When I arrived late at Saturday's practice, the first one in full pads, Tulane had its third offensive line coach of the week even though the school is refusing to acknowledge his hiring. Chris Watt was on hand directing the offensive line, and one of the first things I heard him say was "We are seekers of contact. We deliver the blow."
The practice ended 10 minutes early, but it featured an Oklahoma drill at the end. Maybe I write this every year and simply forget, but the energy and enthusiasm seemed higher than in the past. I moved to the opposite end of the stands to get a closer view because Fritz conducts it near the end zone, but players blocked my view of all the one-one-battles that did not involve offensive linemen going against defensive linemen. I know Cameron Carroll won one where the goal was to get into the end zone, beating freshman Michael Lunz as he told me later, because he jumped up and down in celebration and spiked the ball in the end zone while everyone on offense hollered.
The other area where they were doing one-on-ones was visible. The goal was to push the other guy backward and knock him to the ground, with the winner getting mobbed by his offensive or defensive teammates each time and a few fights breaking out between the combatants. Eric Hicks beat Josh Remetich on the first one I watched. Corey Dublin and Noah Taliancich then fought to a standstill before going at each other, requiring several players on each side to separate them. Matt Lombardi and Elijah Champaigne had a standoff with no one winning clearly. Trey Tuggle pushed Angelo Anderson several yards backwards before falling himself. Noah Seiden dominated Jackson Fort, causing the wildest celebration of them all. Seiden clearly is popular with his line mates. Rashad Green knocked former O-lineman Nik Hogan to the ground, and it ended soon after that. I wish I could have seen all the battles going on the other area.
The first-team offensive lien in 11-on-11 work was Matt Lombardi at LT in place of the injured Joey Claybrook and the usual suspects at the other four spots. If Lombardi is still getting first-team reps tomorrow, I will ask about him.
The second-team line had Cameron Jackel, Jackson Fort, Michael Remondet, Rashad Green and Tim Shafter from left to right.
On defense. Jaylon Monroe and Lance Robinson got first-team reps at cornerback along with safeties Macon Clark and Cornelius Dyson (Larry Brooks I believe is injured) and nickelback Ajani Kerr, but they were mixing and matching a bit. Linebackers Jesus Machado and Kevin Henry were on that unit along with Anderson, Seiden, Adonis Friloux and Alfred Thomas from left to right on the front four.
Justin Ibieta was 4 of 5 at the end of the 11-on-11 segment, completing a pass to Christian Daniels on an underneath route and connecting with walk-on Lucas Desjardins for a touchdown before cornerback Reggie Neely knocked down a pass. Ibieta then hit walk-on quarterback-turned receiver Josh Coltrin and found Ygenio Booker on a crossing route. Booker has done next to nothing in games, but I like his ability and still expect him to break out at some point. He's a well-rounded player.
Michael Pratt went in for a few snaps at the end and intentionally threw a pass away under pressure before connecting with Desjardins for a TD over the middle. Desjardins is not in line for playing time, but on the opening day of spring, I heard a coach ripping him for a mistake and saying if he didn't want to be there, he should not be on the team. Apparently he got the message.
After that play, they moved on to the Oklahoma drills, which I already addressed.
I posted Fritz's quotes in the spring practice quotes thread earlier, but it makes more sense to have them here.
FRITZ (Saturday)
"We had a good workout, great practice, good weather. We're trying to be careful because you go too fast in the very beginning of spring football, you start losing some depth with guys getting hurt and banged up. We've had a couple of positions that's happened with. We had a really good month-and-a-half offseason program. Unfortunately you train real hard and guys are susceptible to getting some pulls and some discomfort at different places on their body. We've got that with a few guys right now, so I backed off a little bit today. We didn't go quite as long as what we normally do. We took a few reps off in seven-on-seven. We took a few reps off in 1-on-1, but I thought it was pretty good."
(I asked four questions about Chris Watt, who was at practice coaching, and Fritz answered in depth but for now that information is embargoed. I will give the quote when I get clearance. There is no hang-up as far as I know, but I was asked to wait on the quote).
