HUNTINGTON - Quarterback Mark Cann and the offense looked efficient in team drills in Marshall's 13th spring practice Wednesday, and it helped that a few more weapons were more involved.
HUNTINGTON - Quarterback Mark Cann and the offense looked efficient in team drills in Marshall's 13th spring practice Wednesday, and it helped that a few more weapons were more involved.
When Darius Passmore returned to the fold and Cody Slate received a few more balls, it provided a window to how the passing attack could shape up this fall.
Passmore went nearly full-tilt, with whistles a little quicker on his behalf. Slate has been healthy all spring, but Thundering Herd coaches have wanted to look at the other tight ends more.
But Slate saw some passes in this workout, and should have had two 17-yard touchdowns from Cann. The first one was only denied by linebacker Corey Hart, who committed a blatantly obvious pass-interference foul. On the next throw, Slate got even more open in the end zone, leaving no doubt.
It's that type of talent that will help Cann develop, should he hold onto the top QB spot.
"When [Slate] gets involved, that's a good thing," Cann said. "In the beginning, we weren't working him much, but we're working him a lot more now."
For every play featuring the expected starters, there's one featuring the undercard. Or, when the reinforcements arrive for August camp, the under-undercard.
How about this play? Brian Anderson throws a wounded duck, which results in a touchdown pass to Chucky Roberts - who got wide open against raw rookie George Carpenter, pressed into a defensive end/linebacker spot on the second unit.
"When they get to the 'twos,' they start to thin out a little bit," Herd coach Mark Snyder said with a nod.
A couple of defensive ends were seen without those pesky yellow or blue shirts that have dominated that side of the ball: Ian Hoskins and Albert McClellan. But don't get excited just yet. They didn't do a lot Wednesday, and they certainly won't play in Saturday's Green-White Game. In McClellan's case, Snyder said he shouldn't have been in full uniform.
Was it a wardrobe malfunction of sorts?
"Well, he left his yellow jersey in the locker room," Snyder said. "Mentally, I guess he did that for himself."
OK, whatever. Perhaps it was another step in McClellan's rehab from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which can be as much mental as physical. While it generally takes a year or so to recover from a torn ACL, it can take another year to get it out of your mind in the full-contact sport of football.
Snyder said he didn't coach many ACL tear victims as an assistant, so he doesn't have much experience with that. He said the quickest recovery time is about seven months, a milestone McClellan has passed.
"Any time you've got an ACL [tear], it's a long rehab," Snyder said. "Obviously, he'll be ready to roll when we get back for two-a-days. The mental part, I can't answer. Every kid handles it differently. But from a physical standpoint, I think he's where he needs to be."
McClellan was unavailable for comment, as he has been all spring. Since Snyder said he should have been sporting a yellow shirt, he kept him off-limits to the media.
Snyder said many young players have improved their stock this spring, but a few probably have not. One example is Brandon Campbell, moved from first-team left tackle to right tackle on the second unit.Another is defensive lineman Michael Janac. A potential threat at tackle or end, he hasn't seen that much first-team action at either - a potentially damning statement, considering how thinned out the defensive front has been this spring.
Janac has made some big plays, finding the quarterback every so often. But he has also missed assignments and jumped offsides, drawing the coaches' ire.
It seems the sophomore-to-be from Miami keeps one foot in the doghouse, but Snyder said that's not the case.
"Everybody has different personalities," Snyder said. "And the beautiful thing with going out to recruit and being in a kid's home, you know what buttons to push because you know the mom, the dad, the grandma, the aunt, the uncle. Those are things that don't get talked about enough. And when you come in new [as Snyder did in 2005], you don't know what trips those kids' buzzers. It's a little bit harder to coach them.
"Mike's not in the doghouse, necessarily, it's the way you have to coach him. Everybody's different, just like our children - you can't treat all our children the same."
The Herd picks sides today for the Green-White Game, which takes place at 3 p.m. Saturday. The question is, as it has been the previous two years: Will there be enough able-bodied players to adequately fill two teams?Snyder thinks so, with some hesitation. "I think we'll be OK. We'll put on a show," he said.
Admission is $5, with proceeds benefiting the MU Quarterback Club. Parking on the stadium's West Lot, as well as the Annex Lot and Lot A is $10, with parking at the Third Avenue garage $5.
The first Choose A Seat day will be conducted, with fans being able to purchase season tickets from noon to game time. To this point, only 2007 season-ticket holders have been able to renew and purchase additional seats.
