Bear Down Wildcats

Hopefully in the spring game they divide the guys and actually play a game and not just do a practice a la RR

Good stuff from the new corners coach.

ANGCatFan wrote:

Good stuff from the new corners coach.

All these guys seem like positive good motivators

Coach Springer is one high energy guy!

ANGCatFan wrote:Coach Springer is one high energy guy!

Which journalist asked about the kicker's weight?

ANGCatFan wrote:

Good stuff from the new corners coach.

Wow! Thinking we will be in great shape at the corner spot with DM running the show. What kid wouldn’t want to come to Arizona and play for a coach like that?

Awesome!

Wow, is Meat good! Couldn't help but notice the difference between Meat and Springer. Meat teaches, has lots of energy, and praises when appropriate. He has lots of positive energy, but mainly he teaches. Springer, on the other hand, spent very little time teaching. He mostly ran around like an overly energetic madman. Hope there's more to him than that.

Left me wishing for more.

More positive coaching this time from our one holdover coach on offense.

From what I've seen so far I really like this staff.

azgreg wrote:From what I've seen so far I really like this staff.

X1000

Small sample size thus far, but I’m digging Sumlin and his demeanor. Not having to watch a complete meltdown when a kid does something wrong is so appreciated & refreshing.

Great to hear about the open practice and scrimmage! I hope some in town can give us some insight!

OSUCat wrote:

Great to hear about the open practice and scrimmage! I hope some in town can give us some insight!

Awesome that the scrimmage is open. Notice Lev continuing to cry. He just had to make that tweet more about media access than the scrimmage.

prh wrote:

OSUCat wrote:

Great to hear about the open practice and scrimmage! I hope some in town can give us some insight!

Awesome that the scrimmage is open. Notice Lev continuing to cry. He just had to make that tweet more about media access than the scrimmage.

Lev is the one guy who isn't the "bad guy" in that group. Give him some slack, he earns it, trust me.

OSUCat wrote:

Great to hear about the open practice and scrimmage! I hope some in town can give us some insight!

Arizonafootballonline.net

Anything Black Oaks posts up is gold. Former O-Lineman with solid takes on practices, good stuff!

Sid wrote: Arizonafootballonline.net

Anything Black Oaks posts up is gold. Former O-Lineman with solid takes on practices, good stuff!

Wow, haven't been to AFO in 15 years or so. Didn't know they were still around. Have no idea what my login was, or even what email I used to sign up.

Sure Black Oaks isn't ChiefZona?

Chief's distaste for the rugby punts was well known.



Re: Sumlin not dicking around with kickers
Postby Black Oaks » Thu Mar 29, 2018 5:47 pm

I will say that Matt Aragon can kick it high and deep. He always has, but he never got to kick. The kid can punt the ball. One thing nice is there seems to be no real messing around with the rugby punts this spring. I never have been a fan of those kinds of punts. I understand the idea that they are good to use against some of the top punt returners because it gives the coverage guys a second or so more time to get down in the coverage. Also, it is hard for a rugby kick to out kick the coverage guys. My preference is to work on hang time, deep and high. Get the gunners down field and make the guy fair catch it.

Bearing Down on using the punt as a weapon when you can

Merkin wrote:Sure Black Oaks isn't ChiefZona?

I don't think they are the same guy. Their political takes are far apart.

I mentioned Aragon on here before, he is a friend and ex-teammate of my son. Chief didn't think much of him.

He also played some QB and TE in high school. I think he practiced at WR last year.

Merkin wrote:

Sid wrote: Arizonafootballonline.net

Anything Black Oaks posts up is gold. Former O-Lineman with solid takes on practices, good stuff!

Wow, haven't been to AFO in 15 years or so. Didn't know they were still around. Have no idea what my login was, or even what email I used to sign up.

Sure Black Oaks isn't ChiefZona?

Chief's distaste for the rugby punts was well known.



Re: Sumlin not dicking around with kickers
Postby Black Oaks » Thu Mar 29, 2018 5:47 pm

I will say that Matt Aragon can kick it high and deep. He always has, but he never got to kick. The kid can punt the ball. One thing nice is there seems to be no real messing around with the rugby punts this spring. I never have been a fan of those kinds of punts. I understand the idea that they are good to use against some of the top punt returners because it gives the coverage guys a second or so more time to get down in the coverage. Also, it is hard for a rugby kick to out kick the coverage guys. My preference is to work on hang time, deep and high. Get the gunners down field and make the guy fair catch it.

