Training Camp Day Four

I expected full pads today, but only helmets and shoulder pads. Some hitting, but not full on contact or tackling. Maybe Fisher is trying to avoid injury.

What a difference a few days make! Sat and Sun, it looked like another disaster of a year for our offense. Today, our offense showed great improvement. Our three qbs looked good with no one throwing an int. There was one pass that should have been picked for a pick 6, but T Johnson dropped it. Today, I want to concentrate on our offense. That is the side of the ball I am most concerned about. If this team is ever going to get over .500 and push towards the playoffs, the O must be able to make the occasional big play or just control the ball so our D can dominate.

Qbs

All three of our qbs showed great improvement today. Maybe the opened up the playbook to allow them to throw more than 5 yds down the field. Keenum made some good passes to Tavon today. One was for a TD. Keenum is still taking the majority of the reps. It is obvious that he does not have the arm strength to make that corner or seam pass that must be thrown on a line. Who does have the arm strength to make that pass- Goff and Mannion. Before I go into Goff, I am still scratching my head why Mannion was not given a chance last year. Was he that horrible or did he just not know the play book. I have heard the critics say he has slow foot work and a slow windup, but from the few reps he gets in practice, I like him. He consistently looks down the field for receivers and has a strong arm. He may have gotten 6-8 reps today in 11-11. I am afraid he will never be allowed to compete for the job since it would make Snisher look bad by giving up all those picks.

So how did Goff do? This is the first practice that he showed something special. He had the best pass play of the day when he threw a dart to Spruce running a seam pattern on the right side. It went for about 40 yds or possibly a td. There was a buzz in the crowd being the first time he showed his arm strength. He made a few more very good plays today. If he keeps improving and learning the playbook, he should get the chance to game two or three of the preseason. He does have some flaws thus far.
1- He tends to look to one side of the field on passing plays. Probably the side that the play is intended to go to. He will need to learn to look off receivers and use both sides of the field.
2-This is probably not him but the coaching staff. Each time he went to the audible "Kill Kill" (all three days) it is a running play. I hope they give him or any of our qbs more options than that.

Wrs

We have a bunch of rookie wrs. Some of them are really standing out. Our vets are what we thought they are. B Quick may not make the team given the talent of some of the rooks. Marquez has done a very good job in camp thus far. He is fighting for a job. Britt and Tavon both made some good catches for yards today. Britt always concerns me. Too many times on 3rd and anything, it seemed he would drop catchable balls.

McRoberts, Thomas, Williams and Spruce are all talented. Each made significant catches today. Williams is big. Spruce does not drop anything coming at him. I hope we have found at least 2 big contributors in this group.

TE

Four TEs stood out today. Kendricks made some big catches, but also dropped an easy one that would have gone for a good gain. Higbee will be good and possibly great someday. Great hands, size and speed. Goff likes to throw to him. Both Harkey and Cunningham did very will today. Who was missing was Hemmingway. He had a good practice on Sunday, but I do not remember seeing him today.

Oline

Hard to tell without full pads, but I did not see Dlinemen blowing up passing plays today. G Rob opened up a big hole on the L side early for a big Gurley gain. I actually saw the line working on skills today and not standing around during skill time.

Our Defense will be the strength of the team again this year. Unless our O makes big leaps of improvement (like today) throughout the next few weeks, The D will need to dominate.

I will not be able to make anymore practices this week. Back to work. I may try to get back down to Irvine next week. I hope this has been helpful for those that do not get to go.