Spring 'Game' Notes

I was in sun-blasted Scott Stadium yesterday, paying more attention to my kids than to the 'game' (lame-ass offense vs. defense scrimmage -- thanks for not recruiting enough OL, Mike London!)  However, I do have some thoughts to share, and here they are...


-- Play was mostly ragged, with lots of turnovers, but by the end of the scrimmage... I think a starting quarterback emerged.  Greyson Lambert, welcome to the hot seat.

-- Now we'll see just how deep the incompetence runs on this coaching staff.  In my humble opinion, the announcement of our starting quarterback for the 2014 season could have - EASILY - been made in the press conference following the scrimmage.  The longer London waits to make this mindnumbingly obvious call, the less confidence you should have in his ability to coach his way out of a wet paper bag.

-- Lambert, btw, went 18-for-31 for 220 yards and two touchdowns.  He also threw two interceptions.  I'll take that, because he really looked the part, especially after he settled in later in the scrimmage.  He also showed a surprising ability to scramble for yardage.

-- But that's not to say that there wasn't also flashes of decent QB play elsewhere.  Matt Johns looked the part of a good backup, I thought.  He's got a nice arm.

-- David Watford wasn't very good in the scrimmage.  Big surprise, I know.  He's still trying to make throws that are just not there to make.  And he's still throwing into the dirt, and/or three feet over receivers' heads, and/or way behind his receivers. Watford went 4-for-14 for 31 yards with two interceptions and was sacked three times.  Ugh.

-- Guys who really caught my eye (in a good way): WR Andre Levrone, WR Kyle Dockins, RB LaChaston Smith, LB/OLB Max Valles, and LB Henry Coley.

-- Levrone looked tall and long, was surprisingly fast, and caught everything.  I think he should be in the mix with Keeon Johnson, Darius Jennings, and Jamil Kamara for the primary snaps at wideout this Fall.

-- Dockins was targeted a lot, and was productive.

-- LaChaston Smith was a baby bulldozer out there.  Low-slung and powerful.  Nice hands.  I could see him as KP's main understudy this season.  (Smoke Mizzell will get the #2 snaps at RB, clearly.)

-- Valles is a pass rusher, and a very, very good one.  I love the nickel look with him and Eli Harold at the ends, with Mike Moore and David Dean inside.

-- Coley was ab tackle machine in the scrimmage, just like always.

-- The secondary was also very good yesterday.  I mean, there were a bunch of interceptions, and two sacks from Kirk Garner.

-- Lambert, Levrone, Dockins, Keeon Johnson, Kamara, KP, Smoke, and Jake McGee give me hope for a halfway decent offense this season... but then I remember the offensive line.  The o-line was horrendous yesterday, as expected.  It's going to be the reason our offense sucks this season.

-- This year's defense is going to be pretty good.

-- Team captains were named, as voted on by the team: Anthony Harris, Henry Coley, Kevin Parks, and here's the big surprise, Greyson Lambert.  No David Watford.  GO AHEAD AND NAME THE STARTING QUARTERBACK, MIKE LONDON.

-- Mike Moore, Ryan Doull, and Connor Wingo-Reeves won the Rock Wier Award for most improved players this spring.

-- The Iron Cavalier Award (strength and conditioning standouts) went to Wilfred Wahee for defense and Darius Jennings for offense.  A defensive back and a wide receiver.  Too bad none of the big uglies stepped up to win this one.

-- The players who will make up the leadership council for the 2014 season include: Ross Burbank, Henry Coley, Conner Davis, Eli Harold, Anthony Harris, Darius Jennings, Greyson Lambert, Jake McGee, Kevin Parks, Demetrious Nicholson, Alec Vozenilek, Wilfred Wahee, and Jay Whitmire.  Again, no David Watford.

-- Based on what I saw yesterday, my expectations for the 2014 season remain at 4-8, with a housecleaning effort in December.  Get to know Pete Lembo, Hoofans.

Jeff White -- Highs and Lows Mark Orange-Blue Game