Facing a pass rush it could not handle consistently, the Tulane offense was on it back heels for a significant portion of the 11-on-11 work in the last full practice today before the spring game, but it responded with three big plays for touchdowns down the stretch. The first one was the longest, with Bryce Bohanon getting open about 10 yards down the field, making a slick move after the catch and beating everyone down the field until a defender finally reached him inside the 5 and pushed him out of bounds just after he crossed the goal line for a 75-yard touchdown. Almost the entire offense (starters and backups) sprinted down the field to celebrate with Bohanon. That play came after Kadin Semonza, who appeared particularly bothered by heavy pressure, dropped a snap on first down and threw the ball away on purpose on second down at the start of a series.
Donovan Leary, who had the better overall day of the two quarterbacks, took over for the next series and led a long drive in which he took a "sack" from Derrick Shepard (they were in shorts and shoulder pads), found Garrett Mmahat open on a crossing pattern to make up that yardage, got pressured into a throwaway by Santana Hopper and watched Gerrod Henderson clobber Javin Gordon on an inside run that produced no reaction from anyone (I thought it might cause a fight). On the next play, Anthony Brown-Stephens got open on a deep corner route that had Bailey Despanie complaining about something illegal after Brown-Stephens turned and ran into the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown that produced another group celebration.
The scrimmage ended with a red zone drill,and on the final play, Kellen Tasby, who has been a revelation in the past two weeks after moving to receiver from quarterback earlier this spring, made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone with two defenders right on him for a touchdown from Semonza. That terrific grab resulted in another huge celebration, and Jon Sumrall blew his whistle seconds later signifying the end of practice. If Tasby sticks around, and that's an open question because he still probably thinks he can be a quarterback somewhere, he could be a factor in the passing game this year. He's everything the coaches hoped Sidney Mbanasor would be when he arrived last fall--a tall target who can make plays.
Earlier in the practice, they had a situational 11-on-11 when every down was second-and-7. Semonza, who was rushing his throws when he felt pressure, threw deep to no one in particular on the first play. He hit Bohanon underneath for virtually no gain on the next play and then threw the ball away under duress. Next was Leary, who handed off to Jamauri McClure and watched him get popped by linebacker Dallas Winner-Johnson, who has made a lot of plays during the spring but also makes a lot of mistakes and is raw. Leary was on the run do to pressure a lot, but one of his scrambles he made a nice throw to Oliver Mitchell on the sideline when I thought he was throwing the ball away.
Before the first 11 on 11, they had 7-on-7 work. Leary threw too high for Tasby, who could not hold on to the ball, on the first play. Anthony Brown-Stephens showed good concentration on a pass from Semonza that bounced off his hands twice before he caught it. Maybe the best pass in the entire drill came from walk-on Jaxson Judge, whogunned the ball to Shaun Nichoals for a touchdown over the middle with little space, although Leary made a nice throw to Guiseann Mirtil for a score, too.
Next, they did 1-on-1 drills. Jahiem Johnson blanked Brown-Stephens on the first play, preventing him from getting any separation. Shazz Preston dropped a short pass on a slant, an uncharacteristic mistake for him this spring, before Bohanon beat Chase Green. You can book Preston and Bohanon as two of the three starters at wideout in the fall. They have separated themselves from the rest, and Sumrall likely will bring in a third starter this summer, although injuries to Omari Hayes and Jimmy Calloway prevented them from proving what they could do in the spring. Nicholas looked like he had beaten E'Zaiah Shinee, but an underthrow from Semonza allowed Shine to knock the ball away in the end zone. Tavare Smith broke up a pass for Oliver Mitchell, who made some plays today but was relatively quiet this spring as an early enrollee from Karr. Brown-Stephens, who has been the best of the newcomers, burned KC Eziomume on an inside route. The session ended with Preston juggling a pass that he may or may not have caught inbounds when he brought it in inside the 5. It looked to me like his foot was on the sideline.
Tasby actually took some reps at quarterback in between the 11-on-11 sessions for the first time since he moved to receiver. I'm not sure what that was about.
Sumrall reiterated he will go after a punter in the portal, but William Hudlow actually punted well today in a special teams segment. It's the best I've seen him look. He was hitting them high and long, but of course without the game pressure or even live-drill pressure that make a difference.
Greg McMahon stopped by practice today and will speak to the team tomorrow. Sumrall tried to get him to stay another year and really values his thoughts, but he was ready to retire.
Ed Orgeron was there, too, wearing a green shirt and injecting his usual enthusiasm as he talked to recruits on the sideline and to the team with a pep talk after practice. As one observer put it, he's still being paid by LSU but is basically working for Tulane at the moment, with his son on staff as the tight ends coach.
Dickson Agu and Santana Hopper talked after practice. Agu has been held out of contact drills after having surgery in January on a shoulder injury, but he has participated in individual drills. Hopper was a little reserved when he talked, but Agu said Hopper had moves he had never seen from a Tulane lineman and would be a huge factor in the fall. I will transcribe their interviews here likely tomorrow morning.
