April 8 Practice notes..
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https://www.cornnation.com/2019/4/8...report-jack-stoll-andre-hunt-wandale-robinson
On what he wants to see Saturday
Guys making plays and whichever team I’m on winning [chuckles]. No, just guys going out there and having fun. Execution. We’re keeping it simple, not trick plays...we want to see which guys can handle the environment and make plays...and stay healthy.
On what he wants to see Saturday
Guys making plays and whichever team I’m on winning [chuckles]. No, just guys going out there and having fun. Execution. We’re keeping it simple, not trick plays...we want to see which guys can handle the environment and make plays...and stay healthy.
Other quick hits from practice No. 13:
» Redshirt freshman running back Brody Belt held court with more than a dozen media members after the workout and said he looks at Saturday as his "coming out party." The walk-on from Millard West has drawn mention from coaches and players alike throughout the spring.
» Running backs coach Ryan Held said Elkhorn South grad Moses Bryant has moved from defensive back to running back, which is the position he starred at in high school.
» Walters identified redshirt freshman Andre Hunt as the receiver who has made the biggest jump this spring. The coordinator said he has been NU's most consistent pass catcher in recent weeks.
» Held conducted his media interviews holding his infant son, Jacob.
Walters said quarterbacks will wear green no-contact jerseys, though they will be able to rush the ball. Early enrollee Wan'Dale Robinson — a receiver/running back hybrid — is "still limited" by a nagging hamstring injury. Receiver JD Spielman is in the same category, though Walters added that he won't need many reps Saturday.
» Redshirt freshman running back Brody Belt held court with more than a dozen media members after the workout and said he looks at Saturday as his "coming out party." The walk-on from Millard West has drawn mention from coaches and players alike throughout the spring.
» Running backs coach Ryan Held said Elkhorn South grad Moses Bryant has moved from defensive back to running back, which is the position he starred at in high school.
» Walters identified redshirt freshman Andre Hunt as the receiver who has made the biggest jump this spring. The coordinator said he has been NU's most consistent pass catcher in recent weeks.
» Held conducted his media interviews holding his infant son, Jacob.
Walters said quarterbacks will wear green no-contact jerseys, though they will be able to rush the ball. Early enrollee Wan'Dale Robinson — a receiver/running back hybrid — is "still limited" by a nagging hamstring injury. Receiver JD Spielman is in the same category, though Walters added that he won't need many reps Saturday.
Personally I'm glad to see Bryant make the move to RB. When taking a kid as a walk-on he's generally at a disadvantage and making him a project at another position is yet another bigger setback.
At least now I feel like he's going to have a chance to put his best foot forward and let his athleticism carry him a bit instead of taking three years to get new muscle memory.
At least now I feel like he's going to have a chance to put his best foot forward and let his athleticism carry him a bit instead of taking three years to get new muscle memory.
4-8 Practice Notes. Yikes. Prefer the title April 8 Practice Notes.
“All three of those guys need to be ready to go and they all know that ol’ Coach Held will have a text or a call for me every single day,” Held said Monday.
They are junior college transfer and former ACC freshman of the year Dedrick Mills, as well as incoming freshmen Rahmir Johnson and Ronald Thompkins. All three are plenty busy themselves. Johnson is a track standout at Bergen Catholic in New Jersey. Thompkins is on the comeback trail from the second reconstructive knee surgery of his high school career.
Mills was originally thought to be a mid-year transfer from Garden City (Kan.) Community College, but he didn’t sign until January and now is slated to enroll sometime later in the summer as long as he finishes the coursework necessary to graduate from juco. “He knows he’s getting a text or a call from Ryan Held every day to get his doggone grades right and make sure he’s staying in shape,” Held said.
Mills, Johnson and Thompkins have been given some early materials about formations and playbook basics to get familiar before they arrive, and they’re expected to show up on campus ready to hit the ground running.
“When those new guys get here, it will be absolutely critical that they No. 1, get in shape and No. 2, start learning the offense and getting the video and learning the plays and … the signals on their own,” Held said.
NU will also get a better idea of where Thompkins is health-wise once he’s on campus. The talented back from Grayson High in Georgia tore his ACL in his team’s first game last August and has now had surgery on both of his knees.
“I think we’ll get him with our trainers just to see where he’s at, and they’ll give me an idea of where he’s at and then obviously the weight room stuff and Zach (Duval) can adjust accordingly so we’re not going out and doing anything that we’re not supposed to,” Held said. “He’s a guy that you see where he’s at, we build him up and then if he’s cleared and going, let’s roll.
“I think if he wouldn’t have got injured, he would have been recruited by everybody in the country. And so maybe being injured reduced his recruiting or whatever, but obviously we’re excited to get him because I think he’s very talented.”
The cavalry is coming in the running backs room, and then it will be time to see if the guys who have been here for spring ball can hold off the newcomers.
“May the best man win,” Held said. “We start over and I’m going to play the guy and guys that are consistent, know what they’re doing, take care of the football and make plays. That’s what we’ve got to be able to do and it will start right over whenever our first practice is (in August).”
They are junior college transfer and former ACC freshman of the year Dedrick Mills, as well as incoming freshmen Rahmir Johnson and Ronald Thompkins. All three are plenty busy themselves. Johnson is a track standout at Bergen Catholic in New Jersey. Thompkins is on the comeback trail from the second reconstructive knee surgery of his high school career.
Mills was originally thought to be a mid-year transfer from Garden City (Kan.) Community College, but he didn’t sign until January and now is slated to enroll sometime later in the summer as long as he finishes the coursework necessary to graduate from juco. “He knows he’s getting a text or a call from Ryan Held every day to get his doggone grades right and make sure he’s staying in shape,” Held said.
Mills, Johnson and Thompkins have been given some early materials about formations and playbook basics to get familiar before they arrive, and they’re expected to show up on campus ready to hit the ground running.
“When those new guys get here, it will be absolutely critical that they No. 1, get in shape and No. 2, start learning the offense and getting the video and learning the plays and … the signals on their own,” Held said.
NU will also get a better idea of where Thompkins is health-wise once he’s on campus. The talented back from Grayson High in Georgia tore his ACL in his team’s first game last August and has now had surgery on both of his knees.
“I think we’ll get him with our trainers just to see where he’s at, and they’ll give me an idea of where he’s at and then obviously the weight room stuff and Zach (Duval) can adjust accordingly so we’re not going out and doing anything that we’re not supposed to,” Held said. “He’s a guy that you see where he’s at, we build him up and then if he’s cleared and going, let’s roll.
“I think if he wouldn’t have got injured, he would have been recruited by everybody in the country. And so maybe being injured reduced his recruiting or whatever, but obviously we’re excited to get him because I think he’s very talented.”
The cavalry is coming in the running backs room, and then it will be time to see if the guys who have been here for spring ball can hold off the newcomers.
“May the best man win,” Held said. “We start over and I’m going to play the guy and guys that are consistent, know what they’re doing, take care of the football and make plays. That’s what we’ve got to be able to do and it will start right over whenever our first practice is (in August).”