Bearing Down on using the punt as a weapon when you can

Me too Merkin. I think I was SJCAT or something close to that, no idea on my password? I believe Pat had a brief window to register with the new site and that was it. You had to get in and register or forever a lurker. Oaks played football for the Cats way before Chief.....

Worth signing up for arizonafootballonline?

Being at practice every day for 4 years, I have a hunch who Black Oaks is but don't want to speculate yet.

Scrimmage today at 11. It is great that Sumlin agreed to let it be public.

Yeah I think I'll stop by and see how it is. Website says it'll just be the west side of the stadium that's open

Is nice to see like even just 200 people show up for a pre spring game scrimmage at 11 am when it's hot as hell outside.

Tate has a GoPro or something on his helmet

anyone have any thoughts on it?

The camera is so the coaches can see where his eyes are and they can coach him up

PieceOfMeat wrote:anyone have any thoughts on it?

I only stayed for an hour until noon. Definitely was an informal scrimmage with not very intense plays but they worked lot on redzone plays. Tate made some throws and Rhett Rod played some as 3rd string. Not s lot of running by Tate, but I guess they just don't want him to get hurt. Offensive plays to my layman's eyes didn't look a lot different than RRs offense.

My thoughts. Defense is ahead of the offense. Only a couple blown coverages and all 3 seemed to be on goal line situations. Broke up a lot of passes and had 3 tipped passes by the d-line. DFF had a pick 6 in his hands with the offense trying to work out of the endzone, but dropped the ball. Also, one safety mostly due to a play call with Rhett Rod faking a pass and then a delayed handoff from the 2. Good energy from the D and D-line looked bigger.

Offense struggled. Too many dropped balls and illegal procedure calls. Lane took 2nd team reps and Rhett Rod 3rd, but they mixed the RBs well with 1st and 2nd team. Generally, good tight end involvement and more use of bubble screens and swing passes. Tried a couple reverses with one blown up by the D and one for a first down. One trick play with a throw back to Tate, but the pass was off so more Brady than Foles. Longest run by Brandon Leon who generally ran with the 3rd team. Best cut back by Tilford who reversed field to score from around the 25. Almost even run pass, but the receivers lost most of the battles with the DBs. Lots of passes hit the receiver, but stripped by the DBs. Also, more quick slants than I was use to seeing from the last offense. Still good tempo, all shotgun snaps (which tended to be low), and only saw Tate given 1 play that looked like a designed QB run.

Special teams. Havrisik missed one long field goal during the scrimmage, but all the rest by him and Pollack were good. Glatting is still the number 1 punter with Aragon his back-up and only a limited look. Brightwell (who was the #3 RB in the scrimmage) and Peterson were primary on KO returns with JJ and Tilford also given a chance. Kickoffs were practiced in their own period just before the scrimmage.

Worst news of the day was the one possible injury. Brightwell looked like he tweaked a knee or an ankle while being gang tackled. Helped to the sideline and spent the rest of the scrimmage sitting.

Correction/update after seeing AZDS notes:

Anthony Mariscal, a safety turned running back, had a big day. He broke a 47-yard run to get Arizona near the red zone, then capped the drive with a TD run. (Not Leon like I said.)

Gary Brightwell was the No. 3 running back, but left the scrimmage on crutches.

What a beautiful throw by lane!

J. Wallace is having a day.

How many people are there? I would be there if I hadn't just had abdominal surgery on Thursday...

Ooof, the offense looks quite bad.

I like the spring game format. So much better than whatever RR did.

Agree great format. Surprised to see how may reps there are .. probably over 200 plays when all done. Need to hope Tate stays healthy all year. Back ups need some work.

spring game is back on again right now

Strong article summing up the spring game from Rob Bowron at Wildcat Radio. He does a great job of keeping everything in perspective and should be a great resource for advanced stats when the real season arrives.

ANGCatFan wrote:Strong article summing up the spring game from Rob Bowron at Wildcat Radio. He does a great job of keeping everything in perspective and should be a great resource for advanced stats when the real season arrives.

Don't worry about that, ANGCatFan. I'm gonna need you to start your 100-day countdown a little earlier this year.

How about next week? Saturday? Yeah, that'd be greeeeaaaat.

The season can't get here fast enough.