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

[G&B]

thx for the report.


Seems like we had similar WR focus issues with byrd about this time in his career. I hope these guys follow a similar pattern...

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by qcgamecock

Thanks for the report as always Spurt, look forward to seeing what recievers step up this spring. Curious on your thoughts of Deke Adams at his first few practices.

Too early to tell right now, but he seems like a good coach from the
couple of times I saw him. Not as "loud" as Lawing, but he'll get after
a player that isn't going full out. He was yelling at a couple of players
out there yesterday for not going after a fumbled ball from Nosovitch.

Connor Mitch fumbled one exchange about 4 plays earlier while running
the Zone Read. He left the ball in the stomach of the RB too long, then
tried to pull it out late and fumbled it, but was able to wrestle it away
from a linebacker to recover the ball. Deke wasn't to thrilled about
the LB not coming up with it. .... then Nosovitch missed the handoff on
another Zone Read play and tried to over extend the ball and hand it to
him and Clowney smacked the ball out of Brendon's hands. Vic Hampton
and Jevonn Dukes both fought for the ball on the ground and Dukes came
up with it and started Celebrating on the spot, and Deke ran over to him
and was screaming GO GO GO (telling him to run with it to the goal line
since he wasn't downed). Dukes took off for about 10 yards and stopped
and Coach Adams ran toward him Yelling KEEP RUNNING.. DID YOU
HEAR A WHISTLE ? He made Dukes run to the goal line before he blew
the whistle.

There was another time when Clowney rushed the QB during the Skels
and held up right before the QB threw the ball and Coach Adams barked
at him for slowing down. I wasn't close enough to them to hear what
they were saying, but Clowney said something to him, and Coach Adams
shouted at him again and walked towards him. I think it was more kidding
with each other because when Deke got over to him they exchanged
words and Clowney walked back towards the line and coach Adams smacked
him on the back of the helmet and they both laughed. He seems like a
coach the players like. Along the lines of Coach Botkin. I'm waiting to
see how he does deeper into the spring and this fall with his units, but
right now he seems to be a good replacement for Lawing and one the
players respond well to.

[cockypanther]

^^ Good to hear about Deke.

[Cock Kool-Aid]

Originally Posted by qcgamecock

I have to agree with Sparticus and I remember Brewer not only as reliable as a punt returner but if we needed a boost he would bust a few tackles and make me get up out of my seat. He is on par with a great athlete, Bruuuuce when it comes to kick returns.

Played in 11 games as a senior leading the team in receiving with 28 receptions for 299 yards and one score. Also carried the ball 20 times for 31 yards with three more TDs. Originally led South Carolina in receptions as a junior with numbers of 37-352-2, averaging 21.3 yards on 18 kick returns. Named Outback Bowl MVP in 2001 after tallying 214 all-purpose yards with three scores, leading South Carolina to a 24-7 victor over Ohio State. Finished the season catching 36-418-2 and started 10 games.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/...-brewer-1.html

So basically you are saying that he had one good game and besides that he was a below average player? Because those numbers suck.

[Grit_And_Steel]

You mentioned Ronnie Martin once, Spurt, but can you elaborate on his performance and your thoughts on his practice?

[Flameout12]

Originally Posted by Cock Kool-Aid

...but you aren't going to have success by recruiting a bunch of kids who don't have the measurables just because you expect them to play with "dogged heart"... .

Just like the military academies. They play hard, tough, and smart football and occasionally pull of a big win...but they also get clobbered by a few teams with superior athletes.

[Cheezy]

Brewer's legend is due in part to both selective memory and great white hope syndrome. He had a ton of heart, and that first Outback bowl was all him, but in the grand scheme of college football and all of its players, he was only average, or slightly below. Character, heart, determination, and intangibles aside, speaking only on athletic skills, football specifically, he was good, but definitely not great. I wouldn't replace his time here, or our teams from his era, for anything, but let's be realistic when talking about him as a football player.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by Grit_And_Steel

You mentioned Ronnie Martin once, Spurt, but can you elaborate on his performance and your thoughts on his practice?

Did OK last night but not overly impressive.... I think though it was his
first practice. You can tell by the drills and his athleticism he's a good
DB. I think it'll take a few practices with the squad for it to come out.

He was maintaining some nice coverage on the shorter / quicker routes
by the WRs, but he's the guy Shaq beat deep twice. The first pass to
Roland from Connor Mitch was a TD from long Range. The second from
Nosovitch would have been another TD had Roland not dropped the ball.

