Camp Rantoul - Practice #8

[Dan]

Final 2012 practice at Rantoul!

Practices #9-23 will be held at Memorial Stadium, closed to the public.

Sunday's POP Players are O-Knight, D-Hawthorne, ST-Pedersen. De-striper is LB Monheim. Great practice 2day. Heading back to #Champaign 2day!

http://twitter.com/coachbeckman

#Illini just wrapped up their last practice in Rantoul. Rest of training camp will be in Champaign. http://pic.twitter.com/FS0dvg9z



http://twitter.com/IlliniFootball

[Dan]

Rantoul2012 XXXI: Mailbag 3

KOR and PR -- every non-lineman. Seriously. Every single one. All I saw them work on in Rantoul was proper form for catching a punt or kickoff, and they worked on this with every tailback, linebacker, safety, wide receiver -- everyone. Maybe they're saving specific punt return drills for closed practices. Maybe they simply have an open competition and everyone has a shot at the job. All I know is, there was never a "Terry and Tommy -- you go over there and work on punt returns".

Who do I think will handle it? Total guess, but I'd say it's between Ryan Lankford, Terry Hawthrone, and NIU transfer Tommy Davis for punt return. Wildcard: Miles Osei. For kickoff return, I'd guess some of the freshmen tailbacks get a look (Devin Church, LaKeith Walls), as well as some receivers (Lankford, Darius Millines). Josh Ferguson, too, plus some secondary guys like Hawthorne, Davis, and Justin Green. Wildcard: Miles Osei.

Holder? Looks like two guys. Tim Russell and, you guessed it, Miles Osei. My guess is Osei wins the job. Maybe all of them.

http://alioneye.com/2012/08/12/ranto...xxi-mailbag-3/

[Groundhogday]

In career all-purpose yardage, Robert Holcombe is tops in Illini history with 4,737 yards. Ferguson should shatter that.

ALE did preface this remark by admitting it was crazy.

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

ALE did preface this remark by admitting it was crazy.

To be fair, Freguson will have 4 years as basically a starter and only needs to average ~ 1200 all purpose yards/year to break it. With this new offense I could see it happening.

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

To be fair, Freguson will have 4 years as basically a starter

WAAAAAAAAAAAY too early for that conclusion.

[256ILLINI]

When's the last time an Illinois running back stayed after gaining 1,000 yards?

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by Sure Shot

WAAAAAAAAAAAY too early for that conclusion.

Welp, he tore up last spring, is playing very well in practice and is only a RS freshman who will probably be getting a ton of touches this year. It's actually not that early to make an assumption that he will be getting a major share of the carries for the next 4 years (barring injuries of course).

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by 256ILLINI

When's the last time an Illinois running back stayed after gaining 1,000 yards?

Keep in mind, this is all-purpose yards we talking about with regards to Ferg, not just rushing. To answer your question, I have no idea.

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

Welp, he tore up last spring, is playing very well in practice and is only a RS freshman who will probably be getting a ton of touches this year. It's actually not that early to make an assumption that he will be getting a major share of the carries for the next 4 years (barring injuries of course).

Well, don't tell that to any of the RB's we're recruiting.

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by Sure Shot

Well, don't tell that to any of the RB's we're recruiting.

Come on man, you can't honestly tell me that at this point after how well Ferguson has done over the last 6 months combined with the fact that to this point we aren't recruiting any "super-star" type RBs that Ferguson won't be one of the "featured" backs.

He won't be the main, go-to guy because that's not how this offense works but he and young will be the main two with Ferguson being used all over the field.

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

Come on man, you can't honestly tell me that at this point after how well Ferguson has done over the last 6 months combined with the fact that to this point we aren't recruiting any "super-star" type RBs that Ferguson won't be one of the "featured" backs.

He won't be the main, go-to guy because that's not how this offense works but he and young will be the main two with Ferguson being used all over the field.

I just think that any time you're projecting a RS-FR who already lost his first college season to injury, who isn't even clearly ahead at his position, as a 4-year starter before even the first game, you ought to take a chill pill. Especially if you're projecting based on spring ball.

I'm excited to see what Ferguson can do these first few non-conference games. Let's go from there.

[Kramer116]

http://herald-review.com/sports/illi...a4bcf887a.html

But late this week, when Salem was putting his players through a kickoff return drill, he wasn’t even paying attention to the guy with the football. He was watching those front five who backpedal, then become primary blockers.

Salem explained: “Right now, our special teams have been working very much on fundamentals,” he said. “We’re finding guys who can catch the ball, who can run through a block. We’re working on blocking and tackling. If we improve the fundamentals, we’ll improve the football team.

“On the kickoff return, those front five guys are just like the offensive line. If they don’t block, the return isn’t going to work. “So we worked today on those five guys. We worked on mechanics, on footwork, on striking with hands and finding guys who can bend their knees and guys who can block in the open field.”

[Jphill1989]

Originally Posted by Kramer116

http://herald-review.com/sports/illi...a4bcf887a.html

I love these quotes. We always have the athletes to compete with almost any team in the B1G year after year, but we usually don't do the little things right. Love to see the staff is working on the little things.

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by Sure Shot

I just think that any time you're projecting a RS-FR who already lost his first college season to injury, who isn't even clearly ahead at his position, as a 4-year starter before even the first game, you ought to take a chill pill. Especially if you're projecting based on spring ball.

I'm excited to see what Ferguson can do these first few non-conference games. Let's go from there.

I don't need to take a chill pill and I didn't say he would be a 4-year starter. AT THIS POINT it looks as though he will have a chance to break that record because of how much he's going to be used. It's not that crazy of a statement is it?

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by Sure Shot

I just think that any time you're projecting a RS-FR who already lost his first college season to injury, who isn't even clearly ahead at his position, as a 4-year starter before even the first game, you ought to take a chill pill. Especially if you're projecting based on spring ball.

I'm excited to see what Ferguson can do these first few non-conference games. Let's go from there.

Below is exactly what I said. Noweher did I say he would be a 4-year starter.

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

Welp, he tore up last spring, is playing very well in practice and is only a RS freshman who will probably be getting a ton of touches this year. It's actually not that early to make an assumption that he will be getting a major share of the carries for the next 4 years (barring injuries of course).

[FredrickFremont]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

Below is exactly what I said. Noweher did I say he would be a 4-year starter.

How many non-starters average 1200+ APY for four straight years?

And, you did actually say "Freguson will have 4 years as basically a starter".

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by FredrickFremont

How many non-starters average 1200+ APY for four straight years?

And, you did actually say "Freguson will have 4 years as basically a starter".

Yeah because basically he will be based on his # of touches per game from what it sounds like, barring an injury as I said earlier. Look, I'm not saying it's going to be easy. There's a reason that record still stands and why someone as great as Holcombe holds it but Ferguson has been getting nothing but immense praise from just about everyone since spring practice started. This offense fits his skill set to a T and they've pretty much said they are going to try and get the ball into his hands in open space whenever they can.