KP Training Camp Notes 8/2

[KendrickPanther]

I drove on down to camp today. Unfortunately most of the team drills were held on the far field so I couldn't see numbers on most of that stuff.

 

My new Training Camp Ninja is DJ Moore. Hopefully I don't jinx him the way I did Lamont Bryant. The reason? He was on the field 30 minutes before practice and pulled some boys out of the crowd. He ran them through warmups and tossed a few passes with them. When they dropped it he made them do pushups(accountability!). I'm sure it meant the world to the kids, they can remember that for many years.

 

Early in practice the Linebackers worked on run fits and shedding blocks. This is very boring and very important work. No one really stood out as great or bad and how could they in these drills.

 

The Dline went through their drills. The one thing that stood out to me was the contrast in Fua and Star. We have heard mixed reviews on Star but let me tell you, his talent is visible to the untrained eye. Fua labors to get out of his stance. It's like watching a big momma get off the sofa. Star springs out of his stance like a grasshopper. That is one thing I notice from good players in camp. They look natural and effortless in drills.

 

The Defensive backs worked on their back peddles and catching. Mike Mitchell had a particularly nice diving catch. Everyone looked good with the exception of #42 Colin Jones. He kept trying to make body catches. That just doesn't work for a DB. He dropped 2 and barely caught a 3rd.

 

Next they went into team drills. One of the defenders could be heard yelling "Let's get ready to rumble!". The DBs and WRs battled on one side and the Oline/RBs battled the Dline/LBs in running plays. In the running game it was no contest. The defensive line swallowed the Oline. To be fair there was no threat of play action or passing in general but still it was a beat down.

 

I had trouble watching the passing drills because I couldn't see the numbers all the time. Steve did make a bunch of catches but that's just what he does. Brandon Lafell looked good. He's great at extending the arms and catching with his hands. He definitely looks like a guy that works on his game. It's sad to say but I still think our best fade route runner in the red zone is Steve Smith. Ted Ginn looked lost on the fade route.

 

The team broke up into position drills again. The defensive line and linebackers did a sort of walk through of their blitzes. It was really neat to watch McDermot set up an all out blitz. Your thinking "It's simple, everyone meet at the QB". It was actually pretty complex. Certain guys take on the blocks, others make runs, and then other stand in the short passing lanes and jump with their hands in the air. It was pretty cool to see the strategy. They gave some looks with Loc Ness Monsta, Hydra, and Kraken. Oddly Mario Addison was in with them. Sometimes a Linebacker would be in a 3 point stance and the Dlineman were all upright. It was just a ton of different looks. I managed a picture of the 2nd team:

 

The guys went back into team drills and I really can't comment much. It was all moving a little slow and I had a bad view. Hopefully Zod has a better idea of what was going on but it looked more like a walk through.

 

It was super hot out there and muggy as usual. It wouldn't surprise me if some guys left practice. Kugbila was in shorts but he took mental reps and oddly snapped the ball a few times to Colby Cameron. Thomas Davis was in pads and moving around well. But overall not much happened from my view.

 

[Peppers90 NC]

I don't think McDermott has gotten enough credit for what he has done with the defense and with so few pieces, and this year could be the telling year.  He was a punching bag on here for a while which didn't make much sense to me.  I am very excited about some new looks and blitz packages this year, we certainly have the talent to get to the QB from all angles.

[Panther53521]

I do believe we will see a little bit of the 46. All the LBs are working on blitzes 

[Jackofalltrades]

Thanks for the write up

[PhillyB]

nice work, thanks KP. everything i've heard about star continues to excite me.

[MCC]

The DJ Moore bit is awesome. Good for him. 

[Montie_0123]

Thanks for the write up to me something is better then nothing since a lot of us are not able to make it down there to see them practice.

[PantherFeez]

Pie for you sir. Great write up

[countryboi]

Judging by these pictues I was right beside you or really close to you at camp..I remember seeing dj Moore pull these kids on the field and thought way the hell is he doing.