Because of a conflict, I could not stick around for interviews on Friday, but I attended almost the entire practice before leaving about two minutes prior to the end. They started an hour late after Willie Fritz let the players sleep in a bit, the result of having gone early Thursday to listen to Matt Forte and others address the team before practice.
Quinlan Carroll played linebacker and met with the linebacker unit rather than the defensive line, which spends most of its practice time on the field outside of Yulman Stadium. With the depth Tulane will have at end in the fall when everyone is healthy, the experiment makes sense, particularly since they are using some of the linebackerS in the role of a 3-4, a glorified end anyway. Carroll had a brace on his left leg for part of the practice, protecting his injury from last year, but he took it off for 11-on-11 work.
Tre Jackson, who has been excellent this spring, suffered a setback. I'll find out how he is after practice this afternoon, but when I got there Friday, he was on the trainer's table with a wrap around his knee. That's a concern because Fritz said earlier this spring he had worried about Jackson's future in football in December and January as his knee kept swelling up from a devastating injury he sustained as a senior in high school. Maybe it was a precautionary move to give him rest on the second day of consecutive practices, but maybe not.
Offensive tackle John Leglue did not practice, meaning Devon Johnson worked with the first-team offensive line. Tackle is a spot where Tulane has little quality depth and a spot where Tulane will need to stay healthy in the fall or risk a serious drop-off. The first-team line Friday was Tyler Johnson, Leeward Brown, Junior Diaz, Dominique Briggs and Devon Johnson. I'm not sold on the left side of the line yet, but there's still plenty of time, and as Fritz pointed out Thursday, competition. Tyler Johnson has Keyshawn McLeod pushing him. Brown has Hunter Knighton and Briggs to contend with in a three-way battle for two spots. And if Diaz gets hurts again, they will not have to move Leglue over this time, with Knighton capable of playing center.
Johnathan Brantley threw some really pretty passes in 7-on-7 work, hitting Darnell Mooney on an intermediate route before connecting with Jabril Clewis on a perfect deep ball. For good measure, Brantley scrambled on the next play and buckled the knees of safety Sean Harper with a cut, drawing some razzing for Harper from the offense's sideline. Brantley was not as sharp for the rest of the drill, including a wounded duck that landed out of bounds near no one, but he is showing progress.
Glen Cuiellette did not have his best day but he did throw a gorgeous sideline pass to D.J. Owens, threading the needed while Owens did a terrific job dragging a foot to make sure he stayed inbounds. Cuillette also completed one to Clewis over the middle. Barring injury, Tulane's three starting wide receivers for the opener against Grambling will be Clewis, Mooney and Terren Encalade. That's a good group, and Owens has made some plays in the spring, too.
Jonathan Banks did nothing to hurt his status as the frontrunner at QB. He hit Devin Glenn, who enjoyed his best day of the spring, before hooking up with Clewis on a frozen rope down the sideline. That pass resembled the ones Tanner Lee threw frequently in preseason practice in 2014, when he looked like he was headed for a big season. And yes, I know Lee did not duplicate those throws in real games, but he was playing in a dysfunctional offense. Banks isn't, and that throw to Clewis was big time. He also completed a pass to Mooney, who I think is Tulane's best route runner, down the middle.
In 11-on-11 work, Banks found walk-on Brian Newman, who has made some plays in the spring, behind everyone for a big gain. He also connected with Glenn again inside and threw a pretty floater to Mooney outside. Banks is not always accurate, but he can make a lot of different throws and does not have to be set to make them. My biggest concern with him is he tends to hold the ball too long, which doesn't hurt him in a no-contact drills but could get him in trouble during games.
DeAndre Williams got reps at nose guard when Tulane went to a three-man defensive front. To the best of my knowledge, Deion Rainey has not gotten a single rep in a team drill this spring due to injury. I did not see him practicing with the defensive on the outside field when I walked to the stadium, either, so he still is not healthy.
Cornerback Thakarius Keyes has not practiced this spring, but he was running around the field during practice with no helmet and a brace on his injured right leg. He was moving well.
The daily tackling drill Fritz ran with the linebackers and defensive backs was the one he teaches the most, with one player running at an angle and another player taking him to the ground with good form. Again, Fritz does not let them get away with bad technique. After one tackle by walk-on DB Sam Davis, he yelled, "He ran through that arm tackle," indicating there was no way Davis would have brought the guy to the ground with that attempt in a game. He also yelled a few times, "Don't allow them to cut back," which is not allowed in the drill but he could tell would have happened in a game with the angle the tackler was taking. There's no question one of the reasons Tulane tackled much better last year than in 2015 was Fritz' emphasis on proper technique.
