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Duarte tweeting spring drills info
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OptimisticOwl Offline
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Post: #21
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
(03-14-2014 08:02 AM)Pan95 Wrote:  Center is going to be a strength.

VERY good news.
03-15-2014 06:11 PM
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Post: #22
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
(03-15-2014 04:59 PM)Pan95 Wrote:  Went to practice today
1. Kind of hard to evaluate our QBs without the benefits of a scrimmage. But among the three I watched today, DJ is definitely the starter. Stehling seems to the best deep out. Though DJ is the starter, at times it seemed as if he didn't trust the progressions and was looking to run. From my very limited observation, I could see a very real case being made for Nate German. He possesses all of the tools.
3. Lots of drops. Seems that we say that every spring.
4. Christian Covington...my word. He blew up the online during pass rush drills.
5. There is good competition at center. Martin is pushing Stanley hard.

Thanks for the notes.
03-15-2014 06:37 PM
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talon owl Offline
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Post: #23
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
More notes from today's practice on the Rivals forum (subscription only):

http://rice.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=2...10&style=2

Official gallery:

http://www.riceowls.com/view.gal?id=157362

Official video:

http://www.riceowls.com/allaccess/?media=440735


New field does look nice, especially with the C-USA logo better integrated and in blue and gray.
(This post was last modified: 03-15-2014 07:20 PM by talon owl.)
03-15-2014 06:54 PM
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Post: #24
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
I think the offense will be good after the Notre Dame and Texas A&M games. We have some very athletic players on that side of the ball. Why am I worried about the defense this year? Who is projected to start at Linebacker and DE? What year are they and how much experience do they have? Is Mouchantoff coming back or is his career over?
(This post was last modified: 03-19-2014 12:24 PM by Afflicted.)
03-19-2014 12:23 PM
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Post: #25
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
(03-19-2014 12:23 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  I think the offense will be good after the Notre Dame and Texas A&M games. We have some very athletic players on that side of the ball. Why am I worried about the defense this year? Who is projected to start at Linebacker and DE? What year are they and how much experience do they have? Is Mouchantoff coming back or is his career over?

I'm not super worried about LBs since they are Lyons and Radcliffe, who are both experienced.

End may be an issue, which it kind of has always been, but Klare has played on the line previously. I think Mouchantoff will be coming back, and that should be good. He showed some flashes of greatness before he was injured.
03-19-2014 12:30 PM
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talon owl Offline
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Post: #26
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
Spring Interview with DC Chris Thurmond with a number of interesting (to me) points (bolded below):

Quote:Goals for Spring: We had 30 takeaways last year 43 led the nation. We left a lot of takeaways on the field and need to do a better job of picking up that loose change. We're going to really talk a lot about creating takeaways and emphasize some drills in order to get more of them this year. We're going to talk about being confident and aggressive.

One of our key words for the spring is going to be "Trigger", meaning just go, don't worry or hesitate. We've made progress in that area but we want to continue to improve so we can play fast. We've been really good on third down for the last year and a half. What we want to work on this spring is to create more negative yardage plays. We'll try to be more aggressive by blitzing more and playing more single high in order to try and expand on some of the things we've been doing on third down.

Cornerback: "We're replacing a guy (Phillip Gaines) who has been a four year starter who played 85% or more of the snaps but we've got some good young guys to look in Anthony Canady, J.T. Blasingame and Ryan Pollard. Michael Warren isn't be practicing with us this spring, but he is someone else we will count on next fall. We've got some young guys there that we've got to get some reps and see which one comes out of that mix. They're all good players. We can expand the role of Bryce this year. He will take over some of the things we have done in the Dime package with Phillip where we match him up with certain people."

Safety: "We've got some talented guys to compete for Paul Porras' spot. The key is for them to get enough reps this spring to get there where they are comfortable in that role and be able to handle all the checks that go with playing that position. We've got good depth at safety and we've got good flexibility. The way we coach those these guys we have listed at the safety spots is that any of them can step in and play any one of those three positions. We've done some things with the defense so that the Strong Safety and the Kat are more of a mirrored position which also allows us to create a little more depth because of the flexibility it allows. You don't have to move them from one side to the other. If you know how to play the strong, you know how to play Kat. It's almost like a left and right concept. We're not completely that way, but we are evolving in that direction.

