ND Spring Practice #1
Even though it seems like Notre Dame just put the finishing touches on the 2019 season, we are back at it for t 2020 Irish football team will look like when they kickoff the season in Dublin Ireland in five months. Today’s practice was a non-padded practice and will be the only practice that takes place prior to the entire team leaving for spring break in a couple days. The next time we will get our eyes on the team will be March 28.
It is hard to glean too much from a non-padded practice but there were a few takeaways as far as who was lining up where in positions of question heading into spring.
Injured
31 Jr LB Jack Lamb
33 Jr. LB Shayne Simon
56 Jr. OL John Dirkson
69 Sr. OL Aaron Banks
76 Sr. OL Dillon Gibbons
81 Fr. WR Jay Brunelle
Quarterbacks
Some serious coaching going on for true freshman Drew Pyne. Both OC Tommy Rees and senior Ian Book were stopping Pyne during drills and showing him the correct form. Book and Pyne were also paired up in partner drills so the senior could coach up the freshman.
Book looked like his usual self. Operated with swagger within his group all day. He was fitting the ball into some tight windows and was clearly the leader on the field. He already has a good report with his receivers and it shows with his willingness to throw into tight windows.
I think So. QB Brendan Clark looked a little hesitant at times today and tried to aim a lot of his throws. Maybe it was the pressure of being the #2 guy now or the fact that it is practice #1 of the spring. He was not displaying his normal velocity that we saw in fall camp last year.
Fr QB Drew Pyne I thought looked the part all day. He was accurate on most of his throws and threw with a confidence that I was surprised about for a kid who is still supposed to be a senior in high school. He is the shortest of the quarterbacks on the roster at 5-11 ½ but he was playing above his height all day. I was really impressed by the young signal caller.
Wide Receivers
I really liked what I saw from this group today. Gr WR Ben Skowronek looked smooth and brings a big frame to the passing game. Jr WR Kevin Austin looked poised to take that spot as the alpha within the wide receiver group. He was slotted at the starting spot in Chase Claypool’s old position while Jr WR Lawrence Keys and Jr WR Braden Lenzy took up the other two starting spots. Both Keys and Lenzy look like they have not lost a step over the winter and it is going to be fun to see what that combination looks like with more time on the field this season.
Another new face that stood out to me today was Fr WR XAvier Watts. He was wearing number 21 and just looked dynamic in his routes and when he had the ball in his hands. He is still raw for sure but a season of him focusing on one position and one position only will pay dividends for sure. He may be a kid that the coaching staff cannot keep off the field as a freshman.
One thing that is interesting is that Sr Avery Davis is still donning number 4 and is listed as a running back on the roster we received but he spent the entire day with the wide receiver group as a slot. That will be something to keep an eye on if not from just a jersey number standpoint since he cannot be on the field at the same time as Kevin Austin who also wears 4.
Running backs
In no surprise Sr RB Jafar Armstrong was lining up with the number one group and was spelled by Jr RB C’Bo Flemister halfway through the number one reps. Jr RB Jahmir Smith was first out with the number two group and was relieved by So RB Kyren Williams. Keep in mind this is a non padded practice so trying to get too much out of the running back position can be difficult. At this point it is more about who is lining up where. I thought Kyren Williams had a nice burst to him in team vs bags today. I just really like how he explodes one he gets his hands on the football.
Tight End
Speaking of guys lining up in interesting places the first tight end to take the field today was Sr TE Brock Wright. Jr TE Tommy Tremble was lining up with the second group to start the day. Once they went to team vs bags they were splitting reps with the first group. There were no two tight end sets run today. I will be interested to see if that is something that is new in OC Tommy Rees’s arsenal this year.
Cornerback
This was a hot topic going into spring practice for everyone surrounding the program and adding a brand new coach to the mix in Mike Mickens only added to the intrigue. Both Jr CB Tariq Bracy and Gr CB Shaun Crawford were running with the number one group but So CB Isaiah Rutherford got a lot of first team reps in the team portion of the practice.
Safety
The starting safeties were So S Kyle Hamilton and Jr S Houston Griffith. Gr S Isaiah Pryor and Jr S DJ Brown came out with the second team. This was really no surprise even though there has been a lot of hype surrounding the transfer of Pryor from Ohio State. He still has a lot of work to do in the coverage aspect of his game and that was evident today in one on one drills and in team. His greatest asset is going to be in the box on run downs. DJ Brown flashed some cover skills and was able to come away with an interception at one point during team.
Linebacker
Another position of intrigue coming into spring was the Buck linebacker spot and who was the heir apparent to Asmar Bilal. Well on day one it is Sr LB Jordan Genmark Heath. He was followed up by So LB Marist Liufau with the second group. There were no position changes as of day one so Sr Rov Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was the starter followed by Jr Rov Paul Moala while Sr LB Drew White and Jr LB Bo Bauer manned the Mike position.
