experienced and young. I think it's looking more like the starters will be Smith, Billings, and Dunn. And, there will be several others on the field as well, Hawthorne, Prechae, Swinton, Zachery.
RB
Good to see Fannin is starting to take it to the next level. It'll be fun watching him and Lester battle for starting time over the next couple years. Oh, did I forget to mention Tate? He looks really good too. Looks like we'll have another unfortunate situation of a crowded backfield again, i.e. Cadillac/Ronnie '04. And if Carl Stewart returns to form from his hamstring injury, this should be a fun group to watch.
QB
Coach Tubs is looking for 3 to go with after scrimmage Saturday. Cox is the starter. The other 2 will likely be Caudle and Burns. This may be the biggest audition of Field's career. If he can't break the 3-deep, that might be 'sayonara'. I doubt he'll hang around for scout team duty. Cox will be off limits Saturday, but CTT has announced the other 4 will be fair game for the defense. Nothing to lose in my opinion. They've got to feel the heat. Kickoff is 3 short weeks away. It's time to make a cut.
I'll cover my thoughts on defense soon. Let me know your thoughts as well. Look forward to hearing your responses.
WDE!
Tristan Davis
It's unfortunate that his turf toe wound up being a broken toe. However, we saw how a "turf" toe hobbled K. Irons all last year. For Tristan to be effective, he has to be at full speed. So, I'm glad to see we're taking all necessary precautions as soon as possible. We probably won't have him for KSU and USF. But, he'll have plenty of time to rest before we enter the Swamp. Could be a "secret" weapon for us.
OLine
Now, this has been a soap opera. First of all, a true freshman has held the 1st string slot longer than anyone at RT this fall?! You've got to be kidding me! I know Ziemba is a phenom. But, what's the deal with Daniels and Gonzales? I can understand, to some extent, McCain's dropoff being new to the whole position. But to have an incoming freshman beat you out is amazing! I, for one, hope he hangs on to the spot. I'm tired of seeing veterans feel like it's their turn and not putting out the effort, i.e. Leon Hart. And speaking of Leon, he's gone back home to take care of "family matters" with his mom? Not sure about that either. Boy, I hope he's got his head on straight. I'd hate for him to leave the team or something. I wish we'd stop using him as a backup center. He really needs to get his guard position down. I think Berry and Pugh can be an adequate backup at center. Once Hart returns, I hope to see Berry get a shot at RT. I really think he can contribute more as an every-down lineman vs. a utility man. Here's how I hope things shake out. Personally, I think either Ziemba or Pugh will not redshirt.
RT - Berry/Ziemba, McCain
RG - Hart, Eddins
C - Bosley, Berry/Pugh
LG - Green, Isom
LT - Dunlap, Gonzales
WR
Loaded, loaded, loaded! While I wouldn't say we're as talented as USC, I think we've got a great group of talent at this position, both experienced and young. I think it's looking more like the starters will be Smith, Billings, and Dunn. And, there will be several others on the field as well, Hawthorne, Prechae, Swinton, Zachery.
RB
Good to see Fannin is starting to take it to the next level. It'll be fun watching him and Lester battle for starting time over the next couple years. Oh, did I forget to mention Tate? He looks really good too. Looks like we'll have another unfortunate situation of a crowded backfield again, i.e. Cadillac/Ronnie '04. And if Carl Stewart returns to form from his hamstring injury, this should be a fun group to watch.
QB
Coach Tubs is looking for 3 to go with after scrimmage Saturday. Cox is the starter. The other 2 will likely be Caudle and Burns. This may be the biggest audition of Field's career. If he can't break the 3-deep, that might be 'sayonara'. I doubt he'll hang around for scout team duty. Cox will be off limits Saturday, but CTT has announced the other 4 will be fair game for the defense. Nothing to lose in my opinion. They've got to feel the heat. Kickoff is 3 short weeks away. It's time to make a cut.
I'll cover my thoughts on defense soon. Let me know your thoughts as well. Look forward to hearing your responses.
WDE!
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Practice Notes - August 3 (PM)
I was able to catch the last part of practice. So, I missed Stewart's hamstring injury. But from what I read, he'll be back within a week.
DLine
This is a special group of guys. While I watched some of their position drills, it reminded me of that feeling I had when I watched Carnell and Ronnie their Sr. years. You know this doesn't come around often. There's a good mixture of seniors (JT, QG, TD), veteran starters (PS, SM), and young talent (MG, MB, AC). Our coaches have done a great job, beginning to end, with this group. They recruited the talent and developed them into solid players.