Linebacker: "We've got James Radcliffe coming back, and he's basically started most of the last two years and then a lot of young guys who can really run. Alex Lyons got a lot of snaps last year. Nick Elder got enough snaps to get a comfort level there. Tabari McGaskey has got great speed and talent, but he got hurt last year just when he was starting to get comfortable. He got a really good upside because he can run the passer, but also drop in to coverage. Nick Uretsky has really got good speed. We're going to be able to have some real speed at linebacker. We lose some experience, but we gain some speed. That's the tradeoff. We're going to be able to put more speed on the field, but not have as much experience.

Defensive Line: "Christian Covington is a special talent and you saw that in the way he continued to fight and be disruptive even when he was only able to grab with one hand after he hurt his thumb late in the year. It was a lot of fun as a coach last year to watch the way he and Mooch (Stuart Mouchantaf) were controlling the middle last year before Stuart hurt his knee. We won't have him back yet this spring, but that allows our other linemen to pick up where they left off at the end of the year."Ross Winship and Cody Henessee stepped up when needed them last year and they will continue to get a lot of work this spring. We'll be able to work on a lot of different packages. Brad Luvender will have a great chance to get a lot of quality reps right away, which might not have been the case in the fall. The one thing about our spring practices is that guys will never have to worry about not getting enough reps. "

"We have to replace both our ends. Graysen Schantz is someone that people didn't get a chance to see much since he was hurt in the opener, but he really is someone who has incredible speed and really plays hard. It will be fun to see him in the mix this spring. We have Zach Patt, who has a lot of experience as does Brian Nordstrom, who really stepped up when we need him last year. We also have Grant Peterson healthy and we now have Derek Brown full time as a defensive end. It's no longer a good athlete coming over as an experiment. We'll expand our package with four down, where Derek might be down or he might drop back and be involved in some coverage. With him in the game, we can do some of our dime concepts with our base people in the game, which will give us some greater flexibility."

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-footbl/...callback=1



There's also an interview with Driphus Jackson over on the Rivals site.
(This post was last modified: 03-19-2014 03:39 PM by talon owl.)
03-19-2014 03:37 PM
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talon owl Offline
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Post: #27
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
And now Edmondson's take on the offense:

Quote:Goals for Spring: "The big thing is to continue to run the ball as well as we have, but we have to establish ourselves better in the passing game in all phases, be it the quarterback, the receivers, the running backs the offensive line. We did a great job in the running game, but we have to pick it up in the passing game in the spring. While we have been a no-huddle offense, we need to get back to playing fast. I think sometimes we were trying some things and we slowed down. We are going to try and pick up the pace this spring. "

Quarterback: "The players believe in Driphus and he does all the things you want a leader to do, but I have told him that in the end it comes down to performance on the field. He has been in here all the time (since the start of the semester) watching film and doing the things he needs to do to prepare. He has all the intangibles, but you still have to perform. Tyler Stehling is a guy who has all the ability in the world and an unbelievable arm, but it's time for him to step up and contend for the #1 spot. He was someone who really benefited from the bowl practices. He really improved during those extra weeks. Nate German has all the ability you need, but it will come down to how much he can digest during the spring. It was unfortunate that he hurt his foot during the year and could not take advantage of the bowl practice time. Guy Billups probably doesn't have the arm strength or the mobility of the other guys, but he knows what he is doing out there. I've got to find out what Tyler and Nate can do this spring. I have to allow Driphus to get himself established in a role where everyone can depend on him. I know what Guy can do, but I have to get Tyler and Nate the reps to see what we have. It's similar to what I did with Taylor last spring. Once I see Driphus getting comfortable, I will have to steal some spring reps from him to allow me to get a clear picture about the other guys. We have to be set with the order going into fall camp."

