Here are my thoughts from the open practice....
QB: I thought Jacoby looked really sharp. Still missed on several deep ball connections, but overall, really sharp. Jalan was a little disappointing on the day, but everyone has off days. MIssed a lot of throws. Jakobi throws a really good ball. Good pace and a tight spiral. QB position looks in great shape
RB: Matt Dayes really stood out with his catching ability and also had a few nice runs in 11v11 action. Didn't really notice Shad or any of the other RB's doing anything spectacular on this particular day. As others have mentioned JF was a non-factor and I'd expect him to redshirt.
WR: The walk-ons or former walkons made the most plays in my opinion. Naquan Brown is really put together and had several nice catches.Ben Grazen and Gavin Locklear caught everything thrown their way as did Chandler Belk. Ramos played well and had a awesome 1 handed catch for TD. Ramos had several sharp routes as well. Nyheim Hines wil be a fan favorite and a special player before he leaves NC State. He was running with the 1's. You get excited when he touches the ball. The only other WR that stood out was Elliot Davis, the former CB. He looked ot have nice potential
TE: J-Sam is everything that has been said on this board. Just a special talent and will have to be used a ton this year. Benson Browne was getting some first team run.today, and did fine. Micah Till and David Grinnage are both massive TE's. Saw Cole Cook in more of a H-Back role than traditional TE a couple of times.
OL: Starting 5: Thuney (tackle) Adams, Schooley, Barr, Richardson. They didn't do anything that really stood out during 11v11 but didn't look bad either. Not the best setting for observing line play
DL: Starters were Chubb, Rose, Hill, and Street. That looks like quite the stout group. Once again not the best setting to view the DL, but they look the part. Justin Jones will play a big role this year. Looked like Monty Nelson and Kenton Gibbs were both banged up. For sure on Nelson, I think on Gibbs, no jersey number on his yellow medical jersey.
LB: Starters were Fernandez and Moore and I'd call Dravious Wright a line backer as well from our scheme that I saw. Wright physically stands out and was making plays every time he was called upon. He is going to have a really big year. Maybe the best defensive player on our team from what I observed
CB; Starters were Tocho and Burris. Jack looked great, really good cover skills. Burris still got beat several times during drills, but overall a good starting tandem with plenty of experience. Mike Stevens was out today with slight knee injury. Didn't look to be major. Niles clark made plays all over the field.
S: Josh Jones and Hakim Jones both physically look great and were very solid. Safeties are a great position group for us. I'll throw nickel back Freddie Phillips in this discussion since I already mentioned Wright above, for a freshman, wow he really jumps out. Hard pressed to fine many freshman safeties that look the part more than Freddie Phillips. Great energy at practice and seemed to know what he was doing.
Coaching: Great to see the coaches interact with the guys. The only laugh and joke around with the guys, but when it comes to giving instruction they light a fire under the guys. Canada and Huxtuable both really get after their guys and Coach Barlow and Coach White were constantly coaching up their secondary guys.
Funny moment: Coach Canada jumps all over Elliot Davis for running the wrong back. He is walking back towards huddle and Canada screaming, "that's right, you ran the wrong route" Elliot walks back looking very confused. Coach McDonald lets Canada know that Davis was actually 3rd WR in that group and his route was correct. Canada only remark, "Sorry, should have asked." Davis walks away still confused.
Team Chemistry seems to be really really high. Seems like a really great group of guys. I expect big things from this group.
I'm thinking anything less than 9 wins (including bowls) would be a disappointment for this group. They really have the ability to do big things this year.
About 50-70 students came out I would say, hard to tell because everyone was spread out down the sidelines. Cullen Homolka came over and chatted with the students. Coach Doeren came around and shook hands and thanked us for being there. Also took a picture with Coach D and several players with all the students there.
Great even, hope it continues.
QB: I thought Jacoby looked really sharp. Still missed on several deep ball connections, but overall, really sharp. Jalan was a little disappointing on the day, but everyone has off days. MIssed a lot of throws. Jakobi throws a really good ball. Good pace and a tight spiral. QB position looks in great shape
RB: Matt Dayes really stood out with his catching ability and also had a few nice runs in 11v11 action. Didn't really notice Shad or any of the other RB's doing anything spectacular on this particular day. As others have mentioned JF was a non-factor and I'd expect him to redshirt.
WR: The walk-ons or former walkons made the most plays in my opinion. Naquan Brown is really put together and had several nice catches.Ben Grazen and Gavin Locklear caught everything thrown their way as did Chandler Belk. Ramos played well and had a awesome 1 handed catch for TD. Ramos had several sharp routes as well. Nyheim Hines wil be a fan favorite and a special player before he leaves NC State. He was running with the 1's. You get excited when he touches the ball. The only other WR that stood out was Elliot Davis, the former CB. He looked ot have nice potential
TE: J-Sam is everything that has been said on this board. Just a special talent and will have to be used a ton this year. Benson Browne was getting some first team run.today, and did fine. Micah Till and David Grinnage are both massive TE's. Saw Cole Cook in more of a H-Back role than traditional TE a couple of times.
OL: Starting 5: Thuney (tackle) Adams, Schooley, Barr, Richardson. They didn't do anything that really stood out during 11v11 but didn't look bad either. Not the best setting for observing line play
DL: Starters were Chubb, Rose, Hill, and Street. That looks like quite the stout group. Once again not the best setting to view the DL, but they look the part. Justin Jones will play a big role this year. Looked like Monty Nelson and Kenton Gibbs were both banged up. For sure on Nelson, I think on Gibbs, no jersey number on his yellow medical jersey.
LB: Starters were Fernandez and Moore and I'd call Dravious Wright a line backer as well from our scheme that I saw. Wright physically stands out and was making plays every time he was called upon. He is going to have a really big year. Maybe the best defensive player on our team from what I observed
CB; Starters were Tocho and Burris. Jack looked great, really good cover skills. Burris still got beat several times during drills, but overall a good starting tandem with plenty of experience. Mike Stevens was out today with slight knee injury. Didn't look to be major. Niles clark made plays all over the field.
S: Josh Jones and Hakim Jones both physically look great and were very solid. Safeties are a great position group for us. I'll throw nickel back Freddie Phillips in this discussion since I already mentioned Wright above, for a freshman, wow he really jumps out. Hard pressed to fine many freshman safeties that look the part more than Freddie Phillips. Great energy at practice and seemed to know what he was doing.
Coaching: Great to see the coaches interact with the guys. The only laugh and joke around with the guys, but when it comes to giving instruction they light a fire under the guys. Canada and Huxtuable both really get after their guys and Coach Barlow and Coach White were constantly coaching up their secondary guys.
Funny moment: Coach Canada jumps all over Elliot Davis for running the wrong back. He is walking back towards huddle and Canada screaming, "that's right, you ran the wrong route" Elliot walks back looking very confused. Coach McDonald lets Canada know that Davis was actually 3rd WR in that group and his route was correct. Canada only remark, "Sorry, should have asked." Davis walks away still confused.
Team Chemistry seems to be really really high. Seems like a really great group of guys. I expect big things from this group.
I'm thinking anything less than 9 wins (including bowls) would be a disappointment for this group. They really have the ability to do big things this year.
About 50-70 students came out I would say, hard to tell because everyone was spread out down the sidelines. Cullen Homolka came over and chatted with the students. Coach Doeren came around and shook hands and thanked us for being there. Also took a picture with Coach D and several players with all the students there.
Great even, hope it continues.
