COCKYTALK SPRING PRACTICE REPORT 3/19/13 (practice #3)

[MillerTime843]

Has Whitehurst played any?

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by B&GSpur

As always, Thanks! ! !

I understand Zandi has put on considerable weight since he joined the program. Has he been getting any work at left tackle?

They've used him at both right and left tackle for the two practices I've
seen. He is usually up during the time that Connor Mitch / Austin Hails
are under center but seems to do a good job there... Mainly at L.T.
but they had him working on the weak side a few times during 11 on 11

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by MillerTime843

Has Whitehurst played any?

I see him with the WRs going through drills but haven't noticed them
throwing to him during 1 on 1s, Skels or full team play yet. To be honest
I don't remember seeing him line up with any of the units. I'm sure he is
in for some reps at times, but I just haven't seen him make a play so far.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by psychosc

thanks for the update really enjoyed the information, it was ....informative ...thanks again.

Originally Posted by EvanAllMighty4

Good Stuff man.

Originally Posted by jfbreb94

Spurtorific

Originally Posted by henmania

Thanks for the report. My dream is to have a punter like colquitt at UT or the kid at UF who kept us pinned up all day this year. Maybe it will happen. Imagine our D with a punter who can flip the field.

Originally Posted by MWard

nice report, thanks for doing these.

Originally Posted by MEL

A great report as always! Thanks Spurt.

Glad to do them guys.... thanx for support

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by henmania

Thanks for the report. My dream is to have a punter like colquitt at UT or the kid at UF who kept us pinned up all day this year. Maybe it will happen. Imagine our D with a punter who can flip the field.

Yeah, but there was always something about that great punting that
Colquitt always did that was never mentioned by any of the "Experts" or
announcers. ..... UT had GREAT punt coverage units. Those guys were
always around the players who were back to field punts for the other team
and during all those games where he continued to pin teams inside the
Ten / Five yard line (not just against us, but everybody UT played), you
saw three or four guys back there in perfect position to down the ball and
to keep it in the field of play. You could tell it was something that the
Vols practiced A LOT ! .. not just for the few minutes they were given
during practice, but something they repeated over and over.
It was something you saw year after year when Fulmer was the UT coach
but haven't seen since he left....it proves to me that Phil Fulmer was a
coach that knew the importance of good Special Teams play, and
those UT punters won him a lot of games when he was the coach there.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by Flameout12

Thanks! Pulling for Shamier...still miss Alshon. Want some more one-handers...ended too soon.

It's not that I want to see more one hand catches out of Jeffery or
Roland, but I'd just like to see them (At least one but hopefully both)
do the routine plays without fail. .. The one hand grabs during games
are mostly out of necessity. Like in tight coverage when you are "jousting"
with a DB when the ball is in flight and your opposite hand/arm is locked
up with a defender (as was the case with Shamire's catch yesterday),
or when the ball is thrown too high and the WR has to jump high for it.
You can get more height on the leap if there is one arm extended vs both.
(like going up for a rebound in basketball). During those catches one hand
grabs are very common. ....... The problem is that Jeffery and Roland
have not been making the catches where the ball is there for them to
catch easily with both hands, or a lot of times they are just lazy running
routes or getting off of jams at the line. They get hit by the DB off the
snap and it looks like they just give up when they can't get into the route
early. When they do get out in the play, they have dropped way too
many passes that they should have brought in.

[cockypanther]

Just getting around to reading the write up... good stuff as always Spurt. It's encouraging to hear that the light might have come on for Shamier. Our offense is in need of a receiver with some size and I certainly won't mind if it is another Jeffery.

[5150harley]

Thanks Spurt! Haven't been on here much lately. I enjoy reading your reports.

[uscfsu23]

Great as always! What are the chances of moving Buster to a WR spot and Adams or Owens playing TE? Does Buster have the speed for that?

Thanks again!

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by uscfsu23

Great as always! What are the chances of moving Buster to a WR spot and Adams or Owens playing TE? Does Buster have the speed for that?

Thanks again!

Buster is a little taller version of Jared Cook when Cook played here. He
has the same abilities as Cook with maybe better hands. I for one would
love to see Buster move to WR. He is a step faster than guys we've had
in the past (like Sid Rice and A Jeff). The big issue is that he may be our
best blocking TE. I've heard the coaches say that about him several times
even with guys on the roster like Justice Cunningham and Jarrell Adams.
Probably the reason you don't see him out in pass routes more than you
do now...the majority of his time is spent helping secure the edges in
Sure Passing Situations. If we could find another solid blocking TE that
move might would have been made by the Coaches

[tgobbel]

Thanks Spurt!!!

[trapper82]

I know we'll get over it, but losing Ace sucks the most for the punt return game. Teams always thought twice about kicking to him, and we have to start all over on that front. I hate losing that, it had been awhile since we had it.

[bhs04]

I've been under the impression that Anderson is not really a very "explosive" type of player. Mostly doesn't get up to speed fast enough, and have quick enough hips. His abilities play more into being an explosive tight end, but more of an average type of WR.

I've heard these things brought up by guys like Cover Two and a few others. Maybe they could better define the differences.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by bhs04

I've been under the impression that Anderson is not really a very "explosive" type of player. Mostly doesn't get up to speed fast enough, and have quick enough hips. His abilities play more into being an explosive tight end, but more of an average type of WR.

I've heard these things brought up by guys like Cover Two and a few others. Maybe they could better define the differences.