Running Back: "With Jowan Davis being out for the spring, we have to guard against any of the running backs taking too heavy a pounding in the spring, but it's going to be great to get Brandon Hamilton back in the rotation. I think the redshirt year was a good thing for him and he handled it in a good way. Darik Dillard is steady as they come and then there is Bob (Luke Turner), who can do it all. If we can, we want to look at him as being that floating H Back type as we did with Turner Petersen. But that's only if we have the numbers to work with. It can change in a hurry and suddenly you look up and you only have one guy.

Wide Receiver: "Jordan Taylor and Dennis Parks return as starters. I've told them that that if they want the ball they have to become THE guys. They need to take it to the next level. Zach Wright could be a diamond in the rough. Since he had missed last spring, I think he came in last fall and was really pressing. Mario Hull has all the talent in the world. We're excited about seeing Parker Smith this spring. Darion Pollard will miss the spring, but it was pretty exciting to see what he can bring to the game with the touches he had against Marshall before he was hurt. Temi Alaka is a guy who I think came in knowing he would redshirt and maybe coasted a little. But there is some real potential there and he seems to be figuring out what it will take to get on the field. We have to figure out who the rest of the rotation will be, but Taylor and Dennis have to be playmakers.

Offensive Line: "Finding replacements for Nate Richards and Jon Hodde are obviously keys. The real key is finding who the left tackle will be. Brandon Dawkins has a ton of potential, he just needs to get comfortable. Ian Gray has playing experience that he can build on. Spencer Stanley was able to get some time in at center last year. It will be fun to see those three redshirt freshmen (Peter Godber, Trey Martin and Kenneth Thompson) get a chance to get in there and compete. I know Ronnie wants to look at a couple guys who can flip between roles. We'll also get Matt Simonette back in the fall. He's a center/guard but he also brings so much personality and energy to everything we do. It says a lot about him that he has put in the time to work back from that broken arm. It would have been the easy thing to do, to listen to what the doctors said and say `nah, not gonna happen'. Of course, that's the same attitude that brought him this far.

Tight End: "I am one of those guys who likes having a tight end in the game. I'm not a big 10 personnel guy. It makes the defense think twice when you have that bigger body in the game, no matter if we move him outside or not. We visited with the Duke coaches and then do a lot of nice stuff where they will play the tight end off the ball some but letting him block from there or moving him around. We have some good prospects at tight end. Connor Cella and Robbie Wells can run a little bit, but we need to continue to develop what they can do on the interior. Reid Mitchell got his first playing time last year and Cole Hunt will continue to learn the role after redshirting last year."

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-footbl/...14aae.html

Like what I hear about the emphasis on pace and the passing game, but the proof will be in the pudding.
03-20-2014 11:23 AM
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Post: #28
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
Nice work by Rice to release these.

I've been critical of Edmondson, but I like what he says here and hope he can deliver.
03-20-2014 12:39 PM
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Post: #29
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
Thanks for posting those Talon. Encouraged by Edmonson's take on things. Agree with improving the passing game and playing faster at times. I like that our QB position, while not completely set, is coming around, where DJ is acting like a starter, but the guys behind him have ability to take over if needed. And seeing these interviews reminds us of how Bailiff has continually improved our depth. Hamilton was good enough to play as a true freshman despite a lot of depth at that position back then.
03-20-2014 12:53 PM
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Post: #30
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
(03-19-2014 03:37 PM)talon owl Wrote:  Spring Interview with DC Chris Thurmond with a number of interesting (to me) points (bolded below):

Quote:Goals for Spring: We had 30 takeaways last year 43 led the nation. We left a lot of takeaways on the field and need to do a better job of picking up that loose change. We're going to really talk a lot about creating takeaways and emphasize some drills in order to get more of them this year. We're going to talk about being confident and aggressive.

One of our key words for the spring is going to be "Trigger", meaning just go, don't worry or hesitate. We've made progress in that area but we want to continue to improve so we can play fast. We've been really good on third down for the last year and a half. What we want to work on this spring is to create more negative yardage plays. We'll try to be more aggressive by blitzing more and playing more single high in order to try and expand on some of the things we've been doing on third down.