Special Teams
The specialists went outside for the majority of the practice so it was hard to really see what they were up to. There was one special teams period during practice and they only worked with the punting units. So P Jay Bramblett continued to show off his big leg and I do not see any drop off there from a standout freshman season. He was skirting the ceiling with some of his punts and that is not an easy task in the 8 story building they were working out in.
The punt return candidates were fun to watch for sure. There was no lack for speed back there catching punts. Jr WR Lawrence Keys, Jr WR Kevin Austin, So RB Kyren Williams, So DB KJ Wallace and early enrollee FR CB Caleb Offord. There is some serious explosion in that group and they are clearly going in a different direction than they have in the past for punt returner. I really hope this is a trend for the future as there are guys on this roster that can bring some punch to that unit.
One on Ones
One of the most fun periods of the day is one on ones when there are no pads. I think this drill was telling as well as to where some guys are at for practice #1. One of the most exciting matchups was Kevin Austin vs. Tariq Bracy. It is safe to say that Austin got the better of Bracy most of the day and frankly it looked like he got into his head. For the rest of the day there were guys that were getting the best of Bracy including Gr WR Javon McKinley and Jr WR Micah Jones.
Isaiah Rutherford was bested a lot in this period as well. You can tell that he is still raw and is going to need some serious practice time to get better with his turns and drops. The one thing that was refreshing to see was the coaching of Mike Mickens. After almost every rep he would take the corner aside and coach them up. He was very attentive to every single one of them from Bracy all the way down to Offord. He was not screaming at them from across the field either. He was taking them aside and coaching them up. I think he is going to really have a positive impact on this group which is really needed this season. My worry has gone down after watching him with his group.
I thought S Houston Griffith had a good day. He was frequently matched up against tight ends and slot receivers in one on one drills and that is not an easy task. He had numerous pass breakups and played them very physically. S Kyle Hamilton struggled a bit in straight man to man but again one on one is really not fair for a safety as many of the routes were taking him from one side of the field to the other and there isn’t a safety on the planet that could cover them.
As far as the offensive side is concerned Kevin Austin was a standout the entire time no matter who was guarding him. Braden Lenzy and Lawrence Keys were so quick in and out of their breaks that they were giving all the DB’s fits. I will say it again, the combination of Lenzy, Keys, Austin and Tremble is going to be one of the most explosive offensive units in the country. Ian Book should be licking his chops to get the ball in their hands and let them work.
Even though it seems like Notre Dame just put the finishing touches on the 2019 season, we are back at it for t 2020 Irish football team will look like when they kickoff the season in Dublin Ireland in five months. Today’s practice was a non-padded practice and will be the only practice that takes place prior to the entire team leaving for spring break in a couple days. The next time we will get our eyes on the team will be March 28.
It is hard to glean too much from a non-padded practice but there were a few takeaways as far as who was lining up where in positions of question heading into spring.
Injured
31 Jr LB Jack Lamb
33 Jr. LB Shayne Simon
56 Jr. OL John Dirkson
69 Sr. OL Aaron Banks
76 Sr. OL Dillon Gibbons
81 Fr. WR Jay Brunelle
Quarterbacks
Some serious coaching going on for true freshman Drew Pyne. Both OC Tommy Rees and senior Ian Book were stopping Pyne during drills and showing him the correct form. Book and Pyne were also paired up in partner drills so the senior could coach up the freshman.
Book looked like his usual self. Operated with swagger within his group all day. He was fitting the ball into some tight windows and was clearly the leader on the field. He already has a good report with his receivers and it shows with his willingness to throw into tight windows.
I think So. QB Brendan Clark looked a little hesitant at times today and tried to aim a lot of his throws. Maybe it was the pressure of being the #2 guy now or the fact that it is practice #1 of the spring. He was not displaying his normal velocity that we saw in fall camp last year.
Fr QB Drew Pyne I thought looked the part all day. He was accurate on most of his throws and threw with a confidence that I was surprised about for a kid who is still supposed to be a senior in high school. He is the shortest of the quarterbacks on the roster at 5-11 ½ but he was playing above his height all day. I was really impressed by the young signal caller.
Wide Receivers
I really liked what I saw from this group today. Gr WR Ben Skowronek looked smooth and brings a big frame to the passing game. Jr WR Kevin Austin looked poised to take that spot as the alpha within the wide receiver group. He was slotted at the starting spot in Chase Claypool’s old position while Jr WR Lawrence Keys and Jr WR Braden Lenzy took up the other two starting spots. Both Keys and Lenzy look like they have not lost a step over the winter and it is going to be fun to see what that combination looks like with more time on the field this season.
Another new face that stood out to me today was Fr WR XAvier Watts. He was wearing number 21 and just looked dynamic in his routes and when he had the ball in his hands. He is still raw for sure but a season of him focusing on one position and one position only will pay dividends for sure. He may be a kid that the coaching staff cannot keep off the field as a freshman.
