An unexpected issue prevented me from attending Saturday morning's practice, but I was there this morning as Tulane began the third of five weeks of spring drills with practice No. 7. The team will practice again on Friday, not Thursday, because Willie Fritz wants to watch one of his older brothers, Ed Fritz, coach the East team in the McDonald's All-America high school all-star basketball game. Ed, 4 years older than Willie, has won five state championships at Blue Valley Northwest High in Overland Park, Kansas.
Fritz said one of the keys to spring ball was developing a pecking order on the depth chart, and that's what's happening three weeks into drills. The starting offensive line appears set with Tyler Johnson at left tackle, Corey Dublin at left guard, Christian Montano at center, Cameron Jackel at right guard and Joey Claybrook at right tackle. They've lined up that way for every practice I have attended, although Virginia transfer Ben Knutson could take over at right guard when he arrived in the summer.
With only nine scholarship players on the spring roster up front, the second-team line has Michael Remondet at left tackle, walk-on Ben Bratcher at left guard, Stephen Lewerenz at center, Nik Hogan at right guard and Keyshawn McLeod at left tackle. McCleod, the only fifth-year senior on the roster who arrived as a freshman, is working with three redshirt freshmen and is the only one of the group with any chance to move up in the fall. The drop-off from the first unit to the second is substantial, but strength and conditioning coordinator Kyle Speer believes the three redshirt freshman will become good players down the road and are developing at a reasonable pace.
There is a clear pecking order at wide receiver, too, with Jalen McCleskey, Darnell Mooney and Jaetavian Toles always working with the first unit. Only six scholarship receivers practiced today, with Jorrien Vallien, Dane Ledford and Ygenio Booker on the second unit. Jacob Robertson, Kevin LeDee and Sorrell Brown are not practicing in team drills due to injuries.
The running backs, of course, go five deep, and Stephon Huderson, who started three games a year ago, could find himself fifth on the depth chart if he does not have a good finish to the spring. Darius Bradwell and Corey Dauphine remain the top two guys. Amare Jones, who missed a practice last week because he was sick but returned Saturday, appears to be third, with Cameron Carroll and Huderson fighting for fourth at the moment.
Tyrick James is the top tight end, with Will Wallace next. It's an annual rite of spring to talk about how the tight end is going to be used more in the offense, but that really appears to be the case with James, who makes catches every day in 11-on-11 drills.
Cornerback Thakarius Keyes missed practice today because he was sick, giving Chris Joyce a chance to work with the first team opposite Jaylon Monroe. I'll have the rest of the depth chart info on the defense later today along with quotes from Fritz, but I'm off to Devlin Fieldhouse for Ron Hunter's introductory press conference.
Fritz said one of the keys to spring ball was developing a pecking order on the depth chart, and that's what's happening three weeks into drills. The starting offensive line appears set with Tyler Johnson at left tackle, Corey Dublin at left guard, Christian Montano at center, Cameron Jackel at right guard and Joey Claybrook at right tackle. They've lined up that way for every practice I have attended, although Virginia transfer Ben Knutson could take over at right guard when he arrived in the summer.
With only nine scholarship players on the spring roster up front, the second-team line has Michael Remondet at left tackle, walk-on Ben Bratcher at left guard, Stephen Lewerenz at center, Nik Hogan at right guard and Keyshawn McLeod at left tackle. McCleod, the only fifth-year senior on the roster who arrived as a freshman, is working with three redshirt freshmen and is the only one of the group with any chance to move up in the fall. The drop-off from the first unit to the second is substantial, but strength and conditioning coordinator Kyle Speer believes the three redshirt freshman will become good players down the road and are developing at a reasonable pace.
There is a clear pecking order at wide receiver, too, with Jalen McCleskey, Darnell Mooney and Jaetavian Toles always working with the first unit. Only six scholarship receivers practiced today, with Jorrien Vallien, Dane Ledford and Ygenio Booker on the second unit. Jacob Robertson, Kevin LeDee and Sorrell Brown are not practicing in team drills due to injuries.
The running backs, of course, go five deep, and Stephon Huderson, who started three games a year ago, could find himself fifth on the depth chart if he does not have a good finish to the spring. Darius Bradwell and Corey Dauphine remain the top two guys. Amare Jones, who missed a practice last week because he was sick but returned Saturday, appears to be third, with Cameron Carroll and Huderson fighting for fourth at the moment.
Tyrick James is the top tight end, with Will Wallace next. It's an annual rite of spring to talk about how the tight end is going to be used more in the offense, but that really appears to be the case with James, who makes catches every day in 11-on-11 drills.
Cornerback Thakarius Keyes missed practice today because he was sick, giving Chris Joyce a chance to work with the first team opposite Jaylon Monroe. I'll have the rest of the depth chart info on the defense later today along with quotes from Fritz, but I'm off to Devlin Fieldhouse for Ron Hunter's introductory press conference.
