Pic #1 Anyone know who this guy is? He looks familiar but I can't quite place the face with a name. He wasn't wearing his jersey when he walked over.
Pic #2 Jewel Hampton signing autographs.
Pic #3 C.J. Fiedorowicz after getting hurt and being tended to by staff. He later came back to sign more autographs, but I didn't see him practice after this. That was too bad for A.J. Derby, as C.J was the only guy who could catch his terrible passes.
Pic #4 Marcus Coker with his arm in a sling.
Pic #5 Stanzi with all the time in the world against the First Team Defense. Notice how Reiff has Clayborn and Tarp is step-for-step with Reisner. In pass protection the O-line will be just fine.
Pic #6 True freshman De'Andre Johnson (30) standing in front of Boffeli (59) and Vandervelde (63). Johnson did not play his senior year of high school because of a torn ACL. It was widely speculated that he would red shirt this year but could be pressed into service if the need arose. He had a strong practice Saturday including a stunning 30 yard run against the first team defense.
Pic #7 Here's confusion for you: Two WRs both with the number 89. In between them is Austin Vier, formerly #11 but now sporting Moeaki's old jersey. The 89 on the left is Kevonte Martin-Manley, a true freshman from Pontiac Michigan. The 89 on the right is senior Joe Audlehelm from Van Wert, Iowa.
Pic #8 Kicker Trent Mossbrucker (#8 - the moron in long sleeves), Jewel Hampton (27) and Adam Robinson (32).
Pic #9 Another example of the O-line providing excellent pass protection. Notice how the TE has already beaten his LB.
Pic #10 But on run blocking they are still a work in progress. Just glad Riley Reiff (77) wasn't hurt here. Is it just me, or is DJK (15) getting away with a hold at the end of this play?
Pic #11 Notice the RB practicing with the first team: Paki O'Meara (25). He actually had a couple of really good runs that day. Both Jewel Hampton and Adam Robinson got very few reps on the field during the scrimmage. Senior Brad Hermman (11) who made the catch on that play was velcro in practice. I didn't see him miss a single ball thrown his way. At 6'6" he's a big target with a big wingspan who is looking to make an impression. I expect to see some big plays out of the senior this year.
Pic #12 Sophomore Brad Rogers (38), true freshman De'Andre Johnson (30) and sophomore Keenan Davis (6) running back to the huddle after a play with the second team offense.
Pic #13 One of the more interesting snapshots of the first team defense. Like starting RBs Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton, both starting Safties saw little of the field in Saturday's scrimmage. Instead, with the first team defense the Safeties were junior Jordan Berstine (4) and true freshman Tanner Miller (49).
Pic #14 Another good shot of the first team defense with Binns (91), Hunter (42) Miller (49), Ballard (46), Tarpinian (33), Klug (95), Nielsen, Bernstine (4), Clayborn (94) and Micah Hyde (18) at CB. Off camera to the left was Greg Castillo (2) who was in for starting junior Shaun Prater who was out of practice due to an undisclosed injury. While Prater did not leave the field he did not return after a hit earlier in the practice. We can only hope he was held out as a precaution and it is nothing serious. However, in his absence Castillo performed very well including a pick-six.
Pic #15 The first team offense against the second team defense. Note that the first team offense is being led by sophomore James Vandenberg (16), who seemed to take as many snaps with the first team offense as did Stanzi. It seems as if the coaching staff does not want to be caught with an unprepaired Vandenberg again. It also seems to show that Vandenberg has upped his game. Note again that the RB is senior Packi O'Meara (25).
Pic #16 A good run by O'Meara (25). Notice how it is well away from the O-line. Also check out the awsome block by McNutt (7)!
Pic #17 Great shot of a kicking package right at the very moment the ball is snapped. You can see most of the linemen on both sides of the ball are still in their stance. But you can also see that both Bernstine (4) and Binns (91) and perhaps Clayborn (94) are launching forward. Clayborn did block one kick in practice that day - though I do not believe it was this one.
Pic #18 Good shot of an as-yet unnamed kicker (96) during kicking drills. While this kicker has 96 on his jersey he also has #10 on his helmet. This means it could be walk-on Michael Meyer who is listed as #10 on the roster. As only three kickers are listed on the roster and this was the only kicker besides Murray and Mossbrucker this would seem to make sense.
