Topic: Pruett on the radio Monday evening

[DA4Dherd]

Pruett was on with Harper & Landon on the Statewide Insider Sportsline.  They talked first about the schedule.  Pruett said it was good to keep the K St. game on Saturday 'for our fans'.  He said if we have to play So Miss on a Tuesday or Wednesday he's glad it's home, not away for academic reasons.  The players will go to class as usual at least until noon and will be up for class the next day, as compared to traveling the day before the game, missing class the day of the game and possibly getting home very late (early AM) and struggling to get to class the next day.  He said they'd probably fly to most games so the trips will actually be shorter than MAC bus trips in terms of travel time.

He then talked about the team and spring ball.  He said with Hawlins moving into the secondary and the rest of the DB starters returning we may have the best DB corps since he's been here.  He mentioned Royal, Keyes & Smith as the returning starts and T. Thomas, Rodamer and Clark as important reserves.

At LB he said we'll be more athletic if not as experienced.  He said they've always thought Newsome could be a great LB and the 2nd half of the bowl game he showed it with 9 tackles.  He mentioned Couch and also said Thornton was getting his academics in order.

Up front he mentioned the returning tackles: Wirght, Davis, Garrett and Tinker and said we'll be OK there with the JC recruits coming in the fall also.  He's looking for some DE's to 'step up' - he mentioned Herscher and Damarcus Thomas specifically.

On offense he said the line should go from a problem area to a strength.  He named the returning starters (Cook, Elcess, Legursky) and said again they'd move Bullock to tackle.  He also mentioned Inman and Ziegler as important guys who now have some experience and he mentioned Nate Howard as a possible contributor on the O-line.

He mentioned Fitzgerald and Spann at WR and said the 'props' will help there.  At QB he named Morris and Skinner and I think Devine but I missed a little of this part.  I think I also heard him mention Bradshaw, Williams and Small at RB.

No discussion of major scheme changes or anything like that.  Pruett siad the team is working harder than they ever have, knowing 6-6 is not acceptable.

[ohioherdfan]

Post like this are great, well written, nice detail. Thanks alot!!

[Blade]

So I take it Howard is history?  Also, no mention of El Amin at DE?  I know coach doesn't cover all bases but evidently El Amin hasn't done anything overly impressing.

[gtrman4herd]

I am not sold on that O-line.  If those guys hit it hard this spring and summer, then maybe they can turn it up, but I still think its a work in progress.

[gtrman4herd]

double

[DA4Dherd]

So I take it Howard is history?  Also, no mention of El Amin at DE?  I know coach doesn't cover all bases but evidently El Amin hasn't done anything overly impressing.

I went back and edited in Pruett's mention of Howard as a possible contributor on the O-line - I forgot it when I first typed the post.

From the way he was talking about the DE possibilities, it's wide open.  I think Herscher and Thomas were the only ones he mentioned, but I would think El-Amin and Kaminski will definitely contend for playing time.

[Mako]

I share that concern gtrman but I think with a year of experience under their belts and some belt tightening if you know what I mean, we'll have a good O-line this year.

[jstherd]

Thanks DA....great report, as usual.

[DJdaHERDfan]

thanks for the report DA.

I think I trust coach on the O line.

The defense is what concerns me.

[Thundering Lydia]

thanks for the report DA.

I think I trust coach on the O line.

The defense is what concerns me.

An upgraded O Line and a clock-eating running game will be our best defense early on, IMHO.

[Blade]

thanks for the report DA.

I think I trust coach on the O line.

The defense is what concerns me.

An upgraded O Line and a clock-eating running game will be our best defense early on, IMHO.

Good point Lydia.  The "air it out" philosophy was really only here during the Leftwich era.  The offense when Penny played was really balanced and was the last time we had TWO 1000-yd runners in a season.  That type of offense takes a lot of pressure off the defense.