They had a kickoff drill, and Zach Block's first one was perfect, going about five yards deep in the end zone just inbounds. Dontrell Hilliard appears to be the primary returner on kickoffs, with Stephon Huderson getting a look. Since Tre Jackson, another candidate, was unavailable, they used Newman.
I talked to Diaz after practice on Thursday (along with Will Guillory of the T-P, who was the one who requested him), and here's what he had to say:
JUNIOR DIAZ
What was it like having to sit out and deal with the injury last year?
"Dealing with the injury was kind of rough, especially watching my guys go out there without me. It was tough at first, but I knew that what I had to do was get healthier so I could help them out in whatever way possible, so that's what I did."
Coach said you were one of the better guys on the offensive line when you got hurt. How tough was that since you were playing some of your best football?
"When I got hurt it was a big surprise. It just put me down, but the guys stepped in and they helped. They were great, doing their jobs and just playing."
You and Charles Jones sat together on the side last year dealing with your ankle injuries. How much closer did that bring you together?
"That brought me and Charles really close. We had a lot in common then. We're kind of like best friends now. I look to him, we talk all the time. It definitely brought us closer, the same struggle, the same rehab, the same everything. We're kind of like brothers now more than before."
How much did you push each other during the rehab process?
"It was always competition back and forth, just safe competition pushing each other and making each other better every day."
Coach Fritz says he never has to worry about your snaps in the shotgun. Is that something you pride yourself on?
"Yeah. Our offensive line G.A. (Mack Helms) makes us work every day after practice 50 snaps. I give a lot of credit to that, and I also give a lot of credit to the guys next to me making me comfortable, knowing I can snap the ball with peace of mind before I have to do my assignment."
In high school, did you do shotgun snapping?
"In high school we did both under center and shotgun, but we did a lot of shotgun, so I definitely came here with an advantage."
Is there more depth and competition on the offensive line?
"Yeah, definitely. The guys push each other every day. There's a lot of competition all around, so that just feeds us to be more hungry and be more aggressive and just to get out job done."
How long did it take before your ankle was back to where you wanted it to be?
"It took a while, but everybody was great with me helping me come back, making me feel comfortable, so once I started spring, I felt great, ready to go."
How much did that hurt when it happened? It looked pretty nasty.
"I was in shock more than anything else. I'd never gotten hurt before. That was my first time, so I didn't know what to think, but I feel great now."
What makes Alex Atkins such a good coach?
"Oh, man, he definitely has patience with us, that's for sure. He reiterates certain points, he's there for us, just all around, he's like another father to us. That's what we love most about him."
Quinlan Carroll played linebacker and met with the linebacker unit rather than the defensive line, which spends most of its practice time on the field outside of Yulman Stadium. With the depth Tulane will have at end in the fall when everyone is healthy, the experiment makes sense, particularly since they are using some of the linebackerS in the role of a 3-4, a glorified end anyway. Carroll had a brace on his left leg for part of the practice, protecting his injury from last year, but he took it off for 11-on-11 work.
Tre Jackson, who has been excellent this spring, suffered a setback. I'll find out how he is after practice this afternoon, but when I got there Friday, he was on the trainer's table with a wrap around his knee. That's a concern because Fritz said earlier this spring he had worried about Jackson's future in football in December and January as his knee kept swelling up from a devastating injury he sustained as a senior in high school. Maybe it was a precautionary move to give him rest on the second day of consecutive practices, but maybe not.
Offensive tackle John Leglue did not practice, meaning Devon Johnson worked with the first-team offensive line. Tackle is a spot where Tulane has little quality depth and a spot where Tulane will need to stay healthy in the fall or risk a serious drop-off. The first-team line Friday was Tyler Johnson, Leeward Brown, Junior Diaz, Dominique Briggs and Devon Johnson. I'm not sold on the left side of the line yet, but there's still plenty of time, and as Fritz pointed out Thursday, competition. Tyler Johnson has Keyshawn McLeod pushing him. Brown has Hunter Knighton and Briggs to contend with in a three-way battle for two spots. And if Diaz gets hurts again, they will not have to move Leglue over this time, with Knighton capable of playing center.
Johnathan Brantley threw some really pretty passes in 7-on-7 work, hitting Darnell Mooney on an intermediate route before connecting with Jabril Clewis on a perfect deep ball. For good measure, Brantley scrambled on the next play and buckled the knees of safety Sean Harper with a cut, drawing some razzing for Harper from the offense's sideline. Brantley was not as sharp for the rest of the drill, including a wounded duck that landed out of bounds near no one, but he is showing progress.
Glen Cuiellette did not have his best day but he did throw a gorgeous sideline pass to D.J. Owens, threading the needed while Owens did a terrific job dragging a foot to make sure he stayed inbounds. Cuillette also completed one to Clewis over the middle. Barring injury, Tulane's three starting wide receivers for the opener against Grambling will be Clewis, Mooney and Terren Encalade. That's a good group, and Owens has made some plays in the spring, too.