One thing that is interesting is that Sr Avery Davis is still donning number 4 and is listed as a running back on the roster we received but he spent the entire day with the wide receiver group as a slot. That will be something to keep an eye on if not from just a jersey number standpoint since he cannot be on the field at the same time as Kevin Austin who also wears 4.
Running backs
In no surprise Sr RB Jafar Armstrong was lining up with the number one group and was spelled by Jr RB C’Bo Flemister halfway through the number one reps. Jr RB Jahmir Smith was first out with the number two group and was relieved by So RB Kyren Williams. Keep in mind this is a non padded practice so trying to get too much out of the running back position can be difficult. At this point it is more about who is lining up where. I thought Kyren Williams had a nice burst to him in team vs bags today. I just really like how he explodes one he gets his hands on the football.
Tight End
Speaking of guys lining up in interesting places the first tight end to take the field today was Sr TE Brock Wright. Jr TE Tommy Tremble was lining up with the second group to start the day. Once they went to team vs bags they were splitting reps with the first group. There were no two tight end sets run today. I will be interested to see if that is something that is new in OC Tommy Rees’s arsenal this year.
Cornerback
This was a hot topic going into spring practice for everyone surrounding the program and adding a brand new coach to the mix in Mike Mickens only added to the intrigue. Both Jr CB Tariq Bracy and Gr CB Shaun Crawford were running with the number one group but So CB Isaiah Rutherford got a lot of first team reps in the team portion of the practice.
Safety
The starting safeties were So S Kyle Hamilton and Jr S Houston Griffith. Gr S Isaiah Pryor and Jr S DJ Brown came out with the second team. This was really no surprise even though there has been a lot of hype surrounding the transfer of Pryor from Ohio State. He still has a lot of work to do in the coverage aspect of his game and that was evident today in one on one drills and in team. His greatest asset is going to be in the box on run downs. DJ Brown flashed some cover skills and was able to come away with an interception at one point during team.
Linebacker
Another position of intrigue coming into spring was the Buck linebacker spot and who was the heir apparent to Asmar Bilal. Well on day one it is Sr LB Jordan Genmark Heath. He was followed up by So LB Marist Liufau with the second group. There were no position changes as of day one so Sr Rov Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was the starter followed by Jr Rov Paul Moala while Sr LB Drew White and Jr LB Bo Bauer manned the Mike position.
Special Teams
The specialists went outside for the majority of the practice so it was hard to really see what they were up to. There was one special teams period during practice and they only worked with the punting units. So P Jay Bramblett continued to show off his big leg and I do not see any drop off there from a standout freshman season. He was skirting the ceiling with some of his punts and that is not an easy task in the 8 story building they were working out in.
The punt return candidates were fun to watch for sure. There was no lack for speed back there catching punts. Jr WR Lawrence Keys, Jr WR Kevin Austin, So RB Kyren Williams, So DB KJ Wallace and early enrollee FR CB Caleb Offord. There is some serious explosion in that group and they are clearly going in a different direction than they have in the past for punt returner. I really hope this is a trend for the future as there are guys on this roster that can bring some punch to that unit.
One on Ones
One of the most fun periods of the day is one on ones when there are no pads. I think this drill was telling as well as to where some guys are at for practice #1. One of the most exciting matchups was Kevin Austin vs. Tariq Bracy. It is safe to say that Austin got the better of Bracy most of the day and frankly it looked like he got into his head. For the rest of the day there were guys that were getting the best of Bracy including Gr WR Javon McKinley and Jr WR Micah Jones.
Isaiah Rutherford was bested a lot in this period as well. You can tell that he is still raw and is going to need some serious practice time to get better with his turns and drops. The one thing that was refreshing to see was the coaching of Mike Mickens. After almost every rep he would take the corner aside and coach them up. He was very attentive to every single one of them from Bracy all the way down to Offord. He was not screaming at them from across the field either. He was taking them aside and coaching them up. I think he is going to really have a positive impact on this group which is really needed this season. My worry has gone down after watching him with his group.
I thought S Houston Griffith had a good day. He was frequently matched up against tight ends and slot receivers in one on one drills and that is not an easy task. He had numerous pass breakups and played them very physically. S Kyle Hamilton struggled a bit in straight man to man but again one on one is really not fair for a safety as many of the routes were taking him from one side of the field to the other and there isn’t a safety on the planet that could cover them.
As far as the offensive side is concerned Kevin Austin was a standout the entire time no matter who was guarding him. Braden Lenzy and Lawrence Keys were so quick in and out of their breaks that they were giving all the DB’s fits. I will say it again, the combination of Lenzy, Keys, Austin and Tremble is going to be one of the most explosive offensive units in the country. Ian Book should be licking his chops to get the ball in their hands and let them work.
