Adin Huntington was back in action today and made a play on the first down of a goal-line drill that was the initial good-on-good 11-on-11 work of the day, going around the line to make a tackle on a run up the middle. He's missed quite a bit of time in camp with a knee injury, but the coaches absolutely love him and believe he can be an All-Conference performer. The depth is scary good at defensive end, with Gerrod Henderson having an outstanding camp, Angelo Anderson looking better than at any time in his five years and Deshaun Batiste flashing several times. It is the only position that has four names on the official depth chart for the opener.
There's not much else to report. The only significant thing I am not sure about is who will be the second quarterback against Southeastern. My hunch is Ty Thompson, but that is not coming from any inside information. Sumrall has made it clear he will not announce the plan before the game, so I have not even bothered to ask him the past two days. Thompson and Horton are getting about the same number of reps, with one going in before the other on alternate days.
The scout-team offensive line today was Tristen Fortenberry, a walk-on, Gabe Fortson, Jayce Mitchell and a walk-on from left to right, so it is safe to say Fortson will not play against Southeastern unless it is late in a blowout.
One other player who is injured that I've rarely mentioned is tight end Guiseann Mirtil, who got hurt early in spring drills and looks like he will be out for the year. Add him to the list of Jesus Machado (not ruled out for the whole year yet), Trey Tuggle (definitely out for the year), Jah'Rie Garner (pretty sure he's out for the year). Everyone else that is hurt should return soon with the possible exception of Shazz Preston, whom Sumrall said might miss as many as five games but maybe only one as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Jack Tchienchou did not practice today. He was doing rehab drills underneath the stands. Neither did Reggie Brown, who was walking stadium steps during practice.
I talked to Sumrall about Mario Williams, who has terrific physical gifts and has looked good in the last two weeks after what I felt was a slow start to camp. He has all the tools, but I'm not 100-percent convinced about his consistency. Sumrall said his character had been exemplary, another concern for a former five-star prospect who was a starter at Oklahoma and USC. I also talked to Williams, who is pretty tight-lipped but not in an unfriendly way. I conducted the one-on-one interview while an alarm was going off in the interview room, so that was quite distracting as well.
SUMRALL
On Williams being a team player:
"I've been really pleased. Going back to January when he got here and the February gauntlet, which is like our offseason mat drills, you worry about a guy that's been at a high level, productive on top of being at a high level. He was a good player at a high level, and you worry about that guy coming in and being above some of the gritty work, the gauntlet, and every morning when we came in that whole stretch for that month, he saw who he was paired up against and he brought it every day. The strength staff pairs you up with another guy in the morning at six different stations, and it's basically a gut check. You get your toughness challenged every day, and it's on details--start behind the line, finish through the line and do the drill right. We keep score on winners and losers of every rep, and Mario's competitiveness really shined there. Through the spring he flashed as a good player, but some of my favorite plays of the spring were him blocking downfield and bringing great effort, so I've just been really pleased. He wants to do well individually, but he's also into the team, and he's got good energy. He's one of the guys at practice that I really enjoy kind of messing with if you will. We go back and forth plenty, but in a good way."
On finishing first in Catapult measuring system every day (the thing that is clipped inside the back of their jerseys that measures speed and number of steps taken):
"The yardage he does on a daily basis, you're like, all right, why did you go that far? We actually have to keep an eye on him because he's a guy that just naturally will go further and do more than maybe is prescribed in that practice, so he's always the leader in total yardage. His speeds are always good, but his yardage will blow you away."
On his drops:
"The two that stick out from training camp, one was a legitimately challenging catch (on a pass from Ty Thompson in the back of the end zone during scrimmage 1) on the left side, and you couldn't tell if we tipped the ball or not but may have. But I don't know if he could see the ball until it was on him. The other one (an easy drop in the second scrimmage) he ran the wrong route. Him and Yul (keith Brown) both ran the wrong route, and he got jacked up. He's also made some really big catches, too. He made the one down in that far right corner the other day that was a big-time play. So, yeah, has he had a drop or two? Yes. Has he had some really big-time catches? Yes. Maybe we'd like to see the consistency on tracking the ball improve a touch, but for every one that you'd say, oh, why didn't he catch it, there's been a couple like wow, what a play. I think he'll be fine when it's time to go put it on tape and play in a game."
