Good Afternoon-I'm on my intermission between open practice and our player/coach interviews at the top of the hour, so here are my notes from today's media availability:
- The biggest news: Chico Bennett was in a knee brace and on crutches. I'm not diagnosing anything, and we'll hear from Tony Elliott at 6pm, but it seems like something that will keep him out a while. He was in street clothes
- Other players in yellow jerseys today, some participating a bit and others not at all: McKale Boley, Jimmy Christ, Malik Washington, Kobe Pace, Cody Brown, Antonio Clary, TeKai Kirby, Will Simpkins, Davis Lane, Donte Hawthorne, Noah Josey, Hayden Rollison, Miles Greene
- As always, this isn't a comprehensive list as guys will rotate in and out of yellow and we can't see everyone spread across three fields. It is also worth keeping in mind that a guy being in yellow isn't the end of the world. It happens all the time and is usually precautionary.
- Antonio Clary had a boot on last week, and while he was still in yellow today, he had no boot and was moving around pretty good.
- Tayvonn Kyle was in a green penny, but was running around and seemed okay. He was in yellow on Saturday.
- It was a crowded practice today, with ACC Network in attendance, as well as a bunch of pro scouts and some other VIPs. NFL teams represented today included the Vikings, Jaguars, Lions, Steelers and Eagles. Hall-of-Fame DB Darrell Green was also in attendance, along with his son Jared who played at UVa.
- In today's practice we saw more special teams focus, with some field goals from Bettridge, Bruout and Ganyard. All of the ones I saw went through the uprights and looked good. Holder Jared Rayman and Bettridge appear to have worked on a celebration for made field goals, as well.
- There were also some gunner drills, and kick return work. I saw Mike Hollins, Suderian Harrison, Demick Starling, Jaden Gibson and others working on returns.
- Also in the return group was Delaney Crawford, who was no longer in the orange QB jersey. Later, he was working with the receivers, so perhaps he has made the switch to WR. It wouldn't come as a huge surprise, as he seemed to be behind walk-on Grady Brosterhaus in the QB pecking order.
- For the last few minutes of open practice, we got to see a drill we saw last fall camp, where a RB takes a handoff, and there are blocks between cones at three levels (OL vs DL, WR/TE/RB vs LB, WR vs DB). It's a fun drill, as you get to see multiple 1-on-1s and it's always very competitive. Perris Jones made his way through the drill unscathed the most of the RBs, but Mike Hollins and Jack Griese did as well, among others.
- There were three reps that stood out. One one, Malachi Fields drove freshman DB Caleb Hardy completely out of the play, drawing cheers from his teammates on offense. WR Coach Adam Mims told Fields to "put his ass in the dirt" next time.
- On another rep, freshman receiver Jaden Gibson did just that to Malcolm Greene, which led to a light scuffle between the two as they went to the ground around a bunch of teammates. Gibson and Greene did the rep again, and while it was competitive, it seemed like Gibson won again.
- Ben Smiley dominated one rep, pushing aside his blocker (Blake Steen, I believe), and stood up the running back at the line of scrimmage.