First of all, Sen'Derrick Marks is going to hurt somebody. I don't know how he can move that big body like he can. But, he's a force. He looks like a future All-American. Stump (JT) is almost too strong. He's got deceptive quickness for his size too. Or course, there's no need to elaborate any more on Quentin Groves. QBs are in trouble.
TEs
I didn't get to see them in action much the 1st day. But I did notice them this time. I saw Trott make some nice catches against the D. Cole Bennett looks good too. I think Trott can really stretch the middle of the defense. He runs good routes downfield and always seems to catch the ball.
WRs
Now I was pleasantly surprised with this group. Robert Dunn looked spectacular. He always manages to get his hand(s) on the ball. And usually, he catches it. He has a knack of getting to the ball first. Q. Carr is surprisingly making some plays out there too. He's got a lot of potential.
QBs
Neither Ensminger or Field impressed me more than the other. When Field is on, he looks really good. He threw a pretty pass to Trott down the middle. But, he did throw a pick or two also. Ensminger didn't really separate himself either. He made some good throws and some bad. I remember thinking that I'm glad we don't have to decide yet on which one of these guys is going to start. It's good Cox has 1 more year. The young guys are getting better, but you can tell a strong D will give them problems. Of all of them, I still like Caudle the most so far. I haven't seen Burns play yet. But, I doubt he's as far along as the other 3. I really wished Field would step up. I was hoping to have a Sr. QB next year. Hopefully, he will. But, I'm afraid there won't be enough separation to keep from playing a younger guy instead.
One last observation, I noticed a lot of chatter out on the field, both players and coaches. It sounds like this team really knows each other well. I didn't see many veteran mistakes. Blanc got his earful. And, Goggans looked much better this time. MG uses his hands really well. Once he puts it all together, I think he'll be fun to watch.
WDE
DLine
This is a special group of guys. While I watched some of their position drills, it reminded me of that feeling I had when I watched Carnell and Ronnie their Sr. years. You know this doesn't come around often. There's a good mixture of seniors (JT, QG, TD), veteran starters (PS, SM), and young talent (MG, MB, AC). Our coaches have done a great job, beginning to end, with this group. They recruited the talent and developed them into solid players.
First of all, Sen'Derrick Marks is going to hurt somebody. I don't know how he can move that big body like he can. But, he's a force. He looks like a future All-American. Stump (JT) is almost too strong. He's got deceptive quickness for his size too. Or course, there's no need to elaborate any more on Quentin Groves. QBs are in trouble.
TEs
I didn't get to see them in action much the 1st day. But I did notice them this time. I saw Trott make some nice catches against the D. Cole Bennett looks good too. I think Trott can really stretch the middle of the defense. He runs good routes downfield and always seems to catch the ball.
WRs
Now I was pleasantly surprised with this group. Robert Dunn looked spectacular. He always manages to get his hand(s) on the ball. And usually, he catches it. He has a knack of getting to the ball first. Q. Carr is surprisingly making some plays out there too. He's got a lot of potential.
QBs
Neither Ensminger or Field impressed me more than the other. When Field is on, he looks really good. He threw a pretty pass to Trott down the middle. But, he did throw a pick or two also. Ensminger didn't really separate himself either. He made some good throws and some bad. I remember thinking that I'm glad we don't have to decide yet on which one of these guys is going to start. It's good Cox has 1 more year. The young guys are getting better, but you can tell a strong D will give them problems. Of all of them, I still like Caudle the most so far. I haven't seen Burns play yet. But, I doubt he's as far along as the other 3. I really wished Field would step up. I was hoping to have a Sr. QB next year. Hopefully, he will. But, I'm afraid there won't be enough separation to keep from playing a younger guy instead.
One last observation, I noticed a lot of chatter out on the field, both players and coaches. It sounds like this team really knows each other well. I didn't see many veteran mistakes. Blanc got his earful. And, Goggans looked much better this time. MG uses his hands really well. Once he puts it all together, I think he'll be fun to watch.
WDE
Thursday, August 2, 2007
First Day of Practice - August 2, 2007
Got to see the afternoon practice today. Another season has begun! The coaches used some of the veterans in the morning practice with mostly incoming freshmen. Trott, Lester, Ricks, and Clayton I believe all worked with the new guys. One radio show mentioned that the coaches were going to mix that up a bit over the next few days while holding separate practices for the incoming freshmen.
