The 'Canes were back in action today at Spring Practice #5. Media wasn't allowed for too long, but still enough time for a few observations from today's short practice.
OFFENSE:
- O-Line drills were intense today. Coach Cristobal watched intently over them and made sure they went 100 percent. Francis Mauigoa (61) expectedly looked the best out of the bunch.
- With the focused protection, the backfield broke off a couple runs. Mark Fletcher Jr. (4) broke off two house calls from what I saw, a good sign for the new lead back.
- All of the wide receivers continue to look great. Each of them goes through their routes well and make catches with THEIR HANDS.
- Malachi Toney (12) had a nice hands catch during his reps, and Jojo Trader (0) won all of his reps. The pair find soft spots in zone and expose it.
- Freshman Luka Gilbert (88) worked on the line of scrimmage today blocking. He continues to add size and also looked good with his routes.
DEFENSE:
- There was a clear focus on tackling today with each level of the defense. It’s good to see key players bringing intensity with those drills.
- Xavier Lucas (6) moves really well for being a larger corner, pairs really well with Chuck Brantley (19).
- Just like the O-line, the D-line also brought intensity today. Coach Taylor was hyping his guys up when they won reps, namely Justin Scott (5) and Armondo Blount (18).
- David Blay (11) impressed me, consistently being a problem in the trenches. Freshman Donta Simpson (93) also got reps against the starters.
- As for the linebackers, Kellen Wiley Jr. (30) just stands out with his build. Certainly looks the part already as a freshman.
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