Thoughts
- We get our first look at Kingsbury as spring practice is really underway. Kingsbury confirmed that the team practiced in full pads and there was some chippiness and fights and guys were ready to hit. That’s good. Perhaps the most interesting thing to me is that Kingsbury says that he spends a ton of time /wistful shot of Kingsbury looking at video of footbaw plays and then cut to shot of Kingsbury drawing on his whiteboard/ looking at other offenses and then implementing those concepts into the spring. And just looking at that whiteboard and seeing what’s written there would be so much fun.
- Errybody sorta swoons (at least I did) when you get that one clip where Kingsbury is hanging back with Jett Duffey to teach Duffey a finer point about the passing game. Of course Kingsbury does that with Payne Sullins too.
- Kingsbury does mention Ondre Pipkins and and Kolin Hill and guys that he hopes step in and play immediately. D’Vonta Hinton and Dakota Allen are also guys that are improving and can continue to play as well as possible. I’m still reserved about what to think about Pipkins. He was great coming out of high school, but he was merely a role player at Michigan. I know he was injured, but maybe that also speaks as to why he didn’t play a ton, just may not have a body that can stand up. I’m hopeful, but not getting my hopes up. With Hill, I’m all in on Hill and think he should be terrific. I had this same feeling last year about Mike Mitchell and was totally wrong. Don’t want to be wrong twice.
- Derrick Willies, Dylan Cantrell, Tony Brown, Reginald Davis, Jonathan Giles, Keke Coutee, Cameron Batson are all guys that Kingsbury mentioned as guys that need more time with Patrick Mahomes and would guess that these are going to be the main group of guys thus far. De’Quan Bowman is the notable exception, as well as Quan Shorts and Donta Thompson, but in the post-practice video, Kingsbury that those guys are still elarning the final points of their positions, Thompson having to play a different position and Shorts still learning the nuances of the position.
- Kingsbury said that Rusty Whitt has challenged the guys this year, going at a different pace and a different speed. Someone asked what was going on last year, and I think it would be disingenious to say that this team didn’t lift weights, but I do think that Whitt has more of an emphasis on lifting weights than Chad Dennis. And although some of the bodies may change quickly, I’d guess that the real change doesn’t come until the summer workouts. I think that’s where we’ll see that significant bump. I really hope we see some bodies that have changed by the time fall camp rolls around.
- A lot of the young guys were happy to get a chance to step-up and not be afraid of the moment. The good thing they aren’t having to do a lot of install, which is great, because they’re veterans, but just haven’t had an opportunity to play a lot.
- Kingsbury said that Tony Brown is going to be a more consistent player and said that he’s bigger. Kingsbury also mentioned Reginald Davis as a guy that continues to improve. Kingsbury said the same thing last year and I sometimes get the feeling that Davis is a guy that needs that positive affirmation rather than getting down on him.
- Kingsbury said that Jett Duffey has been studying and said that he’s a competitor and it’s going to be a huge spring for Duffey. Duffey does look much bigger:
@Will_R_Mckay brah…kid can spin tho… @Jett8Duffey pic.twitter.com/AFIadC0p1E
— Brian Holland (@BHollandSports) March 9, 2016
- Kingsbury Malik Jenkins has played well, said that Jamile Johnson has stepped up and played well, while Johnathan Picone is getting a lot of reps as well. It appears that the main idea here is that there is more depth at linebacker than previously and I think I’d agree with that.
- Kingsbury said that Madison Akamnonu and Terence Steele will have to group up quickly, which speaks to what I think could be a problem which is that these two guys are the best tackles and maybe two of the few tackles on the team.