The 1st group I watched was the DL. Groves is a specimen. I don't see anyone replacing him anytime soon. That guy is lean and pure speed. And, I love Thompson! That boy really fits the mold of a noseguard. He hurt the sleds out there today. And, it looks like he was taking a bit of a leadership role. He was helping Goggans some with his technique. MG was not himself today. And another pleasant surprise for me was Doolittle. He looked real focused. I can't remember our DL being this deep and talented.
Next, I saw the OL work some. There was some talk of Bosley straining his pectoral muscle. Apparently they taped it up because he was snapping the ball in the drills. Berry ran center some too. I thought overall we looked pretty good. First of all, Bosley looks stout. Unless he gets hurt, I don't see much worry there. RT is probably the biggest question mark. Couldn't really tell much from drill work. But if McCain don't work out, we're in trouble unless Berry can move over. Daniels looked slow to me. I don't like his stance. He doesn't look like he can get much leverage. Not sure, but I'd be worried if he's protecting Cox's blindside. Overall though, if everyone can stay healthy, I really like our 1st 5. Hopefully, Berry can be our utility man much like Palmer was in the past.
I didn't get to see much out of the skilled positions. But from what I did notice, I thought Caudle threw a good ball. Blake looked comfortable out there too. Hopefully for our future, Caudle will step up for us in the 2-spot. Wilhite, Gilbert, and Lee looked like veterans in coverage drills. As far as receivers, I think Montez is ready to step up. Robert Dunn looked good too. There is a separation though from Rod and the rest. Rod looked very polished.
I didn't get to see much of the RBs. I thought it was a good idea though to get Lester away from the other guys battling for the 2-spot. At a glance, I was impressed with Tate. I had him penciled to play some TB, but also start working more in the F-back role behind Stewart. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by his speed. I've always liked his legwork and vision. If he can now be more explosive at the hole, the sky's the limit for him.
Notably missing was Cox. Not sure if he was just hanging out or if he practiced with the freshman. I was surprised not to see him getting some reps with the veteran WRs. I may have missed him though.
Well, I hope this gave some insight. It's really hard to tell from the 1st day of practice. So really, 1st impressions is about all you can elaborate on. I will say that I haven't seen this deep of talent at AU in a while. What we lack in experience, there will be plenty of talent to compensate.
Here's to another season of AU football! If the road schedule don't kill us, the future looks real bright.
WDE!
The 1st group I watched was the DL. Groves is a specimen. I don't see anyone replacing him anytime soon. That guy is lean and pure speed. And, I love Thompson! That boy really fits the mold of a noseguard. He hurt the sleds out there today. And, it looks like he was taking a bit of a leadership role. He was helping Goggans some with his technique. MG was not himself today. And another pleasant surprise for me was Doolittle. He looked real focused. I can't remember our DL being this deep and talented.
Next, I saw the OL work some. There was some talk of Bosley straining his pectoral muscle. Apparently they taped it up because he was snapping the ball in the drills. Berry ran center some too. I thought overall we looked pretty good. First of all, Bosley looks stout. Unless he gets hurt, I don't see much worry there. RT is probably the biggest question mark. Couldn't really tell much from drill work. But if McCain don't work out, we're in trouble unless Berry can move over. Daniels looked slow to me. I don't like his stance. He doesn't look like he can get much leverage. Not sure, but I'd be worried if he's protecting Cox's blindside. Overall though, if everyone can stay healthy, I really like our 1st 5. Hopefully, Berry can be our utility man much like Palmer was in the past.
I didn't get to see much out of the skilled positions. But from what I did notice, I thought Caudle threw a good ball. Blake looked comfortable out there too. Hopefully for our future, Caudle will step up for us in the 2-spot. Wilhite, Gilbert, and Lee looked like veterans in coverage drills. As far as receivers, I think Montez is ready to step up. Robert Dunn looked good too. There is a separation though from Rod and the rest. Rod looked very polished.
I didn't get to see much of the RBs. I thought it was a good idea though to get Lester away from the other guys battling for the 2-spot. At a glance, I was impressed with Tate. I had him penciled to play some TB, but also start working more in the F-back role behind Stewart. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by his speed. I've always liked his legwork and vision. If he can now be more explosive at the hole, the sky's the limit for him.
Notably missing was Cox. Not sure if he was just hanging out or if he practiced with the freshman. I was surprised not to see him getting some reps with the veteran WRs. I may have missed him though.
Well, I hope this gave some insight. It's really hard to tell from the 1st day of practice. So really, 1st impressions is about all you can elaborate on. I will say that I haven't seen this deep of talent at AU in a while. What we lack in experience, there will be plenty of talent to compensate.
Here's to another season of AU football! If the road schedule don't kill us, the future looks real bright.
WDE!
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