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I'm going to be honest, I didn't feel like watching QBs and WRs during the 20 minutes that practice is open to the media. So here's a little bit on the hopefully much improved defense. Scroll down for notes on offense and transfers.
Here's the first team defense from the beginning of practice. Can't imagine too much being different at the NAU game:
DE: Kirifi Taula
DE: Tevin Hood
OLB: Marquis Flowers
MLB: Jake Fischer
OLB: Scooby Wright
S: Jourdon Grandon
S: Jared Tevis
"I just think we're coming out here and competing more every day," said Marquis Flowers. "We're taking every day seriously. Everyone has a chip on their shoulder. We just want to be better. Taking it one day at a time."
"We're working on communicating," added Jonathan McKnight.
"That's the biggest thing we needed to improve on, and our effort most of all. Our effort is way better this year."
"I can say we all feel more comfortable (compared to last year) because our first year in the system with RichRod, and right now we got most of things down pat that we messed up last year."
Flowers also feels more comfortable at linebacker this year given that he was moved their just before the start of last season. "I'm a lot more comfortable just concentrating on one position. I should be pretty good going in."
The team has only gone "live" for about a total of 30 minutes the entire camp, coach Rodriguez said.
"It's just about knowing how to practice," said Flowers. "You don't want to go live and get hurt. When we go live we gotta take it serious and work on technique."
McKnight added "It's not that tough. We're trying to keep our bodies healthy right now, but he's also trying to get us in game-mode position. Right now I'm just trying to keep my body healthy."
Cayleb Jones:
The recent Texas transfer was at practice today. "He can't go in pads for four days," said Rodriguez. "He'll be in shorts for the next four practices and then we'll be good to go." The four days is an NCAA rule that acclimates players into the new program.
"We're just looking for players," continued RichRod. "We're looking for an OKG (Our kind of guy) that's competitive, wants to get a degree, definitive in the program and obviously can play. We think we got all that in Cayleb. We saw him, we knew about him, talked to his coaches, talked to his family, talked to some guys that played with him."
"Wish he could play this year, but we'll wait a year to get it going."
Rodriguez also said the coaching staff talked to Connor Brewer, the other recent Longhorn that has made their way to Tucson.
"He said he loved him, thought he's a great guy. A young guy that made some mistakes maybe, but we'd love to have him here."
"He had a off field issue, and it's been resolved."
QB Battle:
Nothing's changed, here's the order of the top four:
- B.J. Denker
- Jesse Scroggins
- Nick Isham
- Anu Solomon
"I would say it's the same as it's been the last 12 days. No more progress is a good way to put it."
Davonte' Neal:
His status is still up in the air. Rodriguez made it clear he hasn't heard anything from the NCAA.
"We'd sure love to know, cuz we could use him."
Rodriguez also said he's not getting as many reps as he would be if he had been cleared to play this season.
"Everybody's getting reps, but he's not taking any reps with the 1's. He might be doing it if he was eligible."
"I think they're waiting on more information, and our compliance people are doing everything they can. We're still in the middle of it and we'd like to know and I'm sure he would too so we'll wait and see."
Trey Griffey:
Griffey was one of a few guys in a yellow jersey Wednesday. RichRod had a nice take on what guys wearing yellow jerseys do during practice.
"Yellow means they don't do nothing. They walk around with an iced tea, an umbrella, flowers, and sing to themselves."