MARIO WILLIAMS
On running faster and doing more than any other receiver in practice:
"Yeah, I'm a receiver. I gotta run, and that's what they want on the next level--guys that can run and make plays."
On excitement for season to start:
"That's what I came here for. We've got practices that you have to go through. You have stuff that you have to do in order to get to this point, so this is the point we've been waiting on as a team."
On not having sense of entitlement:
"I don't know. I've never been a part of anything where I felt entitled. I mean, you have to show up every day with the mindset that you have to work and you have to go get what you want. I just instill that in me and try to instill that to the other guys and let them know, especially the younger guys. You always have to show out. Just come out here and do what you need to do and it will pay off."
On best asset:
"Just being me. That's really it. Just being me. Being able to play my game and do what I do."
On adjustment to team and New Orleans:
"Them just adjusting to me, me adjusting to them and just coming together and being on the same page so we can go out here and win."
On how good team can be:
"We are going to be great. We gotta prove it week in and week out."
On receiving corps:
"We are going to be really good as well. We've got some stuff to clean up, but I think we're going to be really good."
On drops:
"It wasn't frustrating. It's part of the game. Just move on, next play."
On his goals:
"Like I said, just being a great team player, going out there and doing what I need to do in order to help the team win. That's the whole goal."
On why chose Tulane:
"I felt like it was a great fit. Coach Sumrall did a great job recruiting me. I'm just here to win, man."
On Darian Mensah:
"I mean, all the quarterbacks are great. Darian is great. He's been doing what he needs to do in order to give himself a shot. All the quarterbacks have been doing great to give themselves a shot, but we still are trying to find out who's going to play quarterback. I'll be excited for whoever we take out there. Let's go do it."
On mesh with Joe Craddock's offense:
"Great. He's a guy that's not scared, and he believes in his players."
There's not much else to report. The only significant thing I am not sure about is who will be the second quarterback against Southeastern. My hunch is Ty Thompson, but that is not coming from any inside information. Sumrall has made it clear he will not announce the plan before the game, so I have not even bothered to ask him the past two days. Thompson and Horton are getting about the same number of reps, with one going in before the other on alternate days.
The scout-team offensive line today was Tristen Fortenberry, a walk-on, Gabe Fortson, Jayce Mitchell and a walk-on from left to right, so it is safe to say Fortson will not play against Southeastern unless it is late in a blowout.
One other player who is injured that I've rarely mentioned is tight end Guiseann Mirtil, who got hurt early in spring drills and looks like he will be out for the year. Add him to the list of Jesus Machado (not ruled out for the whole year yet), Trey Tuggle (definitely out for the year), Jah'Rie Garner (pretty sure he's out for the year). Everyone else that is hurt should return soon with the possible exception of Shazz Preston, whom Sumrall said might miss as many as five games but maybe only one as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Jack Tchienchou did not practice today. He was doing rehab drills underneath the stands. Neither did Reggie Brown, who was walking stadium steps during practice.
I talked to Sumrall about Mario Williams, who has terrific physical gifts and has looked good in the last two weeks after what I felt was a slow start to camp. He has all the tools, but I'm not 100-percent convinced about his consistency. Sumrall said his character had been exemplary, another concern for a former five-star prospect who was a starter at Oklahoma and USC. I also talked to Williams, who is pretty tight-lipped but not in an unfriendly way. I conducted the one-on-one interview while an alarm was going off in the interview room, so that was quite distracting as well.