Cornerback: "We're replacing a guy (Phillip Gaines) who has been a four year starter who played 85% or more of the snaps but we've got some good young guys to look in Anthony Canady, J.T. Blasingame and Ryan Pollard. Michael Warren isn't be practicing with us this spring, but he is someone else we will count on next fall. We've got some young guys there that we've got to get some reps and see which one comes out of that mix. They're all good players. We can expand the role of Bryce this year. He will take over some of the things we have done in the Dime package with Phillip where we match him up with certain people."

Safety: "We've got some talented guys to compete for Paul Porras' spot. The key is for them to get enough reps this spring to get there where they are comfortable in that role and be able to handle all the checks that go with playing that position. We've got good depth at safety and we've got good flexibility. The way we coach those these guys we have listed at the safety spots is that any of them can step in and play any one of those three positions. We've done some things with the defense so that the Strong Safety and the Kat are more of a mirrored position which also allows us to create a little more depth because of the flexibility it allows. You don't have to move them from one side to the other. If you know how to play the strong, you know how to play Kat. It's almost like a left and right concept. We're not completely that way, but we are evolving in that direction.

Linebacker: "We've got James Radcliffe coming back, and he's basically started most of the last two years and then a lot of young guys who can really run. Alex Lyons got a lot of snaps last year. Nick Elder got enough snaps to get a comfort level there. Tabari McGaskey has got great speed and talent, but he got hurt last year just when he was starting to get comfortable. He got a really good upside because he can run the passer, but also drop in to coverage. Nick Uretsky has really got good speed. We're going to be able to have some real speed at linebacker. We lose some experience, but we gain some speed. That's the tradeoff. We're going to be able to put more speed on the field, but not have as much experience.

Defensive Line: "Christian Covington is a special talent and you saw that in the way he continued to fight and be disruptive even when he was only able to grab with one hand after he hurt his thumb late in the year. It was a lot of fun as a coach last year to watch the way he and Mooch (Stuart Mouchantaf) were controlling the middle last year before Stuart hurt his knee. We won't have him back yet this spring, but that allows our other linemen to pick up where they left off at the end of the year."Ross Winship and Cody Henessee stepped up when needed them last year and they will continue to get a lot of work this spring. We'll be able to work on a lot of different packages. Brad Luvender will have a great chance to get a lot of quality reps right away, which might not have been the case in the fall. The one thing about our spring practices is that guys will never have to worry about not getting enough reps. "

"We have to replace both our ends. Graysen Schantz is someone that people didn't get a chance to see much since he was hurt in the opener, but he really is someone who has incredible speed and really plays hard. It will be fun to see him in the mix this spring. We have Zach Patt, who has a lot of experience as does Brian Nordstrom, who really stepped up when we need him last year. We also have Grant Peterson healthy and we now have Derek Brown full time as a defensive end. It's no longer a good athlete coming over as an experiment. We'll expand our package with four down, where Derek might be down or he might drop back and be involved in some coverage. With him in the game, we can do some of our dime concepts with our base people in the game, which will give us some greater flexibility."

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-footbl/...callback=1



There's also an interview with Driphus Jackson over on the Rivals site.

Great stuff. Thanks.
03-20-2014 02:19 PM
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Post: #31
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
Speed! Speed! Speed!
03-20-2014 05:42 PM
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Post: #32
Duarte tweeting spring drills info
(03-20-2014 11:23 AM)talon owl Wrote:  And now Edmondson's take on the offense:
Quote: We have to be set with the order going into fall camp.

Works for me :)

Lots of great perspective on 2014 here, thx for posting.
Baseball's knocking on the door of the top ten and I'm almost as excited about next football season!
03-21-2014 07:37 AM
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Post: #33
RE: Duarte tweeting spring drills info
Anybody to go the scrimmage? Sounds like the offense looked pretty good, all 3 QB's made big plays.
03-22-2014 03:29 PM
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