C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
Today was the final open practice of the preseason with media getting to watch stretch and four periods. From a practice perspective, the Gamecocks didn't do anything earth-shattering from a scheme or depth chart perspective. It was a lot of individual and special teams work.
--Luke Doty was there in a boot and walking around with one crutch. EJ Jenkins and Gilber Edmund were both in blue but full participants in the open portion of practice in shells. Jordan Strachan, who was hampered at times in previous practice, was a full participant and back working with the special teams.
--During the special teams portion, Juju McDowell and Dakereon Joyner were the first-team kickoff returners with Jalen Brooks and Payton Mangrum were working with the second team. McDowell and Joyner received some praise from Pete Lembo while Brooks didn't have a great rep in the drill working with taking live pooch kicks where returners had to come up to field them. Some interesting notes, but Nick Muse, Strachan and even Tonka Hemingway were some of the guys working also in the drill as up backs.
--Ahmarean Brown was someone who was with the returners as well. He's someone who didn't practice early because of COVID protocols but has worked himself back into the offense on special teams and feels comfortable in the system right now.
--I still continue to be impressed with the size and stature of Jordan Burch and Zacch Pickens. Both look the part of SEC defensive linemen and have looked rather good in individual work, and did again Wednesday. JJ Enagbare also looks the part as well.
--The offense did a drill where it had to come around almost as if a receiver or back was breaking off a route and had to do it with a defender on him. Zeb Noland and Jason Brown were the two quarterbacks throwing to the receivers, but the guy who had the best reps from what we watched was Jaheim Bell. He made some pretty physical catches and was able to get a few yards after catching it before being shoved out of bounds.
FROM WES MITCHELL:
--Keeping in mind that this was a helmet, shells and shorts practice, it had to be considered a positive development to see running back Kevin Harris fully dressed and participating in drills with the other running backs.
That's not to say Harris is definitely fully cleared, because there's no full contact today, but Harris was in a garnet practice jersey as opposed to the blue uniform that signals "no contact."
During the four segments that we saw, Harris was full-go for the individual, against-air plays that the running backs were working on and then on the pass-catching drills as well.
From a distance, there were no signs of him being bothered by injury.
--Mentioned this in our scrimmage notes, but Cam Smith continues to progress as well and is walking now without a boot, though he's not as far along as Harris. Smith was in a jersey but not pads and wasn't practicing. He not only was walking when on his way to the indoor facility (where the injured players spend practice and rehab) but he also got in a slight jog. Progress.
--I continue to be impressed with the attention to detail from special teams coordinator Pete Lembo. Lembo is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet on the field, but he wants things done a very particular way on the field and has no problem letting it be known when the execution isn't up to par with what he expects.
While there's always been an emphasis on special teams work when we've been allowed in practice, you can tell that the team is ramping up towards gameday as today's early-practice special teams work featured the full kickoff return team. That continues to be an area where I believe Juju McDowell can make an impact.
--Luke Doty was there in a boot and walking around with one crutch. EJ Jenkins and Gilber Edmund were both in blue but full participants in the open portion of practice in shells. Jordan Strachan, who was hampered at times in previous practice, was a full participant and back working with the special teams.
--During the special teams portion, Juju McDowell and Dakereon Joyner were the first-team kickoff returners with Jalen Brooks and Payton Mangrum were working with the second team. McDowell and Joyner received some praise from Pete Lembo while Brooks didn't have a great rep in the drill working with taking live pooch kicks where returners had to come up to field them. Some interesting notes, but Nick Muse, Strachan and even Tonka Hemingway were some of the guys working also in the drill as up backs.
--Ahmarean Brown was someone who was with the returners as well. He's someone who didn't practice early because of COVID protocols but has worked himself back into the offense on special teams and feels comfortable in the system right now.
--I still continue to be impressed with the size and stature of Jordan Burch and Zacch Pickens. Both look the part of SEC defensive linemen and have looked rather good in individual work, and did again Wednesday. JJ Enagbare also looks the part as well.
--The offense did a drill where it had to come around almost as if a receiver or back was breaking off a route and had to do it with a defender on him. Zeb Noland and Jason Brown were the two quarterbacks throwing to the receivers, but the guy who had the best reps from what we watched was Jaheim Bell. He made some pretty physical catches and was able to get a few yards after catching it before being shoved out of bounds.
FROM WES MITCHELL:
--Keeping in mind that this was a helmet, shells and shorts practice, it had to be considered a positive development to see running back Kevin Harris fully dressed and participating in drills with the other running backs.
That's not to say Harris is definitely fully cleared, because there's no full contact today, but Harris was in a garnet practice jersey as opposed to the blue uniform that signals "no contact."
During the four segments that we saw, Harris was full-go for the individual, against-air plays that the running backs were working on and then on the pass-catching drills as well.
From a distance, there were no signs of him being bothered by injury.
--Mentioned this in our scrimmage notes, but Cam Smith continues to progress as well and is walking now without a boot, though he's not as far along as Harris. Smith was in a jersey but not pads and wasn't practicing. He not only was walking when on his way to the indoor facility (where the injured players spend practice and rehab) but he also got in a slight jog. Progress.
--I continue to be impressed with the attention to detail from special teams coordinator Pete Lembo. Lembo is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet on the field, but he wants things done a very particular way on the field and has no problem letting it be known when the execution isn't up to par with what he expects.
While there's always been an emphasis on special teams work when we've been allowed in practice, you can tell that the team is ramping up towards gameday as today's early-practice special teams work featured the full kickoff return team. That continues to be an area where I believe Juju McDowell can make an impact.