SUMRALL
On Williams being a team player:
"I've been really pleased. Going back to January when he got here and the February gauntlet, which is like our offseason mat drills, you worry about a guy that's been at a high level, productive on top of being at a high level. He was a good player at a high level, and you worry about that guy coming in and being above some of the gritty work, the gauntlet, and every morning when we came in that whole stretch for that month, he saw who he was paired up against and he brought it every day. The strength staff pairs you up with another guy in the morning at six different stations, and it's basically a gut check. You get your toughness challenged every day, and it's on details--start behind the line, finish through the line and do the drill right. We keep score on winners and losers of every rep, and Mario's competitiveness really shined there. Through the spring he flashed as a good player, but some of my favorite plays of the spring were him blocking downfield and bringing great effort, so I've just been really pleased. He wants to do well individually, but he's also into the team, and he's got good energy. He's one of the guys at practice that I really enjoy kind of messing with if you will. We go back and forth plenty, but in a good way."
On finishing first in Catapult measuring system every day (the thing that is clipped inside the back of their jerseys that measures speed and number of steps taken):
"The yardage he does on a daily basis, you're like, all right, why did you go that far? We actually have to keep an eye on him because he's a guy that just naturally will go further and do more than maybe is prescribed in that practice, so he's always the leader in total yardage. His speeds are always good, but his yardage will blow you away."
On his drops:
"The two that stick out from training camp, one was a legitimately challenging catch (on a pass from Ty Thompson in the back of the end zone during scrimmage 1) on the left side, and you couldn't tell if we tipped the ball or not but may have. But I don't know if he could see the ball until it was on him. The other one (an easy drop in the second scrimmage) he ran the wrong route. Him and Yul (keith Brown) both ran the wrong route, and he got jacked up. He's also made some really big catches, too. He made the one down in that far right corner the other day that was a big-time play. So, yeah, has he had a drop or two? Yes. Has he had some really big-time catches? Yes. Maybe we'd like to see the consistency on tracking the ball improve a touch, but for every one that you'd say, oh, why didn't he catch it, there's been a couple like wow, what a play. I think he'll be fine when it's time to go put it on tape and play in a game."
MARIO WILLIAMS
On running faster and doing more than any other receiver in practice:
"Yeah, I'm a receiver. I gotta run, and that's what they want on the next level--guys that can run and make plays."
On excitement for season to start:
"That's what I came here for. We've got practices that you have to go through. You have stuff that you have to do in order to get to this point, so this is the point we've been waiting on as a team."
On not having sense of entitlement:
"I don't know. I've never been a part of anything where I felt entitled. I mean, you have to show up every day with the mindset that you have to work and you have to go get what you want. I just instill that in me and try to instill that to the other guys and let them know, especially the younger guys. You always have to show out. Just come out here and do what you need to do and it will pay off."
On best asset:
"Just being me. That's really it. Just being me. Being able to play my game and do what I do."
On adjustment to team and New Orleans:
"Them just adjusting to me, me adjusting to them and just coming together and being on the same page so we can go out here and win."
On how good team can be:
"We are going to be great. We gotta prove it week in and week out."
On receiving corps:
"We are going to be really good as well. We've got some stuff to clean up, but I think we're going to be really good."
On drops:
"It wasn't frustrating. It's part of the game. Just move on, next play."
On his goals:
"Like I said, just being a great team player, going out there and doing what I need to do in order to help the team win. That's the whole goal."
On why chose Tulane:
"I felt like it was a great fit. Coach Sumrall did a great job recruiting me. I'm just here to win, man."
On Darian Mensah:
"I mean, all the quarterbacks are great. Darian is great. He's been doing what he needs to do in order to give himself a shot. All the quarterbacks have been doing great to give themselves a shot, but we still are trying to find out who's going to play quarterback. I'll be excited for whoever we take out there. Let's go do it."
On mesh with Joe Craddock's offense:
"Great. He's a guy that's not scared, and he believes in his players."
