SHELLS GAME
Tuesday morning's practice was the first in shoulder pads.  It's nice to hear the pads popping again, even though there were not any compete periods.  We took time to teach tempo to our scout teams and they did a nice job for the most part in playing with their hands and feet.  We should be able to get most of the same things done in shells that we do in full pads, and we will practice a lot in the later part of the season in shells.  It just takes an investment in teaching time early in camp.

Personnel-wise, the QB group had their best day so far as a collective group.  Wednesday also marked the opening of the competition to replace D-Mar at Fullback (yes, I said Fullback.  We are one of the few teams that still plays with and recruits Fullbacks.  And we'll continue to recruit those guys!).  Sophomore Vance Cramer (6'1" 215) and recently un-retired Adam Hayes (6'0" 230) took the bulk of the reps in the I-formation, and both had nice practices.  Vance is a little bigger than he was last year, where he saw significant playing time, and Adam has been busy as a thrower in the Track and Field program, so there is some rust there but he showed flashes.  TE Alex Moise (6'2" 235) showed nice hands in all of the work today with the QBs.  

Defensively, Dontaie Ferguson continues to be impressive at Linebacker.  He's really flying around and practicing well.  We'll have to wait until the pads come-on and we get some varsity reps to see who's going to be the Mike LB.  Derrick Romo's name keeps coming-up in meetings and in film.  The transfer Safety from Orange Coast College has a nice frame and is very smooth with his footwork, and he is picking-up our coverage schemes quickly.

It was a little wet on the grass when we came out this morning, and freshman Sean Bellotti put on a clinic in kicking a wet football without falling on his rear end.  Being from Oregon, he's had more practice than anyone else in kicking a wet football and handling a wet track, but he hit the ball like an all-state kicker/punter (which he was) today in the kickoff coverage period.

Tomorrow morning we will see our 1-v-1 and 2-v-2 groups in a run compete period, as well as in 7-on-7.  The next couple of practices will go a long way in setting the depth charts which will impact the number of reps guys are getting.  COMPETE!

Here's coach Mac's thoughts on CLU's third practice of fall camp...