There was a surprising amount of hitting in practice today considering they were not in full pads. It was a very spirited workout, the way Sumrall likes it.
They will have a 90-minute practice Thursday morning to wrap up spring aside from the spring game. I will post my projected depth chart after that one with analysis.
Sumrall said today he definitely would go after a cornerback, a wide receiver and a punter in the post-spring portal, with the possibility of adding a quarterback.
Donovan Leary, who had the better overall day of the two quarterbacks, took over for the next series and led a long drive in which he took a "sack" from Derrick Shepard (they were in shorts and shoulder pads), found Garrett Mmahat open on a crossing pattern to make up that yardage, got pressured into a throwaway by Santana Hopper and watched Gerrod Henderson clobber Javin Gordon on an inside run that produced no reaction from anyone (I thought it might cause a fight). On the next play, Anthony Brown-Stephens got open on a deep corner route that had Bailey Despanie complaining about something illegal after Brown-Stephens turned and ran into the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown that produced another group celebration.
The scrimmage ended with a red zone drill,and on the final play, Kellen Tasby, who has been a revelation in the past two weeks after moving to receiver from quarterback earlier this spring, made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone with two defenders right on him for a touchdown from Semonza. That terrific grab resulted in another huge celebration, and Jon Sumrall blew his whistle seconds later signifying the end of practice. If Tasby sticks around, and that's an open question because he still probably thinks he can be a quarterback somewhere, he could be a factor in the passing game this year. He's everything the coaches hoped Sidney Mbanasor would be when he arrived last fall--a tall target who can make plays.
Earlier in the practice, they had a situational 11-on-11 when every down was second-and-7. Semonza, who was rushing his throws when he felt pressure, threw deep to no one in particular on the first play. He hit Bohanon underneath for virtually no gain on the next play and then threw the ball away under duress. Next was Leary, who handed off to Jamauri McClure and watched him get popped by linebacker Dallas Winner-Johnson, who has made a lot of plays during the spring but also makes a lot of mistakes and is raw. Leary was on the run do to pressure a lot, but one of his scrambles he made a nice throw to Oliver Mitchell on the sideline when I thought he was throwing the ball away.
Before the first 11 on 11, they had 7-on-7 work. Leary threw too high for Tasby, who could not hold on to the ball, on the first play. Anthony Brown-Stephens showed good concentration on a pass from Semonza that bounced off his hands twice before he caught it. Maybe the best pass in the entire drill came from walk-on Jaxson Judge, whogunned the ball to Shaun Nichoals for a touchdown over the middle with little space, although Leary made a nice throw to Guiseann Mirtil for a score, too.
Next, they did 1-on-1 drills. Jahiem Johnson blanked Brown-Stephens on the first play, preventing him from getting any separation. Shazz Preston dropped a short pass on a slant, an uncharacteristic mistake for him this spring, before Bohanon beat Chase Green. You can book Preston and Bohanon as two of the three starters at wideout in the fall. They have separated themselves from the rest, and Sumrall likely will bring in a third starter this summer, although injuries to Omari Hayes and Jimmy Calloway prevented them from proving what they could do in the spring. Nicholas looked like he had beaten E'Zaiah Shinee, but an underthrow from Semonza allowed Shine to knock the ball away in the end zone. Tavare Smith broke up a pass for Oliver Mitchell, who made some plays today but was relatively quiet this spring as an early enrollee from Karr. Brown-Stephens, who has been the best of the newcomers, burned KC Eziomume on an inside route. The session ended with Preston juggling a pass that he may or may not have caught inbounds when he brought it in inside the 5. It looked to me like his foot was on the sideline.
Tasby actually took some reps at quarterback in between the 11-on-11 sessions for the first time since he moved to receiver. I'm not sure what that was about.
Sumrall reiterated he will go after a punter in the portal, but William Hudlow actually punted well today in a special teams segment. It's the best I've seen him look. He was hitting them high and long, but of course without the game pressure or even live-drill pressure that make a difference.
Greg McMahon stopped by practice today and will speak to the team tomorrow. Sumrall tried to get him to stay another year and really values his thoughts, but he was ready to retire.
Ed Orgeron was there, too, wearing a green shirt and injecting his usual enthusiasm as he talked to recruits on the sideline and to the team with a pep talk after practice. As one observer put it, he's still being paid by LSU but is basically working for Tulane at the moment, with his son on staff as the tight ends coach.
Dickson Agu and Santana Hopper talked after practice. Agu has been held out of contact drills after having surgery in January on a shoulder injury, but he has participated in individual drills. Hopper was a little reserved when he talked, but Agu said Hopper had moves he had never seen from a Tulane lineman and would be a huge factor in the fall. I will transcribe their interviews here likely tomorrow morning.
There was a surprising amount of hitting in practice today considering they were not in full pads. It was a very spirited workout, the way Sumrall likes it.
They will have a 90-minute practice Thursday morning to wrap up spring aside from the spring game. I will post my projected depth chart after that one with analysis.
Sumrall said today he definitely would go after a cornerback, a wide receiver and a punter in the post-spring portal, with the possibility of adding a quarterback.
