Just getting back and going through everything from media day and open practice and want to share thoughts from some of my conversations throughout the day and practice this evening.
I wasn't able to make the open practice on Monday so this was my first time seeing some of these guys in action this preseason and for the freshmen, first time seeing them in pads at PSU. As the coaches always emphasize, you really do get a better sense of everyone once you see them working within the system and the environment. Granted, we were only at practice for about 20 minutes or so, so keep that in mind. Also reporters are under the agreement that we can’t really post depth charts or show wide-angle photos of formations while at practice, which is OK. We didn’t get to see a whole of live action or lineups anyway, so I don’t really have first and second units for you yet but we did get to see a lot of individual drills and special team work that gave a small showing of what’s to come.
My notes from each position:
OL - Bates wasn’t there today due to a family emergency. Mahon and Nelson were in pads but without helmets.
McGovern is the center, looks to be taking that under control. Otherwise, as it stands now, I think you’re looking at Gonzalez at one of the guard spots and Wright at RT. Fries behind Bates at LT, and still not sure about the other guard spot opposite of Gonzalez.
I’ll follow later with a story on Wright, but he’s really coming into his own and getting comfortable with the program and all of what the lifestyle entails. I was really impressed by him in his late limited action last year. I guess he didn’t have a whole lot of expectations to meet, so that might have helped. He wasn’t perfect, a lot of room for improvement, but I’m expecting him to take another step this year. Just a massive human who is beginning to figure out how to use it all to his advantage.
QB - McSorley is obviously the main guy with Tommy right behind him. They’ve been tightening up some of Tommy’s mechanics this off-season, but for the most part those two are right on cue and the coaches know what they’re getting.
Behind them, Zembiec still appears to be a little light in the lower body. That stands out, standing next to the other guys. Clifford isn’t any bigger, but he looked very smooth. Not a lot of wasted movement with him in his throwing motion. Again, limited sample size, so I’m not sure if they’re completely unleashing him yet after the shoulder injury. Sounds like Clifford is all but a redshirt, but it does also sound like, if he’s not already, on track to be the third best QB on the team.
RB - Mostly status quo from last year. Andre looks to have bulked up a little more, which I’m not sure how that’s possible but it looks as so and in a good way. Saquon, too, just looks bigger. He said at his presser that he’s up 230 pounds. Mark Allen is Mark Allen, always impressed by his speed and short-area burst. Journey Brown is a little more slender than I expected. Looks to be able to use a year in the weight room, and that shouldn’t be a problem for that to be able to happen counting on the experience in front of him.
WR - It’s DaeSean Hamilton’s group; you can tell that right away. Also noticing Juwan Johnson stepping into more of a leadership role and taking ownership. The three freshmen flash talent for sure. Still need to work on some of the intricacies of the drills in practice but there’s a lot to like about them as they’re each a little different. Sounds like Hippenhammer and Hamler are in line for some return duties. Hamler, though, still has a brace on that knee. Not completely sure what to expect of his status this fall.
DL - Gross-Matos got a lot of praise thrown his way today. Watch him on the practice field and you see why. Physically he fits right in, hard to decipher him from an upperclassman, but you can still tell he has room to grow for a body type like his. I always have thought he’s an exciting prospect and even more so tonight. Still a lot of talent ahead of him, though, before he has to be relied on.
Going by the eye test in some of their get-off and handwork drills, Shareef just stands out among the rest. Just very violent with his hands and deliberate with his steps. Buchholz is getting bigger by the season but still has that natural athleticism to him.
Moving over to the inside, didn’t see a lot of work from Cothren or Cothran, but I think that’s by design as they know mostly what they have with those two. Behind them, I did hear Chavis singled out by Spencer a couple times. I’ve mentioned this before recently, but really excited about what Chavis can bring this year. Got to remember that he showed up on campus last year just in time for camp – without the benefit of an off-season strength and conditioning program. From everyone we talked to last year, it was clear that he was out of shape and had a lot of work to do. He was playing catch-up most of the season. I really think that now that he has a year with Dwight Galt under his belt there might be some opportunity for him, especially depending on which main contributors from last year are at full health.
LB - Right now Brandon Smith is the No. 1 at Will. I talked to both him and Manny Bowen today. Smith is really embracing the role of Will after spending the last couple years at Mike behind Cabinda. Sounds like they’re trying him out there to get him some more time. Everyone talks about those box LB spots being interchangeable, but as I was talking about with him today there are some differences he has to adjust to. Taking different angles in ball pursuit, for example – outside in, rather than inside out. He’s really focusing on the details, a determined guy who also has added some size this off-season. Really looking like a Big Ten linebacker right now.
But also, from talking with Manny, I got the sense that having Smith run with 1s at the position at Will is a little bit of a driving force for him at the moment. I’ll have a story on him later as well, but he definitely seems to have learned from his mistake last winter and is moving on from it all. You can tell he’s hungry, and I think having Smith starting the preseason ahead of him is a little bit of a motivator as he enters his junior season. I must also note, that Manny is seeing reps at Mike.
At Sam, Koa is definitely filling out into more of a linebacker look. Everybody says his speed is still the same, but he’s added a lot of weight in a short amount of time. Hope it isn’t too much. Interested to see how he settles into a full-time LB role.
Another few guys to mention from the LB corps: Looks like Cooper is being eased back in. Cam Brown just continues to impress everyone from a physical point of view. One of the tallest LBs I've seen and looks to have beefed up a little bit, despite dropping a couple pounds on the most updated roster. Seeing him run through the drills, he just has an athleticism and an extra twitch that not many of his teammates have.
Another note, although he was an early enrollee, I think it was my first time seeing Faison-Walden in pads. Also seeing Brailyn Franklin for the first time in pads (and cowboy collar.) I guess mistakingly throughout the recruiting process I kind of lumped those together in my mind as similar prospects: a couple athletes recruited to play LB. But after seeing them move around some tonight, there’s definitely a difference. BFW looks like a big safety; Franklin looks like a small defensive end. Really impressed with his size for a LB, though. Again, just a small sample, but he appeared to have the tools to work with. Once he fine tunes himself to the position – remember he was a nose tackle and offensive player primarily in HS – I really think he can be a sleeper in this class.
DB - Everybody has talked about how different the team looks this year. Franklin mentioned it in his press conference today that he’s even noticed it. For me seeing them for the first time today, there’s no doubt about it. With the line groups, the WRs - it’s very obvious that they are just working with more than they have in previous seasons. But I think the DBs look the part more than anyone else. Some tall lanky; some more compact, but from the seniors down to the freshmen they all just seem to have it. Especially noteworthy at CB, IMO, there aren’t really any duplicates of each other; seems like each guy brings something unique to the table in terms of skill set.
Always been impressed with Grant Haley as an athlete. Zech McPhearson appears to be coming on. Going to see a lot of Lamont Wade this year, especially on special teams. Then there is Castro-Fields, who was brought up a lot today, too. He’s someone else who just has a different skill set than the rest. He’s got the height, like Campbell or Oruwariye, but even to them, they’re not complete comparisons. TCF is just one of those athletes who jumps out to you and that’s even performing alongside some of his more experienced teammates. Sounds like they're going to figure out a way to get him on the field. He's listed as a CB, but he was following safeties Apke and Monroe in some non-position specific drills, fwiw.
That’s about enough rambling from me tonight. Good to be back on the Lasch fields and seeing how things are progressing. And always fun sharing with everyone here. Let me know if you’ve got any questions. I’ll try my best to follow up
I wasn't able to make the open practice on Monday so this was my first time seeing some of these guys in action this preseason and for the freshmen, first time seeing them in pads at PSU. As the coaches always emphasize, you really do get a better sense of everyone once you see them working within the system and the environment. Granted, we were only at practice for about 20 minutes or so, so keep that in mind. Also reporters are under the agreement that we can’t really post depth charts or show wide-angle photos of formations while at practice, which is OK. We didn’t get to see a whole of live action or lineups anyway, so I don’t really have first and second units for you yet but we did get to see a lot of individual drills and special team work that gave a small showing of what’s to come.
My notes from each position:
OL - Bates wasn’t there today due to a family emergency. Mahon and Nelson were in pads but without helmets.
McGovern is the center, looks to be taking that under control. Otherwise, as it stands now, I think you’re looking at Gonzalez at one of the guard spots and Wright at RT. Fries behind Bates at LT, and still not sure about the other guard spot opposite of Gonzalez.
I’ll follow later with a story on Wright, but he’s really coming into his own and getting comfortable with the program and all of what the lifestyle entails. I was really impressed by him in his late limited action last year. I guess he didn’t have a whole lot of expectations to meet, so that might have helped. He wasn’t perfect, a lot of room for improvement, but I’m expecting him to take another step this year. Just a massive human who is beginning to figure out how to use it all to his advantage.
QB - McSorley is obviously the main guy with Tommy right behind him. They’ve been tightening up some of Tommy’s mechanics this off-season, but for the most part those two are right on cue and the coaches know what they’re getting.
Behind them, Zembiec still appears to be a little light in the lower body. That stands out, standing next to the other guys. Clifford isn’t any bigger, but he looked very smooth. Not a lot of wasted movement with him in his throwing motion. Again, limited sample size, so I’m not sure if they’re completely unleashing him yet after the shoulder injury. Sounds like Clifford is all but a redshirt, but it does also sound like, if he’s not already, on track to be the third best QB on the team.
RB - Mostly status quo from last year. Andre looks to have bulked up a little more, which I’m not sure how that’s possible but it looks as so and in a good way. Saquon, too, just looks bigger. He said at his presser that he’s up 230 pounds. Mark Allen is Mark Allen, always impressed by his speed and short-area burst. Journey Brown is a little more slender than I expected. Looks to be able to use a year in the weight room, and that shouldn’t be a problem for that to be able to happen counting on the experience in front of him.