He can cover good off the snap, but he has to work on maintaining the
coverage on the longer routes. Either give a little more ground off the
snap, or learn not to bite on head / shoulder fakes.

[doccock]

Originally Posted by ReelCocky35

Thanks for the update. Is Shon Carson praticing, and if so, how is doing?

Shon is playing baseball, not football this spring.
doc

[cockybusiness2]

Originally Posted by Cheezy

Brewer's legend is due in part to both selective memory and great white hope syndrome. He had a ton of heart, and that first Outback bowl was all him, but in the grand scheme of college football and all of its players, he was only average, or slightly below. Character, heart, determination, and intangibles aside, speaking only on athletic skills, football specifically, he was good, but definitely not great. I wouldn't replace his time here, or our teams from his era, for anything, but let's be realistic when talking about him as a football player.

I disagree, give me Ryan Brewer over Watson or Summers. At least he could stay on the team. Ryan gave you everything he had every time he played.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by doccock

Shon is playing baseball, not football this spring.
doc

^
What He said

[Cock Kool-Aid]

Originally Posted by cockybusiness2

I disagree, give me Ryan Brewer over Watson or Summers. At least he could stay on the team. Ryan gave you everything he had every time he played.

The argument isn't whether you would take Ryan Brewer and two busts in retrospect... the argument is whether you would take Ryan Brewer, a below average player, instead of the better players that we have now. It's not a real hard question to answer.

[acrh10]

Originally Posted by Spurticus

I know Ryan was a RB/WR type player. His primary position when we
signed him was to be a RB...However, those same "measureables" that
are desired in Wide Outs are also what coaches / scouts look for in
Tailbacks. Flexable hips, Quick off the snap, Speed is a plus back there
but mainly Athletic ability. ... Ryan was not high up on the list of any of
those at any of the camps, which is why he wasn't highly recruited even
in his own back yard. Lou Holtz looked beyond measureables when he
saw Brewer's game film and liked that what he lacked in Speed, Quickness
and Flexability, he more than made up for in dogged courage and Heart.
I can show you replays of Ryans career and there were many MANY times
he was covered by a much faster, much more athletic DB / LB but when
he had the ball thrown to him, he was the guy who came down with the
ball. ...... Added comment: How many coaches look for Quickness, Speed,
good cutting ability, and overall athletic ability in a Punt or Kick Return
guy ? Again, Ryan didn't have those measureables in great amounts, but
when the 2000/2001 teams wanted someone to return Kicks after trying
guys back there like Derrick Watson, Troy Williamson, Chavez Donnings
etc...(all those gifted athletes with speed and Flexability that couldn't
cut it), it was Ryan Brewer who got the call and made the plays for those
teams.
Ryan wasn't a overly gifted person when it came to great athletic skills
and speed, but as I said before. I'll take a team full of Ryan Brewers and
kick ass against any team with a load of "gifted athletes" with all the
measureables.

Not if you go against a team full of players with athletic ability and discipline. Derrick Watson was a talented player but he was a troubled player off the field. If he was disciplined and had his head on right, he would kick Ryan Brewer's ass any day of the week. Troy Williamson had athletic ability but he just wasn't a great receiver. A lot of his yards were from screens and splash plays. He didn't run sound routes and didn't have that great of hands/concentration. Chavez Donnings was not a great athlete by any means.

Sure Ryan Brewer busted his ass and gave 110% effort every play, but he was extremely limited no matter what. There was a reason Carolina had a dubious record against, UF, UGA, Tenn, Clem and the other big schools under Holtz. We have had a significant talent upgrade in the last few years. We used to get a gifted players, and mostly because they weren't able to go elsewhere because they had some sort of red flag. We no longer have that issue.

A team full of Ryan Brewer's would lose to our current team 99 out of 100 times.

[cockybusiness2]

talent and potential doesn't win ballgames. Performance and dedicationon and off the field does. How many times do you hear about talented athletes that do make it because of work ethic. This is why I would take a team full of Ryan Brewers, Patrick Dimarcos and players that gave their all. You can have all the underachievers that you want. How many 5 stars just do not make it because they are not dedicated

[Sugedatdude]

Originally Posted by cockybusiness2

talent and potential doesn't win ballgames. Performance and dedicationon and off the field does. How many times do you hear about talented athletes that do make it because of work ethic. This is why I would take a team full of Ryan Brewers, Patrick Dimarcos and players that gave their all. You can have all the underachievers that you want. How many 5 stars just do not make it because they are not dedicated

Think I prefer our current team...well the past 3 teams actually. Just giving all you got doesn't win ball games. I'm pretty sure Kentucky gave it their all against us this past season...but ultimately talent trumped effort.

