Posts Tagged ‘Lansford Watson’

April 23rd, 2009 | 10:51 am

Spring Practice No. 14- What we’ve learned…

It’s all over but the spring game for the Terp football team after today’s 14th spring practice.

But in some aspects, we don’t know much more than when spring practice started.

Certain issues have been constant themes in Ralph’s post-practice chats, including the battles at the offensive line, tight end and fullback positions.

 The young offensive line has plenty of options and little experience. Without starting left tackle Bruce Campbell due to academic issues, it has been interesting to watch guys such as R.J. Dill, Paul Pinegar and Tyler Bowen practice at both tackle spots, while knowing they are essentially battling for one position. The guard race is just as jumbled with players such as Lamar Young, Andrew Gonnella and Justin Lewis showing flashes of brilliance but nothing close to winning the job.

“I expected it on the line. I thought that’s what would happen because it’s a young bunch of guys,” Friedgen said. “The tight ends, I was hoping someone would emerge. Maybe they’re just all about the same. But we’ve got to get better from a blocking and route-running standpoint.”

Friedgen’s secondary point focuses on a group that includes Matt Furstenberg, Tommy Galt, Lansford Watson and Devonte Campbell trying to earn major playing time.

Friedgen was much more pessimistic about the play of this group as it develops under new position coach Charles Bankins.

“To me, it’s put them in a bag and shake them up, and whoever comes out plays,” Friedgen said of his tight end group, which is trying to replace starter Dan Gronkowski. “That’s the way I feel right now. Nobody’s elevated themselves.”

Ditto in the race for the back-up fullback spot behind senior Corey Jackson, who has missed all of spring ball after knee surgery. The talk has been about reserves Taylor Watson and Haroon Brown, who each saw time last year. But apparently, neither has impressed Friedgen enough to separate themselves.

Today, the 9th-year coach talked about the work of Louis Berman, a linebacker who has lined up at fullback recently.

“He may win the second team job,” Friedgen said. “He was hitting people today. I like that.”

I guess the moral here is clear: Sometimes the more you see, the less you know. But when fall camp rolls around something has got to give.

Terp Notes: Da’Rel Scott had an MRI on his injured knee yesterday, and Friedgen said the results confirmed that it is a low-grade ACL strain that shouldn’t linger more than a few weeks. He won’t play in Saturday’s Red-White Game…Wide receiver Torrey Smith (hamstring) and tackle Paul Pinegar (knee) were shaken up during today’s workout. Friedgen didn’t expect either of them to be serious, but their statuses for Saturday are not known. Friedgen said he tried to limit hitting in their last workout and was disappointed there were still injuries….Because of the injuries, Friedgen said Saturday’s game could go to a running-clock format in the second half.

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April 3rd, 2009 | 12:55 pm

What to Watch For: Saturday’s Scrimmage

Terp coach Ralph Friedgen doesn’t really know what to expect when his team has its first intrasquad scrimmage of the spring tomorrow at 10 a.m.

It makes sense. His team has to replace 12 starters, and several more key players are sitting out the spring with injuries. His starting middle linebacker right now, Drew Gloster, played tight end last season. But Saturday provides a chance for Gloster and other inexperienced players to get valuable reps in game-like situations.

There are a variety of things to look out for, from Don Brown’s new defense to Jamarr Robinson’s quest to win the back-up quarterback spot.

Friedgen said he’s hoping to see a good effort from his young offensive line, which has been inconsistent through the first five workouts. Left tackle Bruce Campbell, who is sitting out the midweek workouts to focus on his school work, is expected to participate.

“We got corrected what we didn’t do right Tuesday, but then some more issues came up,” Friedgen said Thursday.

That goes along with his major emphasis for the scrimmage, which will be running the ball and stopping the run. While they seem to be opposing ideas, it means expect plenty of hitting during the scrimmage, which will consist of between 35-40 plays for each of the three offensive and defensive units.

That’s good news for at least one player. Tight end Lansford Watson said he’s looking forward to the chance to get after his teammates a little bit.

“That’s when the real football players show up,” Watson said. “Right now, when we’re not hitting, everybody is going to look good. But when you get your first hit, that’s when you find out who the real football players are on the team.”

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October 9th, 2008 | 01:25 pm

Gronko’s Modern Life

In a lot of ways, Terrapin tight end Dan Gronkowski is a model collegiate football player. He paid his dues and constantly improved as a player, graduated in three years, and now he is finally making an impact in the passing game as a fifth-year senior.

Here are a few thoughts I couldn’t weave into today’s story on the 6-foot-6, 255 pound player that quarterback Chris Turner compared physically to 300 character Leonidas:

 Gronkowski spoke candidly about his twice-weekly, summer Yoga workouts over at the Eppley Recreation Center. It’s hard to tell if he was good or not. (Center Edwin Williams said he was one of the best in the group of Terp big men who hit the yoga mats this summer, while tight end Lansford Watson declared him one of the worst.) But Gronkowski asserted that he can definitely feel the difference in his mobility thanks to the workouts, even if they stretched him to the limit.

“It’s really tough and challenging, especially being so big with tight muscles and stuff,” Gronkowski said. “The girl who did it really made it tough. It’s a big challenge, and I think she [the instructor] gets a kick out of making the big guys stretch and do all the crazy poses.”

When I initially interviewed Gronkowski for this piece on the Tuesday before the Virginia game, he was very excited about his sibling rivalry. He talked about competing numbers wise with his three brothers currently playing football (two at Arizona, one in high school). Back then he was feeling good about leading his brothers in catches and yards and being tied for the Gronkowski lead in touchdowns. But Wednesday he seemed much less confident in his abilities to stack up against younger brother, Rob, who was a freshman All-American at Arizona last season. Rob missed the first three games of this season due to mononucleosis but bounced back to score five touchdowns in his first two games of the season.

“If I don’t make it [in the NFL], I’m going to go live with him,” Gronkowski joked.

And here’s a final quote to sum up what he means to this team from Watson when asked what it means to play with a guy who has lined up alongside NFL tight ends Vernon Davis and Joey Haynos.

“It’s an honor to be out there with him because he’s hopefully going to be in the NFL next year,” Watson said. “I’m taking whatever I’ve got to take in from him, so I can do it next year.”

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