To contact staff writer Doug Smock, use e-mail or call 348-5130. His blog can be found at wvgazettecom/smockblog.
HUNTINGTON - Quarterback Mark Cann and the offense looked efficient in team drills in Marshall's 13th spring practice Wednesday, and it helped that a few more weapons were more involved.
When Darius Passmore returned to the fold and Cody Slate received a few more balls, it provided a window to how the passing attack could shape up this fall.
Passmore went nearly full-tilt, with whistles a little quicker on his behalf. Slate has been healthy all spring, but Thundering Herd coaches have wanted to look at the other tight ends more.
But Slate saw some passes in this workout, and should have had two 17-yard touchdowns from Cann. The first one was only denied by linebacker Corey Hart, who committed a blatantly obvious pass-interference foul. On the next throw, Slate got even more open in the end zone, leaving no doubt.
It's that type of talent that will help Cann develop, should he hold onto the top QB spot.
"When [Slate] gets involved, that's a good thing," Cann said. "In the beginning, we weren't working him much, but we're working him a lot more now."
For every play featuring the expected starters, there's one featuring the undercard. Or, when the reinforcements arrive for August camp, the under-undercard.
How about this play? Brian Anderson throws a wounded duck, which results in a touchdown pass to Chucky Roberts - who got wide open against raw rookie George Carpenter, pressed into a defensive end/linebacker spot on the second unit.
"When they get to the 'twos,' they start to thin out a little bit," Herd coach Mark Snyder said with a nod.
A couple of defensive ends were seen without those pesky yellow or blue shirts that have dominated that side of the ball: Ian Hoskins and Albert McClellan.
But don't get excited just yet. They didn't do a lot Wednesday, and they certainly won't play in Saturday's Green-White Game. In McClellan's case, Snyder said he shouldn't have been in full uniform.
Was it a wardrobe malfunction of sorts?
"Well, he left his yellow jersey in the locker room," Snyder said. "Mentally, I guess he did that for himself."
OK, whatever. Perhaps it was another step in McClellan's rehab from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which can be as much mental as physical. While it generally takes a year or so to recover from a torn ACL, it can take another year to get it out of your mind in the full-contact sport of football.
Snyder said he didn't coach many ACL tear victims as an assistant, so he doesn't have much experience with that. He said the quickest recovery time is about seven months, a milestone McClellan has passed.
"Any time you've got an ACL [tear], it's a long rehab," Snyder said. "Obviously, he'll be ready to roll when we get back for two-a-days. The mental part, I can't answer. Every kid handles it differently. But from a physical standpoint, I think he's where he needs to be."
McClellan was unavailable for comment, as he has been all spring. Since Snyder said he should have been sporting a yellow shirt, he kept him off-limits to the media.
Snyder said many young players have improved their stock this spring, but a few probably have not. One example is Brandon Campbell, moved from first-team left tackle to right tackle on the second unit.
Another is defensive lineman Michael Janac. A potential threat at tackle or end, he hasn't seen that much first-team action at either - a potentially damning statement, considering how thinned out the defensive front has been this spring.
Janac has made some big plays, finding the quarterback every so often. But he has also missed assignments and jumped offsides, drawing the coaches' ire.
It seems the sophomore-to-be from Miami keeps one foot in the doghouse, but Snyder said that's not the case.
"Everybody has different personalities," Snyder said. "And the beautiful thing with going out to recruit and being in a kid's home, you know what buttons to push because you know the mom, the dad, the grandma, the aunt, the uncle. Those are things that don't get talked about enough. And when you come in new [as Snyder did in 2005], you don't know what trips those kids' buzzers. It's a little bit harder to coach them.
"Mike's not in the doghouse, necessarily, it's the way you have to coach him. Everybody's different, just like our children - you can't treat all our children the same."
The Herd picks sides today for the Green-White Game, which takes place at 3 p.m. Saturday. The question is, as it has been the previous two years: Will there be enough able-bodied players to adequately fill two teams?
Snyder thinks so, with some hesitation. "I think we'll be OK. We'll put on a show," he said.
Admission is $5, with proceeds benefiting the MU Quarterback Club. Parking on the stadium's West Lot, as well as the Annex Lot and Lot A is $10, with parking at the Third Avenue garage $5.
The first Choose A Seat day will be conducted, with fans being able to purchase season tickets from noon to game time. To this point, only 2007 season-ticket holders have been able to renew and purchase additional seats.
To contact staff writer Doug Smock, use e-mail or call 348-5130. His blog can be found at wvgazettecom/smockblog.
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