Jonathan Banks did nothing to hurt his status as the frontrunner at QB. He hit Devin Glenn, who enjoyed his best day of the spring, before hooking up with Clewis on a frozen rope down the sideline. That pass resembled the ones Tanner Lee threw frequently in preseason practice in 2014, when he looked like he was headed for a big season. And yes, I know Lee did not duplicate those throws in real games, but he was playing in a dysfunctional offense. Banks isn't, and that throw to Clewis was big time. He also completed a pass to Mooney, who I think is Tulane's best route runner, down the middle.
In 11-on-11 work, Banks found walk-on Brian Newman, who has made some plays in the spring, behind everyone for a big gain. He also connected with Glenn again inside and threw a pretty floater to Mooney outside. Banks is not always accurate, but he can make a lot of different throws and does not have to be set to make them. My biggest concern with him is he tends to hold the ball too long, which doesn't hurt him in a no-contact drills but could get him in trouble during games.
DeAndre Williams got reps at nose guard when Tulane went to a three-man defensive front. To the best of my knowledge, Deion Rainey has not gotten a single rep in a team drill this spring due to injury. I did not see him practicing with the defensive on the outside field when I walked to the stadium, either, so he still is not healthy.
Cornerback Thakarius Keyes has not practiced this spring, but he was running around the field during practice with no helmet and a brace on his injured right leg. He was moving well.
The daily tackling drill Fritz ran with the linebackers and defensive backs was the one he teaches the most, with one player running at an angle and another player taking him to the ground with good form. Again, Fritz does not let them get away with bad technique. After one tackle by walk-on DB Sam Davis, he yelled, "He ran through that arm tackle," indicating there was no way Davis would have brought the guy to the ground with that attempt in a game. He also yelled a few times, "Don't allow them to cut back," which is not allowed in the drill but he could tell would have happened in a game with the angle the tackler was taking. There's no question one of the reasons Tulane tackled much better last year than in 2015 was Fritz' emphasis on proper technique.
They had a kickoff drill, and Zach Block's first one was perfect, going about five yards deep in the end zone just inbounds. Dontrell Hilliard appears to be the primary returner on kickoffs, with Stephon Huderson getting a look. Since Tre Jackson, another candidate, was unavailable, they used Newman.
I talked to Diaz after practice on Thursday (along with Will Guillory of the T-P, who was the one who requested him), and here's what he had to say:
JUNIOR DIAZ
What was it like having to sit out and deal with the injury last year?
"Dealing with the injury was kind of rough, especially watching my guys go out there without me. It was tough at first, but I knew that what I had to do was get healthier so I could help them out in whatever way possible, so that's what I did."
Coach said you were one of the better guys on the offensive line when you got hurt. How tough was that since you were playing some of your best football?
"When I got hurt it was a big surprise. It just put me down, but the guys stepped in and they helped. They were great, doing their jobs and just playing."
You and Charles Jones sat together on the side last year dealing with your ankle injuries. How much closer did that bring you together?
"That brought me and Charles really close. We had a lot in common then. We're kind of like best friends now. I look to him, we talk all the time. It definitely brought us closer, the same struggle, the same rehab, the same everything. We're kind of like brothers now more than before."
How much did you push each other during the rehab process?
"It was always competition back and forth, just safe competition pushing each other and making each other better every day."
Coach Fritz says he never has to worry about your snaps in the shotgun. Is that something you pride yourself on?
"Yeah. Our offensive line G.A. (Mack Helms) makes us work every day after practice 50 snaps. I give a lot of credit to that, and I also give a lot of credit to the guys next to me making me comfortable, knowing I can snap the ball with peace of mind before I have to do my assignment."
In high school, did you do shotgun snapping?
"In high school we did both under center and shotgun, but we did a lot of shotgun, so I definitely came here with an advantage."
Is there more depth and competition on the offensive line?
"Yeah, definitely. The guys push each other every day. There's a lot of competition all around, so that just feeds us to be more hungry and be more aggressive and just to get out job done."
How long did it take before your ankle was back to where you wanted it to be?
"It took a while, but everybody was great with me helping me come back, making me feel comfortable, so once I started spring, I felt great, ready to go."
How much did that hurt when it happened? It looked pretty nasty.
"I was in shock more than anything else. I'd never gotten hurt before. That was my first time, so I didn't know what to think, but I feel great now."
What makes Alex Atkins such a good coach?
"Oh, man, he definitely has patience with us, that's for sure. He reiterates certain points, he's there for us, just all around, he's like another father to us. That's what we love most about him."