Things are starting to shake out as the season gets closer and closer. Just like every team, the Irish are getting their share of bad breaks. In addition to Danny Spond’s serious injury, Brian Kelly announced that Tony Springmann suffered a high ankle sprain, keeping him out against Temple.
True freshman linebacker Doug Randolph will miss the season as well, having surgery to repair a shoulder injury that he brought with him to South Bend. Randolph was a redshirt candidate to start with, but the front seven numbers aren’t quite where Kelly and company want them yet.
Much more to dig into this week, but let’s walk through yesterday’s UND.com practice report.
0:20 -- Jack Nolan reports it’s the fifteenth practice of training camp. With “installation” all but complete, expect the depth chart to start working itself out shortly as the team begins preparation for Temple.
0:44 -- Senior Prince Shembo gets really into breaking the team down, adding a bit more flair to the daily standard. Shembo is a downright terrifying football player.
1:09 -- An interesting passing drill being worked on here, as Tommy Rees (11) hits Davaris Daniels (10) with an outside shoulder pass. Ball placement seems to be the key here and Rees puts the throw in perfect position.
1:11 -- It looks like Romeo Okwara (45) is working on his drops into coverage, with Bob Diaco doing his best to play quarterback. With Danny Spond injured, it could mean more time for Okwara, who did slide over to the weak side of the field early last year when Spond was out.
1:13 -- Tommy Rees steps up into the pocket and delivers a strong throw to Troy Niklas for a red zone touchdown.
1:17 -- Rees hits TJ Jones on a crossing route in traffic.
1:21 -- Bennett Jackson breaks up a corner route thrown into the end zone for Luke Massa (14).
1:24 -- Davaris Daniels gets a step on Jackson in one-on-one coverage.
1:27 -- Rees delivers a bullet to the back of the end zone where freshman Corey Robinson makes an incredible catch. While he still hasn’t suited up or played a game yet for the Irish, Robinson is already putting together a highlight reel filled with circus catches.
1:32 -- A very nice play by Jalen Brown (21) breaking up the deep ball headed towards Daniels.
1:35 -- It’s tough to make out who delivered the throw, but it’s a perfect one to Daniels who gets a step on Brown this time before Eilar Hardy (4) can come over to help. That’s a big play downfield by the offense.
1:39 -- Not the best throw by Rees, who throws behind Jones in a goal line passing drills.
1:43 -- That’s a much better toss by Rees, who delivers a strike on the roll for a big gain. (Maybe to Ben Koyack?)
1:47 -- It looks like the Irish ran that play out of the pistol formation, with Rees in the shotgun and handing it to George Atkinson (4). Shembo came crashing off the edge like a man on fire.
It looks as if Jaylon Smith has slid into the starting lineup, running with the No. 1 defense in this rep.
1:54 -- We’re getting quite a serving of red zone reps here, with Rees throwing a strike to Chris Brown (2) for six points.
1:57 -- Another nice catch by Davaris Daniels, who comes right into your living room as he nearly takes out the camera man.
2:00 -- Corey Robinson lined up on the outside and Amir Carlisle (3) lined up in the slot. The Irish could do a lot worse than that... especially with Robinson looking really, really lethal in the limited reps we’ve seen.
That’s the true freshman beating Bennett Jackson deep down the field.
2:05 -- Some interesting twists on a standard handoff to George Atkinson, with Daniels coming around end selling the fake.
2:09 -- Heckuva play by Lo Wood (23) going up over the top of Chris Brown to break up the pass.
2:10 -- It looks like Greg Bryant has some room to work in the middle of the field. A nice run against the No. 1 defense.
2:15 -- Eilar Hardy comes down hard in the box and makes a play in the backfield, getting Bob Diaco fired up.
2:22 -- That’s another big time catch by Corey Robinson, beating Bennett Jackson again with the circus play.
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