On Oklahoma drill at end of practice:
"Oh, first day in pads, it's like I told the guys afterwards, there's a little bit of carry-over in football with hand placement, pad level and drive and tackle, but really the whole thing is to get your butt out there in front of everybody and compete and fighting through the butterflies. That's the main purpose of the drill in my opinion. I've had some guys that did terrible in that drill but have been great players. I've had some guys who have been great in that drill and didn't play a whole lot. It's just really to get out there and compete in front of everybody."
On Cam Carroll:
'He's gotten so much better. He really made a vault from two years ago to last year, and we want that same type of improvement this year. He's got everything. He's got all the tools. He's smart, he's tough, he's got great movement, great size, he's a legit 6-foot, 225. He's got excellent hands. I remember that great catch he had against Southern Miss when he was running up the seam, a 40-yard touchdown catch. You don't see a lot of running backs do that. Most of the time they're catching the ball out of the backfield.
On where the improvement would come:
It's like all running backs. Most backs have got a lot of experience carrying the ball and catching the ball. It's doing the other things. Always lining up correctly, playing with outstanding effort, blocking both in the run game and the pass game. I think I've told the story a couple of times, but Matt Forte talked to all these guys last summer about if you want to play all three downs, you've got to be able to block. Otherwise you're what they call a situational guy. Those guys don't last very long. We want our guys to be all-around players, and that's what Cam's working towards. He has an outstanding work ethic. He's taken a step forward in his leadership role, so I'm excited to watch him this season."
On Devin Brumfield:
"Very excited about him. I just grabbed him a couple of minutes ago and said have you always practiced like this? He said yes I have. I did it in junior high and high school. He's got excellent practice habits. He said when he first started playing football in Little League, he was taught to do it this way. He's got a motor on and he's a lot like Cam. He's a thick guy, but he's got super movement, great speed and is a really good all-around back."
On Ygenio Booker being ready for breakout year:
"I really do. He's got great speed. He ran a legit 10.7 in high school. He's got good size. He's got super hands. We just have to get him going. He's an excellent player and ha really got the want-to right now. He's in the office all day, every day. A couple of times I've told him turn the lights off when you leave. He's still up there when I'm leaving. He still has an edge to him. He wants to be great."
The practice ended 10 minutes early, but it featured an Oklahoma drill at the end. Maybe I write this every year and simply forget, but the energy and enthusiasm seemed higher than in the past. I moved to the opposite end of the stands to get a closer view because Fritz conducts it near the end zone, but players blocked my view of all the one-one-battles that did not involve offensive linemen going against defensive linemen. I know Cameron Carroll won one where the goal was to get into the end zone, beating freshman Michael Lunz as he told me later, because he jumped up and down in celebration and spiked the ball in the end zone while everyone on offense hollered.
The other area where they were doing one-on-ones was visible. The goal was to push the other guy backward and knock him to the ground, with the winner getting mobbed by his offensive or defensive teammates each time and a few fights breaking out between the combatants. Eric Hicks beat Josh Remetich on the first one I watched. Corey Dublin and Noah Taliancich then fought to a standstill before going at each other, requiring several players on each side to separate them. Matt Lombardi and Elijah Champaigne had a standoff with no one winning clearly. Trey Tuggle pushed Angelo Anderson several yards backwards before falling himself. Noah Seiden dominated Jackson Fort, causing the wildest celebration of them all. Seiden clearly is popular with his line mates. Rashad Green knocked former O-lineman Nik Hogan to the ground, and it ended soon after that. I wish I could have seen all the battles going on the other area.
The first-team offensive lien in 11-on-11 work was Matt Lombardi at LT in place of the injured Joey Claybrook and the usual suspects at the other four spots. If Lombardi is still getting first-team reps tomorrow, I will ask about him.
The second-team line had Cameron Jackel, Jackson Fort, Michael Remondet, Rashad Green and Tim Shafter from left to right.
On defense. Jaylon Monroe and Lance Robinson got first-team reps at cornerback along with safeties Macon Clark and Cornelius Dyson (Larry Brooks I believe is injured) and nickelback Ajani Kerr, but they were mixing and matching a bit. Linebackers Jesus Machado and Kevin Henry were on that unit along with Anderson, Seiden, Adonis Friloux and Alfred Thomas from left to right on the front four.