[b381l]

Originally Posted by Spurticus

Did OK last night but not overly impressive.... I think though it was his
first practice. You can tell by the drills and his athleticism he's a good
DB. I think it'll take a few practices with the squad for it to come out.

He was maintaining some nice coverage on the shorter / quicker routes
by the WRs, but he's the guy Shaq beat deep twice. The first pass to
Roland from Connor Mitch was a TD from long Range. The second from
Nosovitch would have been another TD had Roland not dropped the ball.

He can cover good off the snap, but he has to work on maintaining the
coverage on the longer routes. Either give a little more ground off the
snap, or learn not to bite on head / shoulder fakes.

Spurt, do you think Ronnie Martin is 100% over his injury from last fall....he played very little last year. I just wonder if he is still a step slow.

[Spurticus]

Originally Posted by b381l

Spurt, do you think Ronnie Martin is 100% over his injury from last fall....he played very little last year. I just wonder if he is still a step slow.

Very possible. I don't know the details of the injury since he was playing
Juco ball (outside what was reported) but there was some discussion that
he might not even practice this spring at one time. It's highly likely that he
is either rusty from the lack of work during the injury, or maybe hasn't
worked through it mentally yet and still doesn't trust that he's fully
recovered.

[qcgamecock]

Originally Posted by Spurticus

Too early to tell right now, but he seems like a good coach from the
couple of times I saw him. Not as "loud" as Lawing, but he'll get after
a player that isn't going full out. He was yelling at a couple of players
out there yesterday for not going after a fumbled ball from Nosovitch.

Connor Mitch fumbled one exchange about 4 plays earlier while running
the Zone Read. He left the ball in the stomach of the RB too long, then
tried to pull it out late and fumbled it, but was able to wrestle it away
from a linebacker to recover the ball. Deke wasn't to thrilled about
the LB not coming up with it. .... then Nosovitch missed the handoff on
another Zone Read play and tried to over extend the ball and hand it to
him and Clowney smacked the ball out of Brendon's hands. Vic Hampton
and Jevonn Dukes both fought for the ball on the ground and Dukes came
up with it and started Celebrating on the spot, and Deke ran over to him
and was screaming GO GO GO (telling him to run with it to the goal line
since he wasn't downed). Dukes took off for about 10 yards and stopped
and Coach Adams ran toward him Yelling KEEP RUNNING.. DID YOU
HEAR A WHISTLE ? He made Dukes run to the goal line before he blew
the whistle.

There was another time when Clowney rushed the QB during the Skels
and held up right before the QB threw the ball and Coach Adams barked
at him for slowing down. I wasn't close enough to them to hear what
they were saying, but Clowney said something to him, and Coach Adams
shouted at him again and walked towards him. I think it was more kidding
with each other because when Deke got over to him they exchanged
words and Clowney walked back towards the line and coach Adams smacked
him on the back of the helmet and they both laughed. He seems like a
coach the players like. Along the lines of Coach Botkin. I'm waiting to
see how he does deeper into the spring and this fall with his units, but
right now he seems to be a good replacement for Lawing and one the
players respond well to.

Thanks Spurticus, your memory never ceases to amaze me and I appreciate the animated story to give me a better idea of the kind of coach he is. 1st impressions are usually pretty spot on and it appears Coach Adams is giving a very good one.

[qcgamecock]

Originally Posted by Cock Kool-Aid

So basically you are saying that he had one good game and besides that he was a below average player? Because those numbers suck.

That discribed his SO and JR years, he was also the back up punter and punted 3 times for 121 yards, had kickoff returns of 41yd and 42yd, a 63yd touchdown pass for the longest play of the year against tenn, faked a punt for 34yds, a 32yd run against florida...I have seen a talented player with the heart of Brewer, Marcus Lattimore. I can think of many things to describe Brewer and the word suck(in no way saying you said Brewer sucks) is not even close to one of them, some things you don't and can't put into numbers. Players with the character, work ethic and leadership qualities of Brewer and Lattimore are what build champions in my opinion, they have the ability to get something from nothing in both the game and teammates.

[uscsandstorm85]

Thank you for the report.