Hello fellow
Viking fans. Well after Monday’s afternoon practice there are only 2 days left
in Mankato. I have made it all 13 days and will say this. It is my 20th
year and maybe the nicest weather I have ever got to enjoy while watching
practice.
Let’s look
at what happened this afternoon. I can say that from 2:45 until around 4 every
day it is a similar pattern of practice with much work on different drills. The
time I look forward to is around the 4 pm hour.
I stated
Sunday was a heavy dose of passing well Monday at 4 started a heavy dose of
running plays with all 5 backs on the roster getting their shot to carry.
I also
wanted to pay attention to who is lining up at wide out when the team came to
the line of scrimmage. I see Greg Jennings and Jerome Simpson to start and when
the team went 3 wide, Jarius Wright played slot receiver.
The
defensive side of the ball I saw Xavier Rhodes and Chris Cook line up as cornerbacks
once again. Rhodes is getting the last 2 days a heavy dose of first string
action. I saw Josh Robinson play the slot receiver again today. I am
envisioning this opening day.
Rhodes had
been out with an injury and now seems just fine. In staying in the health
department Sharrif Floyd was back on the field but limited reps. Audie Cole was
on the sideline Monday not participating but Tuesday he was back at it. In fact
one play he blew up a run play up the middle.
I watched to
see who would be 2nd team defense. It was at linebacker Larry Dean
and Desmond Bishop on the outside and Audie Cole was in the middle. The
cornerbacks were AJ Jefferson and Brandon Burton. The safeties were Andrew
Zendejo and Mistral Raymond. This is how Monday’s practice lined up so it many
mean nothing for the future. I was just curious to see how the team would
rotate after the 1st stringers came out.
7 on 7
drills were worked on like every day. Ponder I thought look sharp once again.
Cassel did not look bad either. He just had one hiccup where he threw a pick 6
with AJ Jefferson stepping in front of the receiver and taking it to the house.
It was a sweet play by Jefferson.
No huddle
was worked on heavily. Ponder marched the team down the field and ended the drive
with a TD pass to Jarius Wright.
Goal line
offense was worked on also. Ponder and the offense took on the 2nd
string defense and scored each time. Cassel lead the 2nd string
offense vs Vikes 1st stringers and did not have much luck.
I did notice
the matchups that make it intriguing to watch as 1st string Offense
vs 2nd string D and 2nd string 0ffense vs 1st
string D
I would like
to add a little about the quarterbacks. It seems as I have watched practice that
each quarterback is having success with at least one receiver. Ponder and
Jennings, Cassel and Patterson and Bethel-Thompson with Thielen.
I will also add
about Jennings as I watch the fact he can run every route and run them well.
The fact I l love about his game is he works and works to gets open. He breaks
off routes to help the quarterback. This will be something to watch as the
season continues.
The catch of
the day belongs to Joe Webb. Ball is
deep and in the air. You can hear players yelling “ball, ball, ball”!!. It is
double coverage deep down the sidelines. Webb adjusts his body to beat the 2
defenders for the ball drawing a cheer from the stands.
In the end I
had a thrill when I finally met Cordarrelle Patterson. He is a true crowd favorite
and gets heavily crowded when he comes to sign autographs at the fence outside
the locker room. Today’s crowd at the fence was thinner so I took my chance and
was rewarded. What a thrill!!
That’s all
from Mankato
Thanks for
reading
Purplestick
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