If you look at Buster's total TDs vs Number of catches you'll see just
how amazingly "Average" he is. There's measureables running drills and then
there's results during the game. Clocking a guys time in the 40, getting
times for Dead Man drills or watching and making notes on the lack of
"Quick Hips" is one thing, but all I need to do is watch game replays
where the guy can find openings in the secondary and go up and
get it ! ... or when he makes a catch on an out route and runs through
two defenders (ala vs Clemson as a freshman) and then take it another
20 yards before being brought down. And seeing stats like 4 receptions
for 85 yards and 2 TDs game after game to know he's a excellent "Heart"
player that I'd take at WR vs a speed demon with Flexable hips
that makes one grab every three weeks for a TD, but is totally covered most
of the time, or drops two or three passes every game.

[bhs04]

Originally Posted by Spurticus

If you look at Buster's total TDs vs Number of catches you'll see just
how amazingly "Average" he is. There's measureables running drills and then
there's results during the game. Clocking a guys time in the 40, getting
times for Dead Man drills or watching and making notes on the lack of
"Quick Hips" is one thing, but all I need to do is watch game replays
where the guy can find openings in the secondary and go up and
get it ! ... or when he makes a catch on an out route and runs through
two defenders (ala vs Clemson as a freshman) and then take it another
20 yards before being brought down. And seeing stats like 4 receptions
for 85 yards and 2 TDs game after game to know he's a excellent "Heart"
player that I'd take at WR vs a speed demon with Flexable hips
that makes one grab every three weeks for a TD, but is totally covered most
of the time, or drops two or three passes every game.

Yea I gotcha. I kinda thought he might make a good WR too. After I saw what cover two said about him while breaking down the type of player he is, it kinda changed my mind some. What he said was just that he has the skill set to be good at receiver but has the potential to be special as a tight end. I wish we would at least motion him out some more with a linebacker matched up on him with the focus of the play being towards him. I don't think he's an average player at all. I wish we would make him more of a focal point sometimes. And as far as measurables, I hate em. Just trust c2's breakdown of players and thought he made some good points about him.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by bhs04

Yea I gotcha. I kinda thought he might make a good WR too. After I saw what cover two said about him while breaking down the type of player he is, it kinda changed my mind some. What he said was just that he has the skill set to be good at receiver but has the potential to be special as a tight end. I wish we would at least motion him out some more with a linebacker matched up on him with the focus of the play being towards him. I don't think he's an average player at all. I wish we would make him more of a focal point sometimes. And as far as measurables, I hate em. Just trust c2's breakdown of players and thought he made some good points about him.

Buster has been a favorite player of mine since I saw the guy busting his
hump in spring and fall practice as a freshman. He wasn't a typical TE
and the coaches were using him on the third / fourth unit offense until
mid way through the fall of his first year....coaches started noticing him
during the mid week scrimmages as being a good Blocking TE with good
hands. He had the best numbers of any of the WRs in the scrimmages
and mostly for his ability to keep the bigger Defensive Ends off the QB.
It earned him reps with the first and second units the rest of the fall
practices, and some accolades by the coaches during interviews. It
also earned him some PT during the season where he started making
big plays midway / late in the season, and eventually a starting spot
opposite Justice Cunningham. ... I just loved watching the guy shed
tackles and get a lot of YAC and make some nice receptions in the middle
of the field. The Two TDs he caught against Clemson at the end of his
Freshman season were fun to watch. Their secondary had no answer for
Shaw's ability to run, or Anderson's ability to get open in their backfield
and shred them. .... He is a good solid TE that I think would make a
good solid possession receiver

[Joe Gamecock]

Great report Spurt. I appreciate the info. I am looking forward to reading your recap on Saturdays scrimmage.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by Joe Gamecock

Great report Spurt. I appreciate the info. I am looking forward to reading your recap on Saturdays scrimmage.

Hate to say it but I won't be at the Scrimmage Saturday. I have two
grand daughters with birthdays this week, and their mom/dad are having
their parties this weekend. I'll be in Simpsonville Saturday and will miss
the Scrimmage. Hopefully we'll have some guys from the board out there
to post a report.

[bhs04]

Originally Posted by Spurticus

Buster has been a favorite player of mine since I saw the guy busting his
hump in spring and fall practice as a freshman. He wasn't a typical TE
and the coaches were using him on the third / fourth unit offense until
mid way through the fall of his first year....coaches started noticing him
during the mid week scrimmages as being a good Blocking TE with good
hands. He had the best numbers of any of the WRs in the scrimmages
and mostly for his ability to keep the bigger Defensive Ends off the QB.
It earned him reps with the first and second units the rest of the fall
practices, and some accolades by the coaches during interviews. It
also earned him some PT during the season where he started making
big plays midway / late in the season, and eventually a starting spot
opposite Justice Cunningham. ... I just loved watching the guy shed
tackles and get a lot of YAC and make some nice receptions in the middle
of the field. The Two TDs he caught against Clemson at the end of his
Freshman season were fun to watch. Their secondary had no answer for
Shaw's ability to run, or Anderson's ability to get open in their backfield
and shred them. .... He is a good solid TE that I think would make a
good solid possession receiver

Yea I agree. Especially on third downs and goal line situations. Just throw the ball up there and let him go get it. I loved Justice don't get me wrong, but I think the coaches just let Justice be ahead of him on the depth chart last year because of seniority and maybe leadership. I don't think it was because of talent.

Thanks for the report by the way, I check my phone every five minutes to see if ya posted it yet on practice nights.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by bhs04

Yea I agree. Especially on third downs and goal line situations. Just throw the ball up there and let him go get it. I loved Justice don't get me wrong, but I think the coaches just let Justice be ahead of him on the depth chart last year because of seniority and maybe leadership. I don't think it was because of talent.

Thanks for the report by the way, I check my phone every five minutes to see if ya posted it yet on practice nights.

You're welcome my man ..thanks for the props !