Since it’s an off week, there’s been talk that media will get access to a scout team scrimmage later this week at practice. Still waiting on confirmation on if for sure or when it’ll happen, but in advance, here’s a quick update on some of the first- and second-year players who have been making an impact against the starters this season.
As a note, these comments came from players and coaches on teleconferences last week. As always with on-the-record comments, they’re going to be a little more on the optimistic side, but interesting, nonetheless.
To begin, I asked DE Garrett Sickels about some offensive linemen and if there’s anyone who regularly gives the defensive line fits during practice. In his reply he pointed specifically to true freshmen Ryan Bates and Steven Gonzalez.
“I’d have to say Ryan Bates. He really comes off the ball, and Steven Gonzalez,” Sickels said. “I think those two guys are pretty good ball players. They’re physical and high-impact guys and get after it at the point of attack. I think those two guys will be pretty good ball players.”
Similarly, I asked WR Geno Lewis about the defensive backs, and if there was anyone who consistently challenges the first-team receivers. Lewis said there’s a wealth of young talent in the defensive backfield who help he and his fellow WRs prepare for an opposing defense, but redshirt freshman Daquan Worley and redshirt sophomore Kyle Alston, who walked on the team after spring tryouts in 2014, make it especially difficult.
“Some guys who play really hard are Daquon Worley,” Lewis said. “He does really good. He’s a really physical guy (comparing him to) some of the teams that we play in the conference who are very physical, so he’s somebody who’s really good. Kyle Alston, too, is really good. All these guys on the scout team do a great job of helping us and trying to simulate (the opponent.)”
Linebackers coach Brent Pry was also on a conference call last week and further expanded on the young members of Penn State’s secondary.
“We’ve got some good perimeter kids,” said Pry. “Garrett Taylor is coming off his (knee) injury and looked like he’s back from his high school injury. He’s back healthy and making plays. Jarvis Miller has made a few interceptions in our young guys scrimmages. We’ve got a good young group over there. Of course, John Reid is over on our field competing (with the first team). Ayron Monroe is over on the scout team now and he’s super explosive and has some really good instincts from the safety position, so we’re excited about those guys as well. There's nobody we’re disappointed in right now.”
That’s also the case for defensive line, Pry said.
“We talk about those guys all the time,” Pry said. “Robert Windsor, Kevin Givens, Shareef Miller - those guys up front are doing a really nice job and catching everybody’s attention. Ryan Buchholz is another guy (who has) great size, good skill sets. I couldn’t be more excited about our young front guys. Of course our young linebackers are on our field (with the first and second teams) so we see them all the time.”
Similar to Sickels and Lewis, Pry was also asked to evaluate the scout team offense that his defense faces at practice each week.
He agreed that Bates and Gonzalez are standing out on the O-line, in addition to OT Sterling Jenkins. RB Andre Robinson, WR Irvin Charles, WR Juwan Johnson, TE Nick Bowers and TE Jonathan Holland also earned individual shoutouts.
“Andre Robinson has done a great job at running back,” Pry said. “Very durable, has deceptive speed. Can get north-south. The young receivers have done a awesome job. (Johnson and Charles) are big-bodied guys. Irvin is fast. They’ve been great to work against. We’ve got some nice young O-linemen who have shown some explosiveness – Bates and Gonzalez and those guys, and Sterling. It’s been a good group to work against. All those guys have been good for us.
“Bowers has had to play everything for us from tight end to receiver to center on the scout team and he does a super job. Good movement, good toughness. Jonathan Holland (is a) beautiful looking kid with a really good skill set. Good ball skills. They’ve done a nice job. It’s pretty good group over there working against us daily.”
Hope to have more on the young guys later this week.
As a note, these comments came from players and coaches on teleconferences last week. As always with on-the-record comments, they’re going to be a little more on the optimistic side, but interesting, nonetheless.
To begin, I asked DE Garrett Sickels about some offensive linemen and if there’s anyone who regularly gives the defensive line fits during practice. In his reply he pointed specifically to true freshmen Ryan Bates and Steven Gonzalez.
“I’d have to say Ryan Bates. He really comes off the ball, and Steven Gonzalez,” Sickels said. “I think those two guys are pretty good ball players. They’re physical and high-impact guys and get after it at the point of attack. I think those two guys will be pretty good ball players.”
Similarly, I asked WR Geno Lewis about the defensive backs, and if there was anyone who consistently challenges the first-team receivers. Lewis said there’s a wealth of young talent in the defensive backfield who help he and his fellow WRs prepare for an opposing defense, but redshirt freshman Daquan Worley and redshirt sophomore Kyle Alston, who walked on the team after spring tryouts in 2014, make it especially difficult.
“Some guys who play really hard are Daquon Worley,” Lewis said. “He does really good. He’s a really physical guy (comparing him to) some of the teams that we play in the conference who are very physical, so he’s somebody who’s really good. Kyle Alston, too, is really good. All these guys on the scout team do a great job of helping us and trying to simulate (the opponent.)”
Linebackers coach Brent Pry was also on a conference call last week and further expanded on the young members of Penn State’s secondary.
“We’ve got some good perimeter kids,” said Pry. “Garrett Taylor is coming off his (knee) injury and looked like he’s back from his high school injury. He’s back healthy and making plays. Jarvis Miller has made a few interceptions in our young guys scrimmages. We’ve got a good young group over there. Of course, John Reid is over on our field competing (with the first team). Ayron Monroe is over on the scout team now and he’s super explosive and has some really good instincts from the safety position, so we’re excited about those guys as well. There's nobody we’re disappointed in right now.”
That’s also the case for defensive line, Pry said.
“We talk about those guys all the time,” Pry said. “Robert Windsor, Kevin Givens, Shareef Miller - those guys up front are doing a really nice job and catching everybody’s attention. Ryan Buchholz is another guy (who has) great size, good skill sets. I couldn’t be more excited about our young front guys. Of course our young linebackers are on our field (with the first and second teams) so we see them all the time.”
Similar to Sickels and Lewis, Pry was also asked to evaluate the scout team offense that his defense faces at practice each week.
He agreed that Bates and Gonzalez are standing out on the O-line, in addition to OT Sterling Jenkins. RB Andre Robinson, WR Irvin Charles, WR Juwan Johnson, TE Nick Bowers and TE Jonathan Holland also earned individual shoutouts.
“Andre Robinson has done a great job at running back,” Pry said. “Very durable, has deceptive speed. Can get north-south. The young receivers have done a awesome job. (Johnson and Charles) are big-bodied guys. Irvin is fast. They’ve been great to work against. We’ve got some nice young O-linemen who have shown some explosiveness – Bates and Gonzalez and those guys, and Sterling. It’s been a good group to work against. All those guys have been good for us.
“Bowers has had to play everything for us from tight end to receiver to center on the scout team and he does a super job. Good movement, good toughness. Jonathan Holland (is a) beautiful looking kid with a really good skill set. Good ball skills. They’ve done a nice job. It’s pretty good group over there working against us daily.”
Hope to have more on the young guys later this week.