Pic #19 Ryan Donahue (5) and kickers Daniel Murray (1), Michael Meyer (96 jersey, 10 helmet), and Trent Mossbrucker (8) during kicking drills. Murray was actually fairly impressive compared to both Mossbrucker and Meyer. While Murray pulled a couple to the right and just flat out shanked a line drive ball that slapped some poor equipment manager square in the face (most of the stadium groaned...you could hear that slap all the way up in the stands; I was surprised the kid didn't hit the turf) he hit just about everything he tried from distances as far as 40 to 45 yards.
Pic #20 Not even the coaches are safe when Clayborn gets on a role. You just gotta love that guy. He had a monster day and he was barely even trying. He was just a kid having fun out there. We have an NFL first round draft pick (high first round at that) playing DE for us this year. This is huge...really, really huge.
Pic #21 As bad as this looks for the unsuspecting QB stand-in (ever wonder how they decide who has to go out there and be the practice dummy?) Riley Reiff was actually able to jump in between the poor punching bag and Clayborn - saving this kids dreams of having children. Though on the next play the poor stand-in wasn't so lucky. To his credit, Reiff has some amazing footwork. He doesn't have as good of hands as Bulaga yet, but I think he has better footwork. In another year - if not by the end of this year, Reiff could be better and more consistant than Bulaga. I also think that because Reiff's strength is in his footwork and athleticism he is a better tackle than a gaurd. Finally, doesn't Clayborn kind of look like Bigfoot wearing a helmet while eating an orange in this shot?
Pic #22 This is a shot of Gettis getting owned. This seemed to be a theme throughout the practice. I can't say I'm too impressed with Gettis right now.
Pic #23 It's true, Binns has the longest arms I've ever seen on a human being. His elbows nearly reach down to his waist.
Pic #24 Another shot of the super-human Binns. It is little wonder that he had more passes defended than anyone else on defense - including more than any other DB. Now if he could only learn how to CATCH he could have some crazy interception numbers too.
Pic #25 Yes, I do indeed believe that Christian Ballard (46) is over 300 pounds.
Pic #26 Having become bored with mere Offensive Linemen Karl Klug eyes Norm Parker's golf cart. Wisely Adrian Clayborn flees the scene....but only after telling Klug that Parker has Twinkies in the trunk.
Pic #27 Yes, he's a beast. But he's a HELPFUL beast.
Pic #28 Klug tries to explain to Clayborn that no, there weren't any Twinkies in the trunk...and now he has to run stairs for a week.
Pic #29 Adrian Clayborn (94) not even bothering to take a three-point stance while lining up against Allen Reisner (82) and Riley Reiff (77). Coach Ferentz (with the white ball cap on) watches from the middle.
Pic #30 Norm Parker watches from his golf cart as Marcus Zusevics (56 and from hereafter just called Zeus) and second TE Brad Herman (39) run a two-TE set on the second team defense. After watching Zeus in practice I think he, like Reiff, has better footwork and is more athletic than his predecessor. Kyle Callowa was by far bigger and likely stronger, but he was not more athletic and didn't have as good of footwork as does Zeus. This tends to bode well for pass protection but could leave something to be desired for run-blocking - though both Zeus and Herman are doing a pretty good job against the second team defense here.
Pic #31 Another excellent effort from Zeus and Herman taking care of their end while Norm Parker watches from his golf cart. Again, this is against the second team defense which, in my opinion, is probably going to be about as good as most Big Ten teams' first team defense - at least for the front seven.
Pic #32 True Freshman TE Austin Vier who was orignially slated to have #11 but has been given Moeaki's old number instead.
Pic #33 Adam Gettis (73) in O-line drills with true freshman Brandon Scherff (55) and redshirt freshman Brett Van Sloten (70).
Pic #34 A meeting of WRs: Senior Nick Kuchel (21 - and really impressive that day in practice), Don Nordmann (11), DJK (15), and Collin Sandeman (22). Check out the forearms on Sandeman and Nordmann. I'd say they have been Doyleized.
Pic #35 Vandenberg (16) and Stanzi (12) take turns throwing to the first and second team WRs while John Wienke (14) and A.J. Derby (17) take turns throwing to the third and fourth team WRs.
Pick #36 The OTHER #9 on the team, Jonathan Mullings. Actually, they were using him as a WR during practice and he was doing pretty well. Just a good solid athlete.
