The azaleas are blooming, the temperatures are rising, and USC's men's basketball team is preparing for the NIT (again). And the USC Football team has started practice!!!
10 Things to take notice over these next 15 days of Spring Practice....
1. Blake Mitchell, finally gaining weight and is at 203 on that 6 foot 3 inch frame, has a year under his belt but is it enough to hold off Cade and Company??? Will he lose the job???
2. Where will Cory Boyd fit into all of this and can he 'step up'? He is a great player but what will his role be?? The WR ranks and RB ranks are filled up with talent...
3. Can the O-line learn the offense quickly and produce results?? Big shoes to fill up front on both sides of the ball.....
4. Syvelle Newton....will he be ready for the 2006 season??? What will his role be now that Boyd is back, we got some great WRs and RBs ready to play....
5. Cade Thompson,QB -The Maryville, Tenn., native was redshirted as a freshman , but was on the travel squad for every road game and had a chance to absorb the offense. The 6-foot-2, 181-pounder will get to show what he learned as he tries to push starter Blake Mitchell for playing time.
6. O.J. Murdock, WR -While Sidney Rice broke out as the SEC's top receiver and freshman Kenny McKinley locked down a starting spot, Murdock was redshirted in 2005. But there is always room for another receiver in Steve Spurrier's offense, particularly one with the breakaway speed that Murdock has to unload.
7. Jared Cook,TE -Among USC's younger players, the 6-foot-5 freshman from Georgia was the star of several intrasquad scrimmages. Cook moves from a crowded receiving corps to tight end, where he gives the Gamecocks a big target in the passing game.
8. Carlos Thomas, CB-Thomas played mostly receiver as a freshman while dabbling on defense as a man-coverage specialist. Now a full-time cornerback, Thomas could emerge as a playmaker in a secondary that lost three starters, including two potential NFL first-rounders.
9. Jasper Brinkley,LB -USC fans will be forgiven for confusing linebackers Jasper and Casper Brinkley, twin brothers who signed with the Gamecocks out of Georgia Military College. But until Casper arrives this summer, the 6-2, 250-pound Jasper will have the spotlight and first crack at the starting middle linebacker spot - to himself.
10. Can the USC coaching staff begin to start putting on the together? A running game with a air attack?? Defense that plays to win not plays to hold a lead and which of the recruits will step up for 2006?
4 comments:
Just read the spring training reports and I'm excited. I look for big things from the 6'5" TE. How many days until the season starts?
Another thing to watch for is how Newton is coming along from Surgery. With the return of Boyd in the back friend and the hopeful return of Newton, we should have the dept to put a full season together with a high flying Spurrier offense. As long as Blake can look out side of the Rice Box.
PS, A young QB always needs a large target like a tight-end to help grow in a passing offense.
my only question is when will we find another 40 year old receiver to fill the giant void left by tim frisby?
I heard Frisby is trying out for the cheerleading squad. He loves setting the record for oldest at everything. He probably needs to spend some time with his 25 kids.
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