Training camp

[Total Red]

Scrimmage notes and thoughts:
- Rittenhouse was playing with the 2nd team offense. Threw an interception on the first play of overtime simulation on a deep ball to the end zone into double coverage. Was a decent ball I suppose, but the decision making might not be there at the D1 level quite yet. Still shows some potential though

I thought it was strong showing by Rittenhouse. On the int, it looked like a good decision when he let it go. Maybe it needed just a little more zip, but it was an accurate throw. It was really just a better play Keondre Jackson the safety, as he closed the gap and nabbed the ball. Jackson is rangy. He may not be Isbell but sometimes he's darn close.

 

[Birdswin]

I thought the scrimmage was at 4:00 this afternoon?? I least that is what the Pantagraph had listed the other day.

 

[Total Red]

I thought the scrimmage was at 4:00 this afternoon?? I least that is what the Pantagraph had listed the other day.

It was changed due to the weather. They tried to get the word out but obviously they weren't able to reach everyone. Actually 9 am wasn't much better with it drizzling much of the scrimmage. 10:30 a.m. would have been perfect but that's central Illinois weather.

 

[Dmills]

I thought it was strong showing by Rittenhouse. On the int, it looked like a good decision when he let it go. Maybe it needed just a little more zip, but it was an accurate throw. It was really just a better play Keondre Jackson the safety, as he closed the gap and nabbed the ball. Jackson is rangy. He may not be Isbell but sometimes he's darn close.

He did pretty good, I just personally would be nervous if he got thrust into action... but I suppose I would be the same way with any young quarterback.

 

[DaveBird10]

-Rittenhouse, I thought he looked really good. Looked a lot better then last year. There is talent there. Good to read he's been picking Annexstad brain.
- The interception i thought was the correct read but Jackson closed on that ball really well, was impressive.
-Jude Okolo as the starting nose impressed me, there's speed that we haven't had and he was giving interior o-line fits by getting up field fast.
- Wenkers Wright as the #2 back with 67 yards. He continues to impress and show great improvement over last year.

 

[Birddog]

I went to the scrimmage and was impressed with the defensive backfield. They looked fast.

Also the offense looked more dynamic in its approach to passing, moving the qb, throwing to backs, TEs, etc. And remember, most sacks that you may see in the stats weren’t close to being sacks. Even if a defensive player was running past the qb, put out a hand and touched the jersey, the whistle was blown.

To me, the most impressive passes were a back shoulder throw down the left side to #12 and a crossing route that appeared to be in rather tight coverage with a diving catch. There was one deep pass down the middle that was on the money and dropped if I recall. Likely a wet ball.

To my untrained eyes, the most glaring deficit is at wide out. I saw no one with the speed and length that could stretch a defense vertically. There were two passes made down the right sideline that were very well covered and had no chance of being caught but the ball was still thrown. Not sure if the coaches were testing the receiver or the quarterback there. Also, in fairness, there was a lot of bumping on the routes and no official there to make a call if one was warranted.

Hard to make specific judgments because you never know who and what the coaches are wanting to look at during these controlled scrimmages.

 

[Total Red]

-Rittenhouse, I thought he looked really good. Looked a lot better then last year. There is talent there. Good to read he's been picking Annexstad brain.
- The interception i thought was the correct read but Jackson closed on that ball really well, was impressive.
-Jude Okolo as the starting nose impressed me, there's speed that we haven't had and he was giving interior o-line fits by getting up field fast.
- Wenkers Wright as the #2 back with 67 yards. He continues to impress and show great improvement over last year.

Agree on Rittenhouse although he hasn't always been as accurate as he was yesterday. Hopefully the improvement will be the new standard for him. Where he has been very consistent is his rushing ability. He's scary quick when he takes off out of the pocket.

Wright did have the advantage of playing with the 1st team offense against the 2nd team defense. Some schools do that a lot and it doesn't make any sense to me. Why would you let your best players practice against inferior or less experienced opponents? No other sport (basketball, tennis, wrestling etc.) would do that. You want to know the techniques you're practicing will work against the best competition. Most of our scrimmage time is spent 1's on 1's, 2's on 2's. That was changed for the end of camp public scrimmage. I think Coach Spack was looking for a feel good moment where the #1 offense looked good against the #2 defense. It didn't go as smoothly as planned for the 1st team offense and Coach Spack was quoted in the Pantagraph as being a "little disappointed." He may have been a lot disappointed. Annexstad's numbers weren't very good for a 1's vs. 2's scrimmage, but his receivers have to do more to help him out. Carr led the receivers with 3 receptions but he missed a possible TD catch. Carr used his quickness to get open deep and he had a step on the defender, but he outright dropped a well throw ball. A long completion and possible TD would have given Annexstad a much better stat line.

 

[Total Red]

I went to the scrimmage and was impressed with the defensive backfield. They looked fast.

Also the offense looked more dynamic in its approach to passing, moving the qb, throwing to backs, TEs, etc. And remember, most sacks that you may see in the stats weren’t close to being sacks. Even if a defensive player was running past the qb, put out a hand and touched the jersey, the whistle was blown.

To me, the most impressive passes were a back shoulder throw down the left side to #12 and a crossing route that appeared to be in rather tight coverage with a diving catch. There was one deep pass down the middle that was on the money and dropped if I recall. Likely a wet ball.

To my untrained eyes, the most glaring deficit is at wide out. I saw no one with the speed and length that could stretch a defense vertically. There were two passes made down the right sideline that were very well covered and had no chance of being caught but the ball was still thrown. Not sure if the coaches were testing the receiver or the quarterback there. Also, in fairness, there was a lot of bumping on the routes and no official there to make a call if one was warranted.

Hard to make specific judgments because you never know who and what the coaches are wanting to look at during these controlled scrimmages.

That's the thing about team scrimmages. When receivers struggle to get open you don't know if the receivers are bad or if the secondary is really good. I'm have some cautious optimism on the receiving group. I think Annexstad can check down to shorter completions to TE's and RB's. If you do that consistently then sooner or later something will pop open deep, although we're more likely to see that against Valpo than Wisconsin.

 

[Total Red]

To me, the most impressive passes were a back shoulder throw down the left side to #12 and a crossing route that appeared to be in rather tight coverage with a diving catch. There was one deep pass down the middle that was on the money and dropped if I recall. Likely a wet ball.

The program they handed out does not list a #12 on the roster but I don't think you read it wrong. I believe #12 was Dan Sobkowicz who just went from walk-on to scholarship status. GoRedbirds credited Sobkowicz with a 27-yard catch.

 

[Total Red]

QB Rittenhouse is with the 2nd team offense. It will be interesting to watch him jitterbug around if he gets in the game at Wisconsin. TE co-starters Deming and Taula remain a strength, but Scotty Presson gave us something to think about with his 54-yard catch and run in the Passages scrimmage. Annexstad has some good big targets to throw to. He'll need them.