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Observations from the portion of practice open to media:
1. As coach Geoff Collins is prepping new players for the pattern of a game week, he ran a practice similar to the Thursday practices of the season. (The team will go through its normal game-day procedures before the scrimmage Saturday.) Included were periods for 11-on-11 play that normally would be offense versus scout-team defense and later defense versus scout-team offense, but on this day pitted the likely starting (and backup) units against each other.
There also were periods for special teams and situational play for the offense and defense.
2. Another part of Thursday practices that was included in the schedule was “Thursday Races,” in which players on the kickoff coverage team sprint down the field, with the fastest players having their mph speed (as measured by the team’s wearable GPS devices) read out over the loudspeakers. (The spirit of the drill is set with the playing of the opening bars of Kenny Loggins’ “Highway to the Danger Zone.”) Players who hit 21 mph: defensive backs Derrik Allen, Kenny Bennett, Eric Reed, Rodney Shelley, Zamari Walton, Kenyatta Watson, running back Daylon Gordon, wide receivers Avery Boyd and Ryan King and linebacker Demetrius Knight.
Watson was the fastest at 21.7 mph. Knight’s speed (21.3 mph) might have been the most impressive, as he is the heaviest of the group, toting 247 pounds.
3. Boyd made two superlative catches in a subsequent 11-on-11 period. In both, he was tightly covered on deep routes down the sideline – first by Reed and then Watson – but was able to come down with the ball both times. Against Watson, he appeared to make the catch one-handed. In a show of sportsmanship, Watson offered a fist bump to Boyd after the drill ended. Boyd, who played in only six games last season, is competing for a spot in the wide receiver rotation.
4. The handful of NFL scouts visiting practice took advantage of a water break to chat with defensive end Keion White, possibly the top draft prospect on the roster. It is another indicator of the expectations for White, who was able to play only the final four games of last season (his first at Tech after transferring from Old Dominion) because of an injury.
www.ajc.com
1. As coach Geoff Collins is prepping new players for the pattern of a game week, he ran a practice similar to the Thursday practices of the season. (The team will go through its normal game-day procedures before the scrimmage Saturday.) Included were periods for 11-on-11 play that normally would be offense versus scout-team defense and later defense versus scout-team offense, but on this day pitted the likely starting (and backup) units against each other.
There also were periods for special teams and situational play for the offense and defense.
2. Another part of Thursday practices that was included in the schedule was “Thursday Races,” in which players on the kickoff coverage team sprint down the field, with the fastest players having their mph speed (as measured by the team’s wearable GPS devices) read out over the loudspeakers. (The spirit of the drill is set with the playing of the opening bars of Kenny Loggins’ “Highway to the Danger Zone.”) Players who hit 21 mph: defensive backs Derrik Allen, Kenny Bennett, Eric Reed, Rodney Shelley, Zamari Walton, Kenyatta Watson, running back Daylon Gordon, wide receivers Avery Boyd and Ryan King and linebacker Demetrius Knight.
Watson was the fastest at 21.7 mph. Knight’s speed (21.3 mph) might have been the most impressive, as he is the heaviest of the group, toting 247 pounds.
3. Boyd made two superlative catches in a subsequent 11-on-11 period. In both, he was tightly covered on deep routes down the sideline – first by Reed and then Watson – but was able to come down with the ball both times. Against Watson, he appeared to make the catch one-handed. In a show of sportsmanship, Watson offered a fist bump to Boyd after the drill ended. Boyd, who played in only six games last season, is competing for a spot in the wide receiver rotation.
4. The handful of NFL scouts visiting practice took advantage of a water break to chat with defensive end Keion White, possibly the top draft prospect on the roster. It is another indicator of the expectations for White, who was able to play only the final four games of last season (his first at Tech after transferring from Old Dominion) because of an injury.
Observations from Georgia Tech’s 11th preseason football practice
Georgia Tech’s preparations for the season continued Thursday as the clock counting down to the start of the season grows louder.