WR - It’s DaeSean Hamilton’s group; you can tell that right away. Also noticing Juwan Johnson stepping into more of a leadership role and taking ownership. The three freshmen flash talent for sure. Still need to work on some of the intricacies of the drills in practice but there’s a lot to like about them as they’re each a little different. Sounds like Hippenhammer and Hamler are in line for some return duties. Hamler, though, still has a brace on that knee. Not completely sure what to expect of his status this fall.
DL - Gross-Matos got a lot of praise thrown his way today. Watch him on the practice field and you see why. Physically he fits right in, hard to decipher him from an upperclassman, but you can still tell he has room to grow for a body type like his. I always have thought he’s an exciting prospect and even more so tonight. Still a lot of talent ahead of him, though, before he has to be relied on.
Going by the eye test in some of their get-off and handwork drills, Shareef just stands out among the rest. Just very violent with his hands and deliberate with his steps. Buchholz is getting bigger by the season but still has that natural athleticism to him.
Moving over to the inside, didn’t see a lot of work from Cothren or Cothran, but I think that’s by design as they know mostly what they have with those two. Behind them, I did hear Chavis singled out by Spencer a couple times. I’ve mentioned this before recently, but really excited about what Chavis can bring this year. Got to remember that he showed up on campus last year just in time for camp – without the benefit of an off-season strength and conditioning program. From everyone we talked to last year, it was clear that he was out of shape and had a lot of work to do. He was playing catch-up most of the season. I really think that now that he has a year with Dwight Galt under his belt there might be some opportunity for him, especially depending on which main contributors from last year are at full health.
LB - Right now Brandon Smith is the No. 1 at Will. I talked to both him and Manny Bowen today. Smith is really embracing the role of Will after spending the last couple years at Mike behind Cabinda. Sounds like they’re trying him out there to get him some more time. Everyone talks about those box LB spots being interchangeable, but as I was talking about with him today there are some differences he has to adjust to. Taking different angles in ball pursuit, for example – outside in, rather than inside out. He’s really focusing on the details, a determined guy who also has added some size this off-season. Really looking like a Big Ten linebacker right now.
But also, from talking with Manny, I got the sense that having Smith run with 1s at the position at Will is a little bit of a driving force for him at the moment. I’ll have a story on him later as well, but he definitely seems to have learned from his mistake last winter and is moving on from it all. You can tell he’s hungry, and I think having Smith starting the preseason ahead of him is a little bit of a motivator as he enters his junior season. I must also note, that Manny is seeing reps at Mike.
At Sam, Koa is definitely filling out into more of a linebacker look. Everybody says his speed is still the same, but he’s added a lot of weight in a short amount of time. Hope it isn’t too much. Interested to see how he settles into a full-time LB role.
Another few guys to mention from the LB corps: Looks like Cooper is being eased back in. Cam Brown just continues to impress everyone from a physical point of view. One of the tallest LBs I've seen and looks to have beefed up a little bit, despite dropping a couple pounds on the most updated roster. Seeing him run through the drills, he just has an athleticism and an extra twitch that not many of his teammates have.
Another note, although he was an early enrollee, I think it was my first time seeing Faison-Walden in pads. Also seeing Brailyn Franklin for the first time in pads (and cowboy collar.) I guess mistakingly throughout the recruiting process I kind of lumped those together in my mind as similar prospects: a couple athletes recruited to play LB. But after seeing them move around some tonight, there’s definitely a difference. BFW looks like a big safety; Franklin looks like a small defensive end. Really impressed with his size for a LB, though. Again, just a small sample, but he appeared to have the tools to work with. Once he fine tunes himself to the position – remember he was a nose tackle and offensive player primarily in HS – I really think he can be a sleeper in this class.
DB - Everybody has talked about how different the team looks this year. Franklin mentioned it in his press conference today that he’s even noticed it. For me seeing them for the first time today, there’s no doubt about it. With the line groups, the WRs - it’s very obvious that they are just working with more than they have in previous seasons. But I think the DBs look the part more than anyone else. Some tall lanky; some more compact, but from the seniors down to the freshmen they all just seem to have it. Especially noteworthy at CB, IMO, there aren’t really any duplicates of each other; seems like each guy brings something unique to the table in terms of skill set.
Always been impressed with Grant Haley as an athlete. Zech McPhearson appears to be coming on. Going to see a lot of Lamont Wade this year, especially on special teams. Then there is Castro-Fields, who was brought up a lot today, too. He’s someone else who just has a different skill set than the rest. He’s got the height, like Campbell or Oruwariye, but even to them, they’re not complete comparisons. TCF is just one of those athletes who jumps out to you and that’s even performing alongside some of his more experienced teammates. Sounds like they're going to figure out a way to get him on the field. He's listed as a CB, but he was following safeties Apke and Monroe in some non-position specific drills, fwiw.
That’s about enough rambling from me tonight. Good to be back on the Lasch fields and seeing how things are progressing. And always fun sharing with everyone here. Let me know if you’ve got any questions. I’ll try my best to follow up
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