Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Mountaineers Get Some Good Scrimmage Work In Saturday
March 30, 2019 03:12 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – There were a lot of positives during West Virginia's first controlled scrimmage of the spring, according to coach Neal Brown.
He said the defense had the upper hand during the early portion of the scrimmage while the offense performed better during situational work, specifically third down, red zone and goal line situations.
Half of this morning's work was a normal practice and half was scrimmaging, he said.
"This is the most live work we've done," Brown noted afterward. Overall, he indicated the defense is a little bit ahead of the offense right now, which is to be expected.
"Some of that is because of experience and some of that is the way it works early in spring ball," Brown said.
Brown cited the Stills brothers, Darius and Dante, for their work up front on the defensive line. Both made a number of plays in the backfield.
"That's a positive and I'm excited about those guys," he said. "I think they've made a lot of improvement the first two weeks."
He also mentioned the play of junior college transfer Taijh Alston of Copiah-Lincoln Community College.
"He's going to be a player. He's got the right mindset," Brown said. "He's got good ball-get-off. He's strong. He's coachable and he's been really good."
Others Brown singled out on the defensive side of the ball were linebackers Dylan Tonkery and Josh Chandler, and defensive backs Josh Norwood and Kenny Robinson Jr.
Offensively, Brown noted the work of junior T.J. Simmons at wide receiver. The former Alabama transfer caught a 69-yard touchdown pass from Austin Kendall to jumpstart that unit.
He also singled out the work of redshirt freshmen receivers Sam James and Bryce Wheaton, the latter catching a 35-yard-plus touchdown pass from Jack Allison later in the scrimmage.
Brown said James made a great double move for a touchdown during goal line and he loves Wheaton's outstanding size as a pass-catching target.
"Bryce as a huge catch radius, which quarterbacks like to throw to, especially down in the red zone," he noted. James and Wheaton are currently playing on opposite sides while Simmons has been rotating between inside and outside receivers.
Redshirt freshman Dylan Spalding was another young pass catcher who earned praise for his work today, especially in the red zone.
Among the running backs, Brown said Kennedy McKoy shined during goal line drills while Alek Sinkfield performed the best among the running backs in the open field.
One area of concern is offensive line, minus starting right guard Josh Sills for today's practice. Sills got rolled up from behind during yesterday's practice and was wearing a knee brace during practice this morning.
"We kind of really dodged a big bullet with him because it really looked bad on film but we got a good prognosis on him," Brown said.
The coach said linebacker VanDarius Cowan is slowed with a hamstring issue that kept him out of today's scrimmage and wide receiver Marcus Simms was not at practice today dealing with what Brown termed a "personal issue."
The Mountaineers will resume spring work on Tuesday afternoon.
Briefly:
* The team practiced today in the stadium in front of a large contingent of high school coaches and junior prospects and their families. A Big 12 crew was on hand for the first time this spring to officiate today's scrimmage.
* Brown said Tonkery's reps at linebacker are still being monitored. "He looks full-speed to me. There is a significant difference when he's in the game and when he's not."
* Brown and his staff keep a list of the best and worst performers during each practice and he said Tonkery, Chandler, Norwood and Sinkfield are some of the players most frequently on the best list.
He would not divulge those making the worst list, but he does keep one.
* Brown admitted offensive line is probably his biggest concern right now. There were instances during today's scrimmage when that group really struggled blocking West Virginia's defensive line, particularly the Stills brothers and Alston.
"We need to be better there, especially in the run game," Brown mentioned. "Maybe our most talented position is running back but if we don't give them space to run the ball it kind of voids our strength."
Having Sills out today was clearly a factor in that unit's effectiveness.
"With Colton (McKivitz) on left and Sills on the right, they're our two most veteran players and things work more smoothly when both of them are out there communication wise," Brown explained.
He also mentioned having some concern about a new holder for returning place kicker Evan Staley, who made 16-of-20 field goals last year and led the team with 107 points. That has been impacting his timing a little bit right now on placements.
He said the defense had the upper hand during the early portion of the scrimmage while the offense performed better during situational work, specifically third down, red zone and goal line situations.
Half of this morning's work was a normal practice and half was scrimmaging, he said.
"This is the most live work we've done," Brown noted afterward. Overall, he indicated the defense is a little bit ahead of the offense right now, which is to be expected.
"Some of that is because of experience and some of that is the way it works early in spring ball," Brown said.
Brown cited the Stills brothers, Darius and Dante, for their work up front on the defensive line. Both made a number of plays in the backfield.
"That's a positive and I'm excited about those guys," he said. "I think they've made a lot of improvement the first two weeks."
He also mentioned the play of junior college transfer Taijh Alston of Copiah-Lincoln Community College.
"He's going to be a player. He's got the right mindset," Brown said. "He's got good ball-get-off. He's strong. He's coachable and he's been really good."
Others Brown singled out on the defensive side of the ball were linebackers Dylan Tonkery and Josh Chandler, and defensive backs Josh Norwood and Kenny Robinson Jr.
Offensively, Brown noted the work of junior T.J. Simmons at wide receiver. The former Alabama transfer caught a 69-yard touchdown pass from Austin Kendall to jumpstart that unit.
He also singled out the work of redshirt freshmen receivers Sam James and Bryce Wheaton, the latter catching a 35-yard-plus touchdown pass from Jack Allison later in the scrimmage.
Brown said James made a great double move for a touchdown during goal line and he loves Wheaton's outstanding size as a pass-catching target.
"Bryce as a huge catch radius, which quarterbacks like to throw to, especially down in the red zone," he noted. James and Wheaton are currently playing on opposite sides while Simmons has been rotating between inside and outside receivers.
Redshirt freshman Dylan Spalding was another young pass catcher who earned praise for his work today, especially in the red zone.
Among the running backs, Brown said Kennedy McKoy shined during goal line drills while Alek Sinkfield performed the best among the running backs in the open field.
One area of concern is offensive line, minus starting right guard Josh Sills for today's practice. Sills got rolled up from behind during yesterday's practice and was wearing a knee brace during practice this morning.
"We kind of really dodged a big bullet with him because it really looked bad on film but we got a good prognosis on him," Brown said.
The coach said linebacker VanDarius Cowan is slowed with a hamstring issue that kept him out of today's scrimmage and wide receiver Marcus Simms was not at practice today dealing with what Brown termed a "personal issue."
The Mountaineers will resume spring work on Tuesday afternoon.
Briefly:
* The team practiced today in the stadium in front of a large contingent of high school coaches and junior prospects and their families. A Big 12 crew was on hand for the first time this spring to officiate today's scrimmage.
* Brown said Tonkery's reps at linebacker are still being monitored. "He looks full-speed to me. There is a significant difference when he's in the game and when he's not."
* Brown and his staff keep a list of the best and worst performers during each practice and he said Tonkery, Chandler, Norwood and Sinkfield are some of the players most frequently on the best list.
He would not divulge those making the worst list, but he does keep one.
* Brown admitted offensive line is probably his biggest concern right now. There were instances during today's scrimmage when that group really struggled blocking West Virginia's defensive line, particularly the Stills brothers and Alston.
"We need to be better there, especially in the run game," Brown mentioned. "Maybe our most talented position is running back but if we don't give them space to run the ball it kind of voids our strength."
Having Sills out today was clearly a factor in that unit's effectiveness.
"With Colton (McKivitz) on left and Sills on the right, they're our two most veteran players and things work more smoothly when both of them are out there communication wise," Brown explained.
He also mentioned having some concern about a new holder for returning place kicker Evan Staley, who made 16-of-20 field goals last year and led the team with 107 points. That has been impacting his timing a little bit right now on placements.
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
K
/ Football
LB
/ FootballTV Highlights: Houston Game
Sunday, November 02
Scotty Fox Jr. | Nov. 1
Saturday, November 01
Diore Hubbard | Nov. 1
Saturday, November 01
Jordan Scruggs | Nov. 1
Saturday, November 01
