Well, so much for Steven Logan’s hot streak. Tulane created a different type of pressure during Saturday night’s practice by assigning the defense one kicker and the offense the other kicker and having Logan and Andrew DiRocco’s accuracy determine which group had to run after practice
Logan did not handle it well, making only one field goal in about five tries. I could not tell the distances because I was standing on the sideline and the players blocked my view of the kickers. DiRocco made most of his attempts.
“I was a little disappointed in the kicking,” CJ said. “I gave Logan a chance and he made I think one field, so we’ll try it again tomorrow night and see where it goes.”
My best guess, and I’ve waffled so much I should be put in a toaster, is DiRocco will get the nod. He has not been very good in the preseason, but he is a little more consistent than Logan, who has had a couple of awful days and some awful kicks on days when he performed better. But if Logan outperforms him on Sunday, it will be a close call. The Wave will be off Monday, and from what CJ said earlier in the week, he wants to know by then what the plan is at kicker.
Here are CJ’s other quotes after practice:
“Night practice is a little bit different. I think the ball got on a couple of guys early on in practice before they adjusted. I like the way the defense ran around. There’s a little more excitement when you practice at night.”
Are you having the night practices because the Duke game starts at night?
“Yeah, absolutely. Actually we were going to practice last night, but when the Saints bumped us, we moved it (to Saturday and Sunday night workouts). We definitely didn’t want to practice against them.”
What is the biggest benefit of getting an extra practice in before the Duke game (five preparation practices instead of the usual four)?
“We can kind of tweak the game plan. We’ve got probably a little bit more than what we need in, so tomorrow will just be a repeat of what we did today. It will be good.”
I talked to Ade Aruna after practice, and here are his quotes:
My eyes and the coaches’ words say you have had an excellent camp. What are you doing a lot better now than at this time a year ago?
“I know more about the defense now, and I am learning a little from my d-line coach (Kwahn Drake), getting my pad level down and using my hands very well.”
You’ve been tough to block in the scrimmages on pass rush.
“I feel good about that. When I came here, I could rush the passer, but playing the run was a problem for me. Now I feel good about everything.”
How could can the defensive line be?
“We just have to play as a team. If we play as a team, we can really do good things this year. It’s not a one-man show. We just have to come together as a D-line, and if we play like one family, then everything is going to be good for us.”
Before you arrived two years ago, former defensive line coach Jon Sumrall said he expected you to play as a true freshman even though you were raw. But when you had problems with the NCAA Clearinghouse that delayed your enrollment, you ended up redshirting. Did that help or hurt your development?
“It allowed me to learn much about the defense. That was the one thing. If I don’t know the defense, I can’t play. Playing a little bit last year allowed me to get in a rhythm and get how the defense works, so now I’m not thinking about what to do all the time, which is what I did when I came here. I just go out there and play.”
All indications are you will be a starter at end against Duke. How good a feeling is that?
“That’s a good feeling, but at the same time it’s all about team. It’s all about how we’re going to win. If the coaches feel I should start, I’m cool with it. I just want us to win.”
How much did you play in the Duke game last year?
“I played a little bit. I didn’t play that much, mostly on third down for a couple of snaps. One time I got a one-on-one pass rush and pushed the tackle to the quarterback and almost got a sack, but before I got there he passed the ball already. That’s the only play I remember.”
Duke beat you 47-13 last year, but do you expect a complete different experience this time?
“We are a lot more experienced and we have the crowd. They are coming to our house this time, so it’s going to be a different ball game. I was there last year and saw how it was. They beat us last year, and it’s not going to be the same this year. We are more prepared. Not like we didn’t prepare last year, but it was a different game for us last year. We are confident as a defense this year. We are going to give it to them this time.”
Logan did not handle it well, making only one field goal in about five tries. I could not tell the distances because I was standing on the sideline and the players blocked my view of the kickers. DiRocco made most of his attempts.
“I was a little disappointed in the kicking,” CJ said. “I gave Logan a chance and he made I think one field, so we’ll try it again tomorrow night and see where it goes.”
My best guess, and I’ve waffled so much I should be put in a toaster, is DiRocco will get the nod. He has not been very good in the preseason, but he is a little more consistent than Logan, who has had a couple of awful days and some awful kicks on days when he performed better. But if Logan outperforms him on Sunday, it will be a close call. The Wave will be off Monday, and from what CJ said earlier in the week, he wants to know by then what the plan is at kicker.
Here are CJ’s other quotes after practice:
“Night practice is a little bit different. I think the ball got on a couple of guys early on in practice before they adjusted. I like the way the defense ran around. There’s a little more excitement when you practice at night.”
Are you having the night practices because the Duke game starts at night?
“Yeah, absolutely. Actually we were going to practice last night, but when the Saints bumped us, we moved it (to Saturday and Sunday night workouts). We definitely didn’t want to practice against them.”
What is the biggest benefit of getting an extra practice in before the Duke game (five preparation practices instead of the usual four)?
“We can kind of tweak the game plan. We’ve got probably a little bit more than what we need in, so tomorrow will just be a repeat of what we did today. It will be good.”
I talked to Ade Aruna after practice, and here are his quotes:
My eyes and the coaches’ words say you have had an excellent camp. What are you doing a lot better now than at this time a year ago?
“I know more about the defense now, and I am learning a little from my d-line coach (Kwahn Drake), getting my pad level down and using my hands very well.”
You’ve been tough to block in the scrimmages on pass rush.
“I feel good about that. When I came here, I could rush the passer, but playing the run was a problem for me. Now I feel good about everything.”
How could can the defensive line be?
“We just have to play as a team. If we play as a team, we can really do good things this year. It’s not a one-man show. We just have to come together as a D-line, and if we play like one family, then everything is going to be good for us.”
Before you arrived two years ago, former defensive line coach Jon Sumrall said he expected you to play as a true freshman even though you were raw. But when you had problems with the NCAA Clearinghouse that delayed your enrollment, you ended up redshirting. Did that help or hurt your development?
“It allowed me to learn much about the defense. That was the one thing. If I don’t know the defense, I can’t play. Playing a little bit last year allowed me to get in a rhythm and get how the defense works, so now I’m not thinking about what to do all the time, which is what I did when I came here. I just go out there and play.”
All indications are you will be a starter at end against Duke. How good a feeling is that?
“That’s a good feeling, but at the same time it’s all about team. It’s all about how we’re going to win. If the coaches feel I should start, I’m cool with it. I just want us to win.”
How much did you play in the Duke game last year?
“I played a little bit. I didn’t play that much, mostly on third down for a couple of snaps. One time I got a one-on-one pass rush and pushed the tackle to the quarterback and almost got a sack, but before I got there he passed the ball already. That’s the only play I remember.”
Duke beat you 47-13 last year, but do you expect a complete different experience this time?
“We are a lot more experienced and we have the crowd. They are coming to our house this time, so it’s going to be a different ball game. I was there last year and saw how it was. They beat us last year, and it’s not going to be the same this year. We are more prepared. Not like we didn’t prepare last year, but it was a different game for us last year. We are confident as a defense this year. We are going to give it to them this time.”