Practice report (8-21-09)
Apologies for posting this practice report so late. It’s been a long day, and with Wort and Balogun, a longer week. Obviously, the big news of the day was that Tom Wort was going to miss the season with a torn ACL. This comes after a week after it was revealed the NCAA was investigating the eligibility of Mike Balogun.
With Wort out, and Balogun’s status in limbo, this is how I see the LB depth chart heading into the Sept. 5 opener with BYU:
Middle
4;Ryan Reynolds;6-1;225;Sr.
*10;Mike Balogun;6-0;247;Sr.
12;Austin Box;6-2;220;So.
56;Ronnell Lewis;6-2;232;Fr.
Weak-side
28;Travis Lewis;6-2;232;So.
12;Austin Box;6-2;220;So.
55;Jaydan Bird;6-1;227;Fr.
Strong-side
22;Keenan Clayton;6-2;221;Sr.
31;Daniel Franklin;6-2;219;RFr.
21;J.R. Bryant;6-2;225;Sr.
* Eligibility currently being questioned by the NCAA
Other notes from practice:
* D-coordinator Brent Venables said there’s no way that Brandon Crow moves back to LB from fullback. Crow is currently working behind Matt Clapp on the depth chart there. Said Venables: “He’s doing a good job over there.”
* Venables also explained why JR Bryant has played so little this fall.
“He’s still working his way back. He didn’t come back at a point we would have liked him to be at. So he’s still trying to work his way back.”
* Venables has been really pleased with his young DBs.
“We feel like we have a identified a couple of young guys, which has been talked about, in Marcus Trice and Demontre Hurst. They will both play and play in significant situations. They’re very instinctual and good football players. And they are not physically overwhelmed. So, those two guys are helping us with some depth and Marcus can play the nickel and be a safety as well. He can do a number of different things.
Demontre has played corner primarily and done really well. He had a couple of picks yesterday. One was an incredible catch that he takes from somebody and he actually should have had three. The third one he broke on and it just went through his hands. He’s played like that on a consistent basis. I feel really good about those guys.”
* Venables was also high on his safeties, who are basically both first-year full-time starters.
“Quinton and Sam have done really well and been very consistent. And again we know that our next level at safety are guys that haven’t been in a game before. So we obviously want to stay healthy and try to bring those guys along.”
* Venables confirmed freshman DT Jamarkus McFarland will play this season and not redshirt.
“I think Jamarkus McFarland will help us as far as a young guy that hasn’t played.”
-JT
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