Justin Ibieta was 4 of 5 at the end of the 11-on-11 segment, completing a pass to Christian Daniels on an underneath route and connecting with walk-on Lucas Desjardins for a touchdown before cornerback Reggie Neely knocked down a pass. Ibieta then hit walk-on quarterback-turned receiver Josh Coltrin and found Ygenio Booker on a crossing route. Booker has done next to nothing in games, but I like his ability and still expect him to break out at some point. He's a well-rounded player.
Michael Pratt went in for a few snaps at the end and intentionally threw a pass away under pressure before connecting with Desjardins for a TD over the middle. Desjardins is not in line for playing time, but on the opening day of spring, I heard a coach ripping him for a mistake and saying if he didn't want to be there, he should not be on the team. Apparently he got the message.
After that play, they moved on to the Oklahoma drills, which I already addressed.
I posted Fritz's quotes in the spring practice quotes thread earlier, but it makes more sense to have them here.
FRITZ (Saturday)
"We had a good workout, great practice, good weather. We're trying to be careful because you go too fast in the very beginning of spring football, you start losing some depth with guys getting hurt and banged up. We've had a couple of positions that's happened with. We had a really good month-and-a-half offseason program. Unfortunately you train real hard and guys are susceptible to getting some pulls and some discomfort at different places on their body. We've got that with a few guys right now, so I backed off a little bit today. We didn't go quite as long as what we normally do. We took a few reps off in seven-on-seven. We took a few reps off in 1-on-1, but I thought it was pretty good."
(I asked four questions about Chris Watt, who was at practice coaching, and Fritz answered in depth but for now that information is embargoed. I will give the quote when I get clearance. There is no hang-up as far as I know, but I was asked to wait on the quote).
On Oklahoma drill at end of practice:
"Oh, first day in pads, it's like I told the guys afterwards, there's a little bit of carry-over in football with hand placement, pad level and drive and tackle, but really the whole thing is to get your butt out there in front of everybody and compete and fighting through the butterflies. That's the main purpose of the drill in my opinion. I've had some guys that did terrible in that drill but have been great players. I've had some guys who have been great in that drill and didn't play a whole lot. It's just really to get out there and compete in front of everybody."
On Cam Carroll:
'He's gotten so much better. He really made a vault from two years ago to last year, and we want that same type of improvement this year. He's got everything. He's got all the tools. He's smart, he's tough, he's got great movement, great size, he's a legit 6-foot, 225. He's got excellent hands. I remember that great catch he had against Southern Miss when he was running up the seam, a 40-yard touchdown catch. You don't see a lot of running backs do that. Most of the time they're catching the ball out of the backfield.
On where the improvement would come:
It's like all running backs. Most backs have got a lot of experience carrying the ball and catching the ball. It's doing the other things. Always lining up correctly, playing with outstanding effort, blocking both in the run game and the pass game. I think I've told the story a couple of times, but Matt Forte talked to all these guys last summer about if you want to play all three downs, you've got to be able to block. Otherwise you're what they call a situational guy. Those guys don't last very long. We want our guys to be all-around players, and that's what Cam's working towards. He has an outstanding work ethic. He's taken a step forward in his leadership role, so I'm excited to watch him this season."
On Devin Brumfield:
"Very excited about him. I just grabbed him a couple of minutes ago and said have you always practiced like this? He said yes I have. I did it in junior high and high school. He's got excellent practice habits. He said when he first started playing football in Little League, he was taught to do it this way. He's got a motor on and he's a lot like Cam. He's a thick guy, but he's got super movement, great speed and is a really good all-around back."
On Ygenio Booker being ready for breakout year:
"I really do. He's got great speed. He ran a legit 10.7 in high school. He's got good size. He's got super hands. We just have to get him going. He's an excellent player and ha really got the want-to right now. He's in the office all day, every day. A couple of times I've told him turn the lights off when you leave. He's still up there when I'm leaving. He still has an edge to him. He wants to be great."