Saturday, March 17, 2007

A-Day impressions, Part II

First-team offense back on the field…first-team offense has Cox at QB, Lester and Carl Stewart in the backfield, and Rod Smith and Montez Billings at receiver. (Robert Dunn came in for a play as the slot receiver, and Tate’s had some time in the backfield too.) First-team line, from left: King Dunlap, Tyronne Green, Jason Bosley, Leon Hart, Andrew McCain.

The first-team defense is tougher to keep track of, because they keep substituting. But the linemen at the moment are Antonio Coleman and Michael Goggans at end, Mike Blanc and Tez Doolittle inside. The linebackers are Chris Evans in the middle, Courtney Harden on the weakside and Patrick Trahan at strongside. The defensive backfield has Aairon Savage and Eric Brock at safety, with Patrick Lee and Zac Etheridge / Walter McFadden at corner.

Rod Smith just had a chance at the game’s first touchdown on a long fourth down, but it was just out of reach. Second-teamers take over.

Here’s the second-team defense at the moment (Again, it’s hardly worth keeping track of, because they’re substituting so much with first- and second-teamers): Greg Smitth and Pat Sims inside, Darrell Roseman and Brandon Haley at end, Craig Stevens, Patrick Trahan (who’s also a starter) and Rick Chapman at linebacker, and Josh Hebert and Zach Gilbert at corner. The safeties are Jonathan Vickers and—I think—Zac Etheridge.

The second-team offense hasn’t done much against the second-team defense. The starting offense has looked pretty good against the No. 1 defense: Two good drives, though both have come up short in the red area.

As I wrote that sentence, Gabe McKenzie had a very nice juggling catch down the sideline. Official gain of 38 yards. First and goal at the 3 for the No. 1 offense. I’ll chart this goal-line sequence for your entertainment:

1st and goal from the 3: Tate behind right guard for 1 yard. Goggans makes the stop.
2nd and goal from the 2: Tate up the middle, no gain. About five guys in on that tackle; Savage and Goggans were the first ones there.
3rd and goal from the 2: Tate off left tackle, touchdown. Really nice blocking there…nobody touched him until he was a step or two into the end zone.

Ouch…Ross Gornall misses the PAT. He had a great start, but he’s had a rough week.

On the next possession, Steven Ensminger threw a pick to Josh Hebert. Hebert made a nice catch